iPad app prototypes in under 30 minutes using Apple Keynote

[amir]

A couple of weeks ago, I wanted to create a prototype and test it on the iPad without having to write code. I used a couple of tools but wasn’t fully happy with them. So I turned to Apple Keynote, and in less than 30 minutes, I had a functional prototype up and running on the iPad that I tested with some friends.

The beauty of this is that you can embed your click-thru prototype within your pitch deck, and interact with it without leaving your presentation. If you send it to someone, they can open it and play with it right away without needing additional installation.

I created a simple guide and a Keynote template for those who want to do the same. You can get it here.

 

[Linkreincarnate]

what were the tools you used?

 

[Hasty]

Nice blog btw Amir.

 

[amir]

what were the tools you used?

Just Apple iWork Keynote. You can do the same with Powerpoint or OpenOffice presenter (posting assets for these shortly)

 

[amir]

Nice blog btw Amir.

Thanks man!

 

[Linkreincarnate]

what were the tools you used?

Just Apple iWork Keynote. You can do the same with Powerpoint or OpenOffice presenter (posting assets for these shortly)

No I mean what were the tools you didn't like? Did you not like them because of complexity? I wanted to see what they were about too.

 

[CaptKirk]

Amir,,

AWESOME - very nice post,, thanks for sharing...

 

[amir]

@Linkreincarnate - I tried balsamiq, OmniGraffle (both Mac and iPad).
The former was pretty nice, but could not create interactivity or export directly to iPad.
The latter had too many features that I didn't need.

Keynote happens to have the right amount of features for my taste. I usually get lost in programs with too many features, and end up wasting time trying to use them because they happen to be there.

To some extent, Keynote forces me to focus on what matters: the prototype. I just created an iPhone prototype using the same method - will be posting some results online shortly.

 

[Azieser]

Excellent and informative posting. Thanks!

 

[123keitai]

@amir, read your blog thread and i love it. I really like to test it out, but i don't have keynotes and i am behind a pc. Do you have the assets in openoffice format as well???

regards

 

[amir]

@123Keitai - thank you for your kind words. I'd love for you to test out the templates, but I probably won't have time to convert them to OpenOffice format in the next few days. I suspect that if you buy the Powerpoint templates you can open them in OpenOffice. Give it a shot, and if it doesn't work, you will get a full refund and keep the templates