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Axure 7: my favorite features so far

A new version of one of my most frequently used tools has been beta-released: the much awaited Axure 7.

One of the main features, which I guess is also one of the main reasons why the release is somewhat delayed is the ability to work with responsive prototypes.

It’s too early for me to say whether Axure is a good tool for responsive webdesign. My gut feeling is that it probably isn’t, because responsive webdesign is easier to work with (even when prototyping) using real frontend code and real @media queries rather than trying to simulate it, but time will tell; it might be that Axure simulates it really well. I just haven’t worked with it yet.

My favorite features so far

Playing around with the beta-release for a couple of hours leaves the impression that it’s an ambitious release that will improve the daily Axure user experience for many users. This post is not an exhaustive list of new feaures, but a subjective highlight of the ones that will matter the most to me at first glance.

• • Better support for typograhy
    Most of the time, I use Axure for high fidelity design mockups. Needless to say, the ability to use line-height, choose font-family variations and to use webfonts are all fantastic and much-needed features when using Axure as a design tool.

 

• • Better widget style editor
    When working with formatting and styling in Axure, I try to be as systematic as I would be if I worked with a real CSS stylesheet, allowing me to define and maintain the styles centrally rather than repeating myself over and over again (did anyone say Photoshop..?). The improved widget style editor seems like a major improvement in this regard, because basically all elements can be styled. However, I would still love to be able to design and style a widget on the canvas and then right-click to choose “convert to style” because I usually design elements in a context, not in the widget style editor.

 

• • New flattened user interface
    Axure follows the trend and has adopted a more flat user interface. I kind of like it, though it feels flat in a non-mac way.

 

• • Advanced interaction design
    The possibilities when working with dynamic panels and widgets have increased, allowing you to make more advanced interactions, simulate javascript events and create improved touch interactions.

 

• Improved overall microinteractions
  When using a tool on a daily basis, the small things matter. In Axure 7, it seems the team has put quite some effort into such optimizations; the re-labeling of several interaction elements, the contextual editing of elements, the new keyboard shortcuts in the sitemap (to name just a few micro-optimizations) are all things that will make Axure slightly more intuitive and pleasant to work with, both for new users and experienced users.

All in all, this looks like the best version of Axure so far and I look forward to replace Axure 6 with Axure 7 when the stable version is released.

Congratulations to the team and the Axure community.

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