Several people have asked me what tool I used to create the screen shots used in the YAGNI vs Usability post.

The tool is called Balsamiq. And if you are looking for a simple, quick, easy way to create great looking screen mockups, it is a tool I highly recommend.

Dead easy to use

One of the things I like most about the tool is how easy it is to use.

With its easy drag-and-drop interface, designers could learn a lot from just studying how Balsamiq was built and designed.

mockup1

Good plugin community

And because Balsamiq is so open and configurable, there is a decent plugin community for Outlook, Facebook, and iPhone apps.

mockup_2

Making mock-ups is just fun

For no other reason, I like this tool because it’s funky, fun, and actually makes the creation of paper based looking mock-ups really cool and fun.

So if you are in the market for a tool like this, check out Balsamiq. It is well work the low price of $79.

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