annotate-a-wireframe

name	annotate-a-wireframe
category	design
description	Annotate a wireframe with behavior, content, states, accessibility, data, and unresolved decisions for implementation review. Use when boxes and arrows alone cannot communicate how the interface should work.

annotate-a-wireframe

Annotate decisions and uncertainty, not every visible pixel.

When to use

• Use before design review, content review, technical planning, or handoff.
• Do not use annotations to hide missing user flows or unapproved requirements.

Procedure

1. Give every screen and annotation a stable identifier and version.
2. Mark entry conditions, user goal, primary path, alternate path, and exit outcome.
3. Annotate content source, ownership, truncation, localization, and privacy sensitivity.
4. Describe interactions, keyboard and focus behavior, navigation, validation, confirmation, and undo.
5. Include loading, empty, error, partial, offline, permission, and responsive states.
6. Identify data inputs, outputs, authority, retention, and unavailable dependencies.
7. Label assumptions, open questions, decisions, owner, and review status.
8. Export a readable document with links to related flow and requirements.

Done

• An annotated wireframe file identifies flows, states, behavior, content, accessibility, data, assumptions, and owners
• A reviewer check confirms every annotation resolves to a decision, question, dependency, or observable implementation outcome