Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/3/2006 -- Caretta Software Ltd today announced the immediate availability of GUI Design Studio 2.0. This revolutionary tool allows software designers, analysts, usability specialists and developers to quickly create user interface mock-ups and application prototypes without writing any code.
Prototyping gives team members and users a chance to review requirements, evaluate designs and try out different ideas early in the development cycle before committing to final implementation. This can greatly improve the chances of a successful project and increase user satisfaction.
Suitable for technical and non-technical users, GUI Design Studio utilises simple drag and drop so that screens can be created using standard items such as menus, toolbars, text fields, lists and buttons. These can be combined and connected together to show work flow. The simulator then instantly runs the design as an interactive prototype.
"Designers love this because it allows them to explore ideas without having to rely on programmers to animate their designs" said Caretta Software director, Jonathan Attias. "They get early feedback from users and can quickly incorporate changes that need to be made."
Using GUI Design Studio means the time and effort spent creating the prototypes is relatively small and there is no investment in code development time, so teams find it easier to rip up bad designs and start again.
As Jonathan comments, "the programmers are also happy because they know that the user interface they just spent ages developing isn't going to be radically changed or thrown away. The design has already been validated and approved."
Changes in version 2.0 include:
- New design elements for richer user interface designs.
- An improved simulator to allow more complex prototype interactions.
- Visual style selection including Windows XP, Windows Classic and line drawing modes.
A free 30-day trial of GUI Design Studio can be downloaded from http://www.carettasoftware.com . It requires a PC running Microsoft Windows XP/NT/2000. A single user license of the software may be purchased for $497 with discounts for volume licensing. Users of version 1.0 can upgrade free of charge.
About Caretta Software
Caretta Software Ltd was founded in 2003 in Oxford with the aim of creating tools that enhance the development process and help build software that better meets user needs. The company web site can be found at http://www.carettasoftware.com .
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