Although recognized as a key to the design process, prototyping often falls victim to budget cuts, deadlines, or lack of access to sophisticated tools. This can lead to sloppy and ineffective prototypes or the abandonment of them altogether. Rather than lose this important step, people are turning to Microsoft Excel® to create effective, simple, and inexpensive prototypes. Conveniently, the software is available to nearly everyone, and most are proficient in its basic functionality. Effective Prototyping with Excel offers how-to guidance on how everyone can use basic Excel skills to create prototypes - ranging from narrative wire frames to hi-fidelity prototypes. A wide array of software design problems and business demands are solved via practical step-by-step examples and illustrations. - Step-by-step guide to prototyping with a simple and affordable tool nearly everyone already has on their desktop - Quickly and easily allows web and software designers to explore usability, design alternatives, and test theories prior to starting production - Perfect companion to Effective Prototyping for Software Makers - with the same author team and full-color treatment, useful case studies, and hands-on exercises

Nevin Berger is design director at Ziff Davis Media. Previously he was a senior interaction designer at Oracle Corporation and Peoplesoft, Inc., and has held creative director positions at World Savings and OFOTO, Inc.

Chapter 1 - Preface - A Developer's Dilemma Chapter 2 - Getting Started - Your First Excel Prototype Chapter 3 - Basics - The Excel Prototyping Canvas Chapter 4 - Creating an Excel Prototyping Template Chapter 5 - Excel Prototyping - Storyboards Chapter 6 - Wireframes Chapter 7 - Digital Interactive Prototypes Chapter 8 - Iterating Prototypes with Excel Chapter 9 - Communicating Your Design in Excel Chapter 10 - Sharing Your Excel Prototype Appendix A - Useful Techniques with Excel Appendix B - Nevin Discovers Excel as a Rapid Prototyping Tool