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I am searching for a tool which helps me to create a basic UI mockup for a consumer product. When I am searching online I only find tools that are aimed on website design and computer software ui design. It has to be very simple however it would be nice if I could have some sort of interaction.

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Does the UI have physical as well as software components ? – PhillipW Jun 21 '11 at 8:58
Why is "aimed on website design and computer software ui design" not what you need? Are you trying to prototype a physical product? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing#Home_3D_printers – peterchen Jun 21 '11 at 9:25
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Please provide more details. Typically, for physical objects, you'd build a model. The 'tool' would be foam, clay, knives, 3-D printers, 3-D modeling software, wood, plastic, molds, etc, etc. – DA01 Jun 21 '11 at 14:17
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Call me crazy but I do my best work (that isn't drawn out by hand) on Keynote, and that's nowhere near being designed for a UI tool. – Nic Jun 21 '11 at 23:49
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He's clearly looking for a tool for a physical product. Are we all so blind to the "real world" here that no one can get that? – Charles Boyung Jun 24 '11 at 5:48
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4 Answers

up vote 1 down vote

AutoCAD or any 3D modelling software should give you what you are looking for. I haven't dealt with CAD in many years, so I wouldn't be able to tell you if there's anything free or cheap out there that does decent 3D modelling.

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We use http://keynotopia.com/. uses keynote or powerpoint into the best rapid prototyping tool for creating mobile, web and desktop app mockups.

Also running it on an actual devices gives extra UX feedback.

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The person is looking for a physical product design tool not mobile, web... – Anna Rouben Mar 12 at 19:15
up vote -2 down vote

I would think there would be some stencils/widgets available for visio/omingraffle/axure. Do none of these offer the elements you require? It's hard to say without further information.

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Read the question - he's looking for a design tool for a physical product, not a computer UI – Charles Boyung Jun 24 '11 at 5:50
up vote -2 down vote

Here's a collection 11 free and very good tools for wireframing and prototyping: 10 FREE TOOLS

  1. Pencil Project
  2. Web Site Wireframe Tool
  3. Hot Gloo
  4. DUB - DENIM
  5. Mockingbird
  6. MockFlow
  7. Prototype Composer
  8. fluidIA
  9. Cacoo
  10. Lumzy
  11. iPhone Mockup Web App

However, I often use Adobe Fireworks for prototyping and it actually works, take a look at that too.

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Read the question - he's looking for a design tool for a physical product, not a computer UI – Charles Boyung Jun 24 '11 at 5:51
oh you're right, thanx – Emiliano Horcada Jun 25 '11 at 23:30

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