A summary of the pros and cons of Omnigraffle and Balsamiq by Eldrige Doubleday (Sr. User Experience Architect at Sears Holdings Corporate)

1. Omnigraffle and Balsamiq Mockups or: Finding the
right tools to get the job done right.
Eldridge Doubleday
Sr User Experience Architect

2. IXDA
Tools of the trade - A rose by any other name...
First, we as designers, are more than the sum of our artifacts...
Eldridge Doubleday - Sears Holdings Corporation

3. IXDA
Omnigraffle and Balsamiq - Introduction
What is it good for?
Diagrams
Flowcharts
Wireframes
Concept Models
Sketches (yes, sketches!)
And more....
What is it good for?
Sketches
Flowcharts
Concept Models
And some super surprises...
Eldridge Doubleday - Sears Holdings Corporation

4. IXDA
Omnigraffle - UI
Inspectors - Manipulate objects
Stencils - Predefined objects
Toolbar - Drawing Tools, etc
Manage Canvases and Layers Workspace
Eldridge Doubleday - Sears Holdings Corporation

5. IXDA
Omnigraffle - The Good...
Integrated auto-align and snap features Document management - canvas/layer Asset management - copy everything from
based structure allows for easy images to spreadsheet data directly into your
management of large documents document (Sure, as pics, but, you know...)
Integrated auto-spacing and duplication
Date August 2011 Clicks September 2011 Clicks October 2011 Clicks November 2011 Clicks December 2011 Clicks Aug-Dec 2011 Clicks
Store Locator 2.508% 805757.00 2.424% 1023708.00 2.120% 720541.00 1.726% 886316.00 1.870% 1369556.00 !"#$%& !"#$"%"&##
Email Savings 0.103% 33203.00 0.121% 51140.00 0.131% 44551.00 0.134% 68647.00 0.152% 111310.00 #"'%%& '#""$(&##
Customer Service 0.277% 89020.00 0.345% 145726.00 0.365% 123912.00 0.286% 147099.00 0.322% 235991.00 #"%'(& %!(%!"&##
Check My Order Status 0.241% 77321.00 0.278% 117312.00 0.343% 116406.00 0.275% 141065.00 0.388% 284083.00 #"%'$& %')("%&##
Children Privacy Policy 0.001% 286.00 0.001% 428.00 0.001% 504.00 0.001% 682.00 0.001% 965.00 #"##'& *")$&##
Contact Us 0.123% 39596.00 0.131% 55349.00 0.125% 42356.00 0.113% 58223.00 0.144% 105108.00 #"'!)& '##)'*&##
Order Fulfillment 0.024% 7863.00 0.027% 11393.00 0.026% 8788.00 0.025% 12982.00 0.042% 31111.00 #"#%'& %*('%&##
Price Match Plus 0.016% 5260.00 0.015% 6543.00 0.014% 4913.00 0.016% 8378.00 0.017% 12133.00 #"#'$& '%**%&##
Pricing Policy 0.003% 1124.00 0.004% 1695.00 0.003% 1186.00 0.003% 1726.00 0.003% 2231.00 #"##%& %+)*&##
Privacy Policy 0.002% 501.00 0.002% 768.00 0.002% 548.00 0.001% 366.00 0.001% 543.00 #"##'& *%*)&##
Product Recalls 0.003% 1022.00 0.003% 1473.00 0.004% 1284.00 0.003% 1331.00 0.002% 1823.00 #"##%& )+''&##
Protection Agreements 0.001% 173.00 0.001% 455.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 #"###& )*"&##
Recycling 0.002% 525.00 0.002% 821.00 0.002% 627.00 0.001% 718.00 0.001% 972.00 #"##!& '))'&##
Rescheduling Delivery 0.008% 2582.00 0.010% 4121.00 0.009% 3002.00 0.008% 3891.00 0.010% 7524.00 #"##)& *((*#&##
Return and Cancellations 0.025% 8011.00 0.027% 11358.00 0.027% 9045.00 0.027% 13877.00 0.040% 29631.00 #"#%'& %(+**&##
Return or Exchange in 5 0.012% 3737.00 0.013% 5302.00 0.012% 3921.00 0.010% 5243.00 0.018% 13021.00 #"#'%& '(**!&##
Secure Transactions 0.002% 803.00 0.003% 1415.00 0.003% 1021.00 0.002% 1192.00 0.003% 1879.00 #"##%& )'(#&##
