When should a mockup be used?

Every mockup is a great way of showing how a design can look like in an environment and they are a good option for UX Designers to show the context a solution will be used in. With a mockup it is easy to show how a product, software or service could be integrated into a specific environment.

Why are mockups bad?

Mockups can become very distracting. During presentations the focus should be on the designs themselves. Mockups are therefore distracting and might manipulate someone's perception so that a design looks and feels good even though only the mockups creates a good atmosphere.