The original spirit of wireframes, journey maps, comps, and the like was for exploration and to communicate ideas efficiently. They began as devices for conversation and experimentation, and in that loose context they remain as useful as ever. Over time, process calcified. Artifacts became shrines. These sketches became “milestones” and “deliverables.”
I’m extremely fortunate to collaborate with Josh on so many of my projects and consulting gigs. His post Only One Deliverable Matters details our process and our emphasis on working product over static deliverables. Josh is a master wordsmith, so I’m thrilled he so eloquently articulated (as per usual) the spirit of our process.