Jumpchart Review

Written December 6, 2007 in reviews, webdev

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Jumpchart is Daring Fireball’s sponsor this week. Normally I wouldn’t repost a sponsored post (hey, it wasn’t me they paid), but I tried out out. More inside, but the general gist is that it’s a great idea, but there isn’t anything you can’t do with Google Docs — and the account tiers are so limited that if I want to work collaboratively with someone I’ll just do it in Google Docs instead for free.

Jumpchart is basically a web mockup program for the web. It allows you to “wireframe” a website out in a quick and easy format using structural Textile elements — just like you would in a Wiki. You can work on the pages with multiple people and see how the navigation of the site flows. The best part is that you can then output the site in structural HTML, hit it with your custom stylesheets, and pretty much have a complete website.

It’s a great idea. But if I can only create 10 pages in the free version (when a typical webapp for me is at least 20-30 page), and I’d need to pay at least $25 a month — a lot for a small web app designer — for 100 pages, I’ll just keep using OmniGraffle, Google Docs, and email. My layouts are too complex and interactive to be mocked up in such a simple format. This would work great for people who are doing brochureware sites, but I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone who’s doing interactive stuff.

3 comments on ' Jumpchart Review '

  1. Karl,
    I found your post in our log files… First, thanks for posting about Jumpchart, even if your view is not totally favorable. If you don’t mind, I’ll address a couple of your points. First: I agree that there are lots of other programs out there that you could use to do similar tasks to Jumpchart. You mentioned Google docs, others have mentioned Backpack, Writeboards, etc. Jumpchart actually came from just that process. We were trying to use other solutions to make wireframes, and got frustrated with the workarounds. Most frustratingly was that interlinking, and reorganizing was a tough if not impossible process in most cases. The biggest frustration was on export. When you’re done with most of the other solutions, and the content is approved, -you’re stuck. In the case of Jumpchart, you can export valid CSS/XHTML to get started building with. That one thing, we think, makes Jumpchart worth the cost… If you have ever copied and pasted, and hand formatted 10 pages of your clients’ content, I would like to think you would agree… We’re working to constantly make Jumpchart better, and hopefully less expensive. As we grow the service, it gets more affordable for us to give away free accounts. I hope you’ll give it a shot on your next project. We think you would really like it.

      Written by Joe on December 07, 2007 at 11:49am

  2. Joe - Thanks for reading!

    My guess is that I’m just not your target market. I’m an interactive PHP developer that works heavily with backend systems and content management systems. I very rarely work with static HTML. When I do, I usually end up pasting it from google docs into a CMS — which handles the formatting for me and takes out the need to use XHTML output at all.

    The expensive part for *me* is figuring out how to put things together, and that’s where OmniOutliner and OmniGraffle come in…

    Putting myself in the shoes of someone who does more content development, I would say that the only major feature you’re missing is the google-docs like chat, “let the other person drive” and visual live update features.

      Written by Karl Katzke on December 07, 2007 at 11:57am

  3. Karl,
    It’s definitely possible. Jumpchart was never meant to be for everyone.

    I can see if we were going to use a pre-existing cms, I probably wouldn’t bother with the Jumpchart step. I would more likely hop right into the cms and start flowing content into it directly.

    I’ve personally never had much use for the Omni apps. My old way of planning was a stack of copy paper and a sharpie. I wanted to see what content was on the page, and little tree diagrams never cut it for me. From a planning standpoint, I think it’s great to see quickly where the fat parts of your website are. You can drag content around, and reorganize on the fly.

    As far as the Google docs style review, we have something I think serves that purpose. There are several permission levels in Jumpchart. Of course the first is full collaboration. The second lets you view all the pages, -but only comment. The third lets you just navigate the grey-box wireframe without any interactivity beside clicking links…

    Enough evangelizing. Thanks for the dialog. Maybe someday the right project will come along, and Jumpchart will scratch the right itch. Good luck with the blog, and your projects. -Joe

      Written by Joe on December 07, 2007 at 3:39pm

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