A wireframe is visual guide to the look and functionality of a webpage or application. Wireframes take into account how the user will navigate through the application and ensures the user is able to access all the necessary pieces of the application.
Wireframes are often used early in the development process to establish the basic structure of a page. They create an agreed upon visual design for everyone on the team. A successful wireframe should give context to the developer without restricting design decisions that may evolve as the application grows.
The wireframe of a web application is a simplification of the view to illustrate the following:
- What information is needs to be displayed on a page.
- Where the information should be on the page.
- How the user will navigate through the page or the application.
As long as the idea you are trying to get across is clear and understandable, it's a successful wireframe.