Terms of Service 0.004% 1157.00 0.004% 1840.00 0.005% 1605.00 0.004% 1840.00 0.004% 2641.00 #"##*& +#"'&##
View My Order History 0.043% 13943.00 0.049% 20526.00 0.048% 16242.00 0.043% 22118.00 0.068% 49574.00 #"#+%& (**!#'&##
Warranty Information 0.016% 5164.00 0.018% 7555.00 0.017% 5731.00 0.011% 5801.00 0.011% 8153.00 #"#'*& '*!#!&##
Website Feedback 0.003% 870.00 0.003% 1310.00 0.003% 1005.00 0.002% 1274.00 0.003% 2432.00 #"##%& )"+(&##
Sears Credit Cards
Apply Now 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 0.247% 127006.00 0.301% 220178.00 #"'*)& '!%("!&##
Credit Offers 0.249% 79961.00 0.349% 147311.00 0.376% 127696.00 0.162% 83104.00 0.121% 88794.00 #"!!$& $*)"))&##
Pay Bill 2.513% 807281.00 3.014% 1272733.00 3.156% 1072495.00 2.096% 1076746.00 1.997% 1462618.00 !"***& $)+("%'&##
Sign In 0.786% 252380.00 0.904% 381942.00 1.031% 350333.00 0.988% 507605.00 1.295% 948221.00 '"#*(& *!!#!"(&##
Logout 0.318% 102202.00 0.370% 156430.00 0.401% 136243.00 0.399% 204769.00 0.509% 372692.00 #"*',& +%*'')&##
Register 0.153% 49195.00 0.183% 77258.00 0.203% 69152.00 0.201% 103243.00 0.237% 173476.00 #"!#%& !%*'*!&##
Search 38.861% 12485490.00 39.268% 16582683.00 33.265% 11305035.00 32.738% 16814505.00 36.661% 26847775.00 %$"#,,& "!#'$!""&##
Facebook
Connect 0.557% 178990.00 0.458% 193502.00 0.422% 143580.00 0.364% 187193.00 0.389% 284964.00 #"*!*& +""**+&##
Disconnect 0.001% 316.00 0.001% 630.00 0.003% 857.00 0.001% 463.00 0.001% 528.00 #"##'& *%+!&##
Suggestions 0.000% 141.00 0.001% 242.00 0.001% 271.00 0.000% 142.00 0.000% 209.00 #"###& (##$&##
My Profile 0.292% 93697.00 0.351% 148424.00 0.365% 124208.00 0.388% 199318.00 0.467% 342177.00 #"%)#& +#%"*!&##
My Info 0.052% 16606.00 0.050% 21265.00 0.051% 17470.00 0.046% 23664.00 0.055% 40154.00 #"#+'& ((+($+&##
My Order Center 0.127% 40715.00 0.121% 51289.00 0.137% 46654.00 0.139% 71314.00 0.216% 158214.00 #"'+(& ')"(")&##
My Recommendations 0.004% 1278.00 0.006% 2342.00 0.006% 2054.00 0.005% 2547.00 0.006% 4265.00 #"##+& (*!")&##
SYWR 0.023% 7380.00 0.030% 12627.00 0.030% 10177.00 0.031% 15743.00 0.047% 34744.00 #"#%+& "#)%(&##
My Lists 0.135% 43376.00 0.153% 64649.00 0.161% 54756.00 0.165% 84743.00 0.177% 129862.00 #"'$!& '%%'")&##
Shopping Cart 2.940% 944564.00 3.462% 1462095.00 3.466% 1177951.00 4.289% 2202952.00 5.148% 3769901.00 *"'#%& +$$%!)'&##
New Local Ad 1.274% 409454.00 2.039% 861104.00 2.370% 805463.00 1.901% 976228.00 1.671% 1223638.00 '"(%$& !*%$""%&##
Deals
Appliance Deals 0.000% 0.00 0.158% 66560.00 0.261% 88579.00 0.243% 125043.00 0.182% 133486.00 #"',(& !('))"&##
Deal of the Day 0.627% 201382.00 0.672% 283877.00 0.650% 220960.00 0.791% 406454.00 0.867% 634956.00 #",+#& (%!%)*+&##
Email Specials 0.089% 28621.00 0.093% 39158.00 0.065% 22099.00 0.057% 29471.00 0.067% 49191.00 #"#,!& ()"$!#&##
Flash Deals 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 0.139% 101603.00 #"#**& (#()#'&##
Free Shipping 0.053% 16945.00 0.058% 24371.00 0.053% 18085.00 0.046% 23846.00 0.065% 47788.00 #"#+$& ('(#'$&##
Local Ad 0.007% 2196.00 0.010% 4046.00 0.000% 3.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 #"##%& )*!$&##
Marketplace Deals 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 0.042% 14104.00 0.066% 33838.00 0.068% 49742.00 #"#*!& +%)"!&##
