Prototyping

Software Projects
 • Conceptual Prototype
What’s the process? • Functional Prototype
• UX prototype
• Technical Prototype
Conceptual
Prototype
 Purpose
Purpose & Activity • Communicate the Concept: Is this
what the stakeholders had in
mind?
• Check the Validity of the Concept
• Find open questions: What is
missing?
Activity
• Low Fidelity Prototypes
Low Fidelity • Storyboarding: What will people do?
Prototypes • UML sequnce diagram in pictures
• Sketching: What will ‘it” look like?
• Paper designs
• Card sorting: What are the priorities?
• List of factors, issues, concerns,
requirements
• 'Wizard of Oz’: How will it behave?
Think, man behind the curtain.
Wizard of Oz
Why produce low fidelity
prototypes?
 • Quick and inexpensive.
• Possible to make instant changes and test
new iterations.
Value of LF Prototypes • Disposable/throw-away.
• Enables the designer to gain an overall view
of the product using minimal time and
effort, as opposed to focusing on the finer
details over the course of slow, incremental
changes.
• Available to all; regardless of ability and
experience, we are able to produce
rudimentary versions of products in order
to test users or canvas the opinions of
stakeholders.
• Encourages and fosters design thinking.
Functional Prototype
 Purpose
Purpose & Activity • Demonstrate the Concept
• Answer functional questions
concerning the Concept
Activity
• High Fidelity Prototypes
 High-fidelity prototypes are prototypes that
High Fidelity look and operate closer to the finished product.
Prototype For example, a 3D plastic model with movable
parts (allowing users to manipulate and
interact with a device in the same manner as
the final design) is high-fi in comparison to, say,
a wooden block. Likewise, an early version of a
software system developed using a design
program such as Sketch or Adobe XD is high-fi
in comparison to a paper prototype.
• User Interaction Prototype
• User Experience Prototype
• Technology Prototype
Technical Prototype

Can anyone guess

Apple Watch
prototype
 • Engaging: the stakeholders can instantly
see their vision realised and will be able
Value of HF Prototypes to judge how well it meets their
expectations, wants and needs.
• User testing involving high-fi prototypes
will allow the evaluators to gather
information with a high level of validity
and applicability. The closer the
prototype is to the finished product, the
more confidence the design team will
have in how people will respond to,
interact with and perceive the design.
Fundamental • What question are you trying to answer?
Questions • What do you think the answer will be
and why?
• Who can answer that question?
• What can these stakeholders do that will
give the needed answer
• What instruments do you need to
answer the questions?
• What procedure will need to be
followed?
 1. Identify open questions: Functionality,
Usage, Styling & Appearance,
Technology Performance
Process … 2. Who can answer those questions? Tech
Support, Users, Service Providers
3. What practical objects can they use to
answer the questions? What prototype
do you have to build?
4. How will the answers be recorded: Talk
through, Measurements, Video
5. How will it change the design of the
concept? What aspect of the design
will it change? Are you prepared for
the concept to change?
 •Just start building: Design
Thinking has a bias towards
So … action: that means if you have
any uncertainties about what
you are trying to achieve, your
best bet is to just make
something. Creating a
prototype will help you to think
about your idea in a concrete
manner, and potentially allow
you to gain insights into ways
you can improve your idea.
 •Don’t spend too much time:
Prototyping is all about speed;
So … the longer you spend building
your prototype, the more
emotionally attached you can
get with your idea, thus
hampering your ability to
objectively judge its merits.
 •Remember what you’re testing
for: All prototypes should have
So … a central testing issue. Do not
lose sight of that issue, but at
the same time, do not get so
bound to it so as to lose sight of
other lessons you could learn
from.
 •Build with the user in mind:
Test the prototype against your
So … expected user behaviours and
user needs. Then, learn from
the gaps in expectations and
realities, and improve your
ideas.
 Open Issues
Considerations • Business Process Model
• Usage Scenarios
• Frequent vs Infrequent use
• Expert vs Novice
 • Physical Device
Computer Science • Usage sequencing
• Demographic: Usage scenarios,
aesthetic
• Technical performance
• Scale
Cost Per Fix

From Pressman

(2010), adapted from

Boehm & Basili

(2001).
Rule of thumb:

- Test early

- Test often
 • Literature/market research phases
Expected outcomes should be coming to a close.
• Prototyping should be starting.
• Project should