What are Protonotes?

Protonotes are notes that you add to your prototype that allow project team members to discuss system functionality, design, and requirements directly on the prototype. You can think of it like a discussion board/wiki in direct context of your prototype.

To enable Protonotes on your prototypes, all you have to do is copy and paste a few lines of JavaScript into your prototype. That's it. Once you do that, anyone who visits your prototype can add/edit/delete notes. They don't have to install anything or sign up for anything. You can even hook up Protonotes to your own MySQL database with a single line of JavaScript.

Use Protonotes to annotate your prototypes for:

• Requirements collaboration
• Design crits
• Usability test findings
• Heuristic reviews
• QA testing

More info:

• Activate Protonotes on your prototype
• Customize Protonotes
• Use Protonotes with your own MySQL database
• Sign up now
• Plugins available for WordPress and Joomla

What's so great?

• Everyone on your team can easily add notes to your prototype - helps the entire team collaborate quicker and easier.
• Project team members don't have to install anything or sign up for anything to use it. It just works.
• It's not bloated with extra "features". It does one thing and one thing well - adds notes to your prototype.
• Works in all major browsers including Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, and Opera.
• Export your data at any time to a .csv file.
• Subscribe to your group's notes with a Protonotes RSS feed.
• Hook Protonotes up to your own MySQL database with a single line of JavaScript.
• It's free.

How is it different?

There are a bunch of Web annotation services out there but they require the installation of a browser plug-in or the use of a bookmarklet. Try to get everyone on your project team to do that. These services are all geared for individuals (not teams) to annotate webpages.

Protonotes tackles Web annotation from a different angle. The functionality is enabled once from the website itself and all visitors can seemlessly add notes. No sign-ups or installs. Works on all major browsers.