Outlet Stores 0.008% 2631.00 0.014% 5725.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 2.00 0.000% 0.00 #"##*& "'$"&##
Gifts & Registry
Gift Cards 0.036% 11701.00 0.040% 17038.00 0.037% 12662.00 0.038% 19567.00 0.063% 46313.00 #"#*$& (#%*"(&##
Gift Registry 0.207% 66626.00 0.199% 84130.00 0.147% 49862.00 0.089% 45807.00 0.061% 44779.00 #"'!+& *+(*#!&##
Gifts 0.034% 10816.00 0.063% 26659.00 0.071% 24219.00 0.072% 37223.00 0.094% 69058.00 #"#,!& ()%+%$&##
Give Together 0.005% 1523.00 0.008% 3265.00 0.006% 1942.00 0.006% 3151.00 0.007% 5043.00 #"##$& (!+*!&##
My Lists 0.001% 216.00 0.001% 332.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 #"###& $!"&##
Shop for Gifts 0.001% 393.00 0.001% 410.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 #"###& "#'&##
Services
Automotive 0.080% 25679.00 0.096% 40482.00 0.086% 29308.00 0.051% 26233.00 0.047% 34603.00 #"#$,& ($)'#$&##
Cleaning 0.015% 4775.00 0.020% 8483.00 0.019% 6545.00 0.017% 8705.00 0.014% 10583.00 #"#',& '+#+(&##
Home Improvement 0.016% 4982.00 0.017% 7356.00 0.014% 4597.00 0.010% 5090.00 0.009% 6240.00 #"#'!& *"*)$&##
Installation 0.028% 9019.00 0.036% 15061.00 0.030% 10107.00 0.024% 12190.00 0.023% 16665.00 #"#!,& )'#!*&##
Layaway 0.006% 1842.00 0.010% 4408.00 0.000% 3.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 #"##%& )*$'&##
My scheduled services 0.001% 193.00 0.001% 397.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 #"###& $+#&##
Shopping Guidance
Optical 0.073% 23426.00 0.058% 24568.00 0.049% 16580.00 0.029% 14769.00 0.026% 18842.00 #"#*!& +"("$&##
Parts Direct 0.207% 66437.00 0.245% 103490.00 0.198% 67453.00 0.126% 64887.00 0.107% 78651.00 #"'$*& '"#+("&##
Portrait Studio 0.103% 33065.00 0.126% 53258.00 0.133% 45114.00 0.128% 65701.00 0.119% 87111.00 #"'!!& *"!*!+&##
Repair 0.096% 30788.00 0.122% 51563.00 0.105% 35630.00 0.070% 35713.00 0.059% 43335.00 #"#(+& (+%#*+&##
Blue Crew HQ 0.009% 3050.00 0.001% 583.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 #"##!& ')''&##
Life Handbooks 0.011% 3459.00 0.020% 8238.00 0.024% 8302.00 0.021% 10719.00 0.020% 14310.00 #"#')& !$#*"&##
Manage My Life 0.027% 8661.00 0.030% 12840.00 0.029% 9691.00 0.027% 13760.00 0.026% 18810.00 #"#!,& )'%)*&##
mygofer 0.001% 227.00 0.001% 333.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 0.000% 0.00 #"###& $)#&##
Personal Shopper 0.020% 6461.00 0.023% 9630.00 0.022% 7413.00 0.019% 9937.00 0.022% 16235.00 #"#!'& !+)%)&##
Sears Buzz 0.008% 2415.00 0.009% 4009.00 0.009% 2987.00 0.008% 4277.00 0.011% 7932.00 #"##)& *()*#&##
Sears Catalogs 0.042% 13427.00 0.052% 21918.00 0.058% 19794.00 0.053% 27085.00 0.043% 31419.00 #"#*)& ((')!'&##
En Espanol-Global Header 0.129% 41503.00 0.133% 55997.00 0.134% 45697.00 0.137% 70115.00 0.127% 93192.00 #"'%!& '#)$#!&##
Share
Delicious 0.001% 192.00 0.000% 118.00 0.000% 144.00 0.000% 104.00 0.000% 153.00 #"###%#+& %((&##
Email 0.050% 16149.00 0.058% 24401.00 0.053% 18120.00 0.045% 23058.00 0.052% 38346.00 #"#+!& (*##%!&##
Facebook 0.005% 1628.00 0.006% 2621.00 0.005% 1723.00 0.004% 2242.00 0.005% 3441.00 #"##+& (()$$&##
Twitter 0.000% 105.00 0.000% 182.00 0.000% 101.00 0.000% 223.00 0.000% 233.00 #"###%$& "!!&##
Give Feedback 0.064% 20696.00 0.077% 32607.00 0.083% 28224.00 0.069% 35646.00 0.070% 50928.00 #"#,!& ()"(#(&##
Eldridge Doubleday - Sears Holdings Corporation

