InVision for Designers: Prototyping and Design Collaboration

InVision is a prototyping and collaboration platform that turns static designs into interactive, clickable prototypes. It bridges the gap between design tools like Sketch or Photoshop and the stakeholder review process, making it easy to share work and collect feedback.

Key Specs

How Designers Use InVision

For Rapid Prototyping

Upload screens from Sketch, Photoshop, or any design tool. Add hotspots to create click targets, then link screens together to build interactive flows. InVision handles the hosting and sharing, so you can send a prototype link to anyone without them needing an account.

For Design Review

Share prototypes with stakeholders and collect feedback directly on the designs. Comments are pinned to specific points on the screen, keeping discussions in context. Each comment doubles as a to-do item, creating a built-in checklist for revisions.

For Design Handoff

Inspect mode lets developers view spacing, colors, and assets without opening the original design files. Export assets directly from InVision and generate CSS snippets for common properties.

InVision vs. Alternatives

Choose InVision if: You use Sketch or Photoshop and need a dedicated prototyping layer with strong commenting features.

Choose Figma if: You want design and prototyping in one tool with real-time collaboration.

Choose Marvel if: You need simple prototypes quickly and prefer a minimal interface.

Getting Started with InVision

A quick guide to creating your first prototype:

Step 1: Create a project

Sign up and create a new project. Choose the device type (phone, tablet, desktop) to set the correct preview dimensions.

Step 2: Upload screens

Drag and drop your design files or use InVision Sync to automatically upload from a folder on your Mac. Screens appear in your project ready for linking.

Step 3: Add hotspots

Click on a screen and draw rectangles over interactive elements. Link each hotspot to another screen and choose a transition effect. Preview your prototype to test the flow.

Common Problems (and How to Fix Them)

“My prototype feels choppy”

InVision’s transitions work best with simple fades and slides. Avoid complex animations between very different screens. For smoother motion, consider dedicated animation tools like Principle or ProtoPie.

“Stakeholders aren’t leaving feedback”

Make sure you’re sharing the correct link (prototype mode, not inspect mode). Send specific questions with the link to prompt responses. Use InVision’s LiveShare for real-time review sessions.

“Syncing from Sketch is slow”

Large Sketch files with many artboards take time to process. Export only the screens you need rather than the entire file. Use InVision Craft plugin for more control over what gets synced.