Wireframes

To return to the home-building analogy discussed in the sitemaps section, if a sitemap is like a blueprint, then a wireframe is a floor plan. They are a visual representation of all the elements (be they navigation, textual content, imagery, etc) that are on a page. Wireframes should contain absolutely zero design or branding elements and are meant to convey need, hierarchy and (to a certain degree) required interactive functionality for some elements. 

Usually wireframes evolve over a project lifecycle. Typically, I first create wireframes with a general team audience in mind. Once that direction is finalized, I adjust the annotations to provide specific direction for the design team. Upon completion of the design phase I update the wireframes and annotations to account for any changes that have occurred and provide detailed specifications for the development team.