1. What is Axure RP Pro?
Axure RP Pro is a rapid wireframing and prototyping tool used by professionals responsible for defining requirements and specifications for an application and designing the user interface and functionality. These professionals include user experience designers, business analysts, information architects, usability experts, and product managers.
Creating wireframes and prototypes in Axure RP Pro helps you design more efficiently, experience your design, present and engage stakeholders, automate specifications and design collaboratively with team members..
2. The Environment
In a drag and drop environment, annotated wireframes are quickly and easily created. Basic links and advanced interactions are defined on the wireframe without programming. From the wireframes, an interactive HTML prototype is generated along with documentation in Microsoft Word format.
Below is a picture of the Axure RP environment with a brief description of each area in the interface. Each of the side panes can be detached from the main window to allow more area for design.
Main Menu & Toolbar: Perform common actions like opening and saving files, and formatting widgets in a wireframe. Change the selection mode (Select Intersected Mode and Select Contained mode) or switch to connector mode.
Sitemap Pane: Add, remove, rename, and organize the pages in your design.
Widgets Pane: Drag and drop commonly used widgets such as buttons, images, text panels and rectangles to design your page. Create and load custom widget libraries.
Masters Pane: Add, remove, rename and organize masters that can be reused throughout your design.
Wireframe Pane: Design your page in the Wireframe pane.
Interactions Pane: Define widget interactions such as basic links, pop ups, and dynamically showing and hiding widgets in panels.
Annotations Pane: Add and customize annotations specifying widget functionality.
Location & Size Pane: Set the location and size for a single widget or a group of selected widgets.
Dynamic Panel Manager Pane: Hide and show dynamic panels. Add, remove, and manage dynamic panel states.
Pages Notes & Page Interactions Pane: Add and organize page level notes and interactions in your design.