6. IXDA
Omnigraffle - The Great...
Community resources
Stencils, stencils, and more stencils. Allows for creation of higher-fidelity
wireframes and concepts more quickly.
Eldridge Doubleday - Sears Holdings Corporation

7. IXDA
Omnigraffle - The Bad...
Inspectors - Robust yet oddly configured - no customization Compatibility - Visio/Omnigraffle conversions are not
as seamless (or painless) as they could be
File format options, although easily remedied, are not
immediately intuitive
Eldridge Doubleday - Sears Holdings Corporation

8. IXDA
Omnigraffle - Examples
Diagramming Scenarios
Wireframing
Eldridge Doubleday - Sears Holdings Corporation

9. IXDA
Omnigraffle and Balsamiq - Introduction
What is it good for?
Diagrams
Flowcharts
Wireframes
Concept Models
Sketches (yes, sketches!)
And more....
What is it good for?
Sketches
Flowcharts
Concept Models
And some super surprises...
Eldridge Doubleday - Sears Holdings Corporation

10. IXDA
Balsamiq Mockups - UI
Toolbar - Editing Tools, etc
Objects - Predefined/Sortable
Workspace
Mockup Management
Eldridge Doubleday - Sears Holdings Corporation

11. IXDA
Balsamiq Mockups - The Good...
All about FIDELITY! Quick and easy to use.
Sketchy-styled shapes and controls bring a low-fidelity Predefined objects and drag/drop interface both make it easy to
feeling without sacrificing detail. produce quick mockups on the fly.
Eldridge Doubleday - Sears Holdings Corporation

12. IXDA
Balsamiq Mockups - The Bad...
Forget big documents. No canvases, layers, foregrounds or Quicky UI. Buggy controls. HATES complex mocks with
backgrounds. Multiple mockups required, which can make multiple groups of objects.
multi-page mocks a chore.
Eldridge Doubleday - Sears Holdings Corporation

13. IXDA
Balsamiq Mockups - Examples
Examples
Eldridge Doubleday - Sears Holdings Corporation