Here is a list of Wireframe attributes as defined by the information architect Dan Brown, who has worked on sites for US Airways, Fannie Mae, First USA, British Telecom, Special Olympics, AOL, and the World Bank

WIREFRAMES DEFINED by Dan Brown

• usually appear in black-and-white or grayscale
• show information priorities as a page layout
• can include actual or greeked information
• do not necessarily describe consequences of a user’s action
• do not usually include bitmapped images
• can have styled text
• might only show the content area of a page, and not the “chrome” — design elements and global navigation
• does not necessarily appear to-scale
• can be rendered in either print or digital (HTML, JPG, etc.) format

CONS

• hinders creativity and innovation by imposing limits on design team
• distracts client from tasks at hand: evaluating page priorities, understanding information relationships
• is not necessarily HTML-ready if not developed to scale
• is not necessarily HTML-ready if developed without “chrome”
• do not provide accurate usability testing results
• relies on other documentation to provide a complete picture
• does not consider color, typography, and other brand identity elements
• requires spending time to wrestle with layout details

PROS

• demonstrates a site concept quickly, allowing clients to react to content placement and rendering
• can provide guidance to visual designers with respect to information priorities
• allows for usability testing early in the project lifecycle
• can elaborate on a singular vision for the site
• can faciliate collaboration between design team and information architects
• is easy for clients to understand

It’s rewarding to think how many of the pros Jumpchart embraces, and how many of the cons it solves…