What comes as a fascinating fact is that Google Slides can be your pick when it comes to incredibly fast prototyping. It is obvious that prototyping today is a big deal. If you’re developing an application, the best & the most lucid way to make a prototype is via using applications such as Sketch, Adobe XD or even Microsoft PowerPoint. Of course, you can also make use of alternatives like Google Slides for building prototypes of the apps.
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Google Slides is one of the free presentation tools provided by Google and available cross-browser and on any device. Feedback is what drives the whole development endeavor. When you make use of Google Slides for rapid prototyping, you can validate the ideas with the team and get feedback in an early stage of the project, even if the source code of your application is not yet coded.
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It is obvious to mention that prototyping today is not just limited to designers. If you have an idea, prototyping can be your unique solution to give a physical representation to the same. Plus, Google Slides works well in the browser itself. Hence, you don’t require to install any unnecessary software to achieve your prototype. In this article, we will talk about 6 prime tips to transform Google Slides into a dedicated prototyping tool to help you with the rapid prototyping process of your applications.
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1. Slide Size Matters
Well, as a developer you pretty much understand how cumbersome it would be if all the entities and objects on the screen appear clogged or not symmetrical? Getting the dimensions of your device is crucial. Once you know about the screen resolution of your device, you can simply head to making a new Google Slide file and where you can find Page Setup under File drop down. Then you can enter required values for the length and width and the page will get accustomed to your device’s resolution. What’s the benefit? Now you can be sure of the fact that the objects will appear in the same fashion on your device, as they were in the Slide.
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2. Creating the User-Interface
Once, you know about the resolution of the mobile screen, we can move forward to actually making the prototype on Google Slide. You can always consider using FGST or free Google Slides templates or you can start the process from scratch. Are you experienced when it comes to Photoshop or Illustrator? You can make the UI mockups right over there and thus, can make the same clickable in Google Slides.
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When we talk about adding the text to the prototype, you must consider making use of text boxes provided by Google Slide itself. Benefit? You can now create different states and instances and can also make alterations prior to the usability tests. Google Slide also enables you to export the entire mockup.
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3. Animations: A Win-Win
As a human brain appeal more to animation and graphics, making use of dedicated shapes and transition effects can certainly bloom your Google Slide prototyping endeavors. The transition option can enable you to provide animation effect for transiting to next screen. Make it easy for your viewers to relate the different views of an application one after another or simulate the animations using the mobile user interface. With an array of options like Fly in from left, right, center to fade in-out & much more. Just simply find the transition button on the top toolbar and you’re done.
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This tip is for the fun part. If you want your mockup to come alive you can consider simply disabling the advanced slide on mouse click. A dedicated application or website doesn’t just make a transition when you click anywhere. Control and further emulate the behaviour of the prototype in a better way. One can stroll over to freegoogleslidestemplates.com for getting access to formal, simple and of course, creative templates.
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4. Linking The Slides Together
One of the most amazing features, when you prototype in Google Slide, is that you can connect 2 random slides seamlessly in order. You can also make use of an array of effects such as On click or On mouse over to move to next slide. Linking two prototype slides is pretty easy. On the right side of the screen, just below the Share button, you will be able to see a ‘chain’ type icon. After clicking the same, a box will appear and it will ask you about the destination slide. You can simply enter the slide number and you’re done. Repeat these steps for all the prototype slides for making a successful and effective presentation. .
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If you are presenting a mockup for a mobile application then using the proper aspect ratio could help to improve your mockup presentation. This can be easily achieved by adjusting the presentation size in Google Slides. The option is also available in other presentation tools. Be it in PowerPoint or Google Slides, adopting a custom aspect ratio can help to simulate precisely the size of your application. While a desktop application could use the default landscape format, a mobile app could use the portrait orientation in the slide to make a better representation. Learn how to change the aspect ratio of Google Slides here.
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5. Share & Collaborate
What would be better than a platform which might allow you to share your content and collaborate with others? Google Slides makes it possible to share your prototypes with fellow employees and friends. The biggest benefit is that they can suggest modifications directly. Without any external communication, without any external transfer, you can just simply share your prototype and the other individual can view it seamlessly.
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Hence, opening up your world to feedback and creativity. The tip can be pretty useful for enthusiasts in the corporate world. They can literally leverage this to promote the appeal of mutual inclusion. In other words, include your peers in the development process by just a single click. Ideate, iterate and make live prototypes and optimize the real-time collaboration.
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6. Save Time, Present More
Going in a room of executives with a single design vs. going with a handful of designs, which sounds more plausible? In other words, in the corporate world, there might be a case where the top hierarchy just shoot down your prototype. For the purpose of making sure that you succeed, you can always consider making multiple prototypes. Google Slides can help you in doing that as well as you can do it in Microsoft PowerPoint. In fact, if you have your mockups created in PowerPoint you can easily import and edit PowerPoint in Google Slides using one of the techniques available out there. Make various mockups simultaneously and share them exclusively. Cater the perspective of client easily. Thus, are you looking forward to ace the prototyping process? Make use of Google Slides for unparalleled mockups. Give your clients something that they might not even expect.
