Why are design mockups considered important?

Design mockups are important because they serve as a visual representation for stakeholders, which aids in the understanding of the proposed design before it moves into development. By creating a mockup, designers can communicate their ideas more effectively, allowing stakeholders to visualize the product's layout, colors, typography, and overall aesthetics. This process is crucial for gathering input or approval from clients, project managers, and other team members, ensuring everyone is aligned on the vision before significant resources are committed to building the actual product.

While gathering user feedback is also a valuable aspect of mockups, the defining feature here is their role in communicating ideas to stakeholders. The statement about mockups being the final product or only for internal use misrepresents their purpose. Mockups are meant to be a preliminary version to facilitate discussion and refinement rather than the ultimate deliverable, and they are typically shared beyond just internal teams to include clients or other stakeholders involved in the project.