Not long ago, I shared a nostalgic moment on LinkedIn, reminiscing about my time with Macromedia Director and scripting with Lingo, feeling like a true “director” of interactive media. Back then, wireframing tools weren’t as common, or maybe I just wasn’t aware of them.

My Background in Print Design

I come from a print design background where layout was usually the final step. Texts and images arrived ready for use, and we would quietly work until it was time to send off the designs. There weren’t many questions. We simply did our job, received revisions, and made the necessary adjustments. Those were simpler days.

Then came the Macromedia Director, and everything changed.

The Project That Changed Everything

Once upon a time, I took on a CD-ROM project that needed to support six languages, each with different translators, scripts, voiceovers, and, most importantly, no finalized content. I had chaos without any plan.

I was responsible for both design and development. There was no design or dev team—just me.

There were no responsive layouts or style guides, and none of us on the project team had worked with a multilingual, interactive CD-ROM before.

It was an adventure! However, each day brought new changes to the layout, making it feel like every screen was a moving target. We struggled to find a common vision for how everything should look.

Turning to Pen and Paper

Eventually, I reached my breaking point. I grabbed some blank sheets of paper and started sketching screens. I created boxes for headers, squares for buttons, and placed navigation at the top. I even told the translators, “Please keep headlines under 50 characters.”

There were no colours or fancy fonts—just quick lines and labels.

That’s when I unknowingly started wireframing: low-fidelity and purely on paper.

The Stamp Hack

Frustrated with drawing the same scrollbars and close buttons repeatedly, I visited a local print shop, which boasted, “We Make Stamps FAST!”

After sitting down with the owner, I created custom rubber stamps of my most common UI elements.

Once back at the office, I would stamp. Stamp. Stamp.

In no time, the screen layout was completed. I photocopied it ten times, drew arrows, wrote notes, and handed it out, watching as people finally understood the product.

It wasn’t beautiful, but it worked. People grasped the concept.

Why I Still Use Low-Fidelity Wire-framing Today

Over the years, I’ve worked with countless tools—design suites, prototyping apps, collaboration platforms—but low-fidelity wireframing has always remained a constant for me.

Today, I use Balsamiq. It mimics the feel of sketching on paper but is faster, cleaner, and shareable. I appreciate how it intentionally resists pixel-perfection. There are no colors no distractions—just the flow of ideas.

It helps me think clearly, keeps my clients focused, and reminds me that great interfaces start simple.

My Advice?

Don’t over-design your initial ideas. Start with black and white; add one accent color if necessary. Use yellow sticky notes for emphasis—avoid gradients or glassmorphism.

Focus on structure, not style. Clarity beats creativity in the first draft.

And if you know of a tool that’s as clean and fast as Balsamiq, please share it with me. I’m always open to discovering better ways to work simply.

Until then, I’ll continue stamping, sketching, and wire-framing like it’s 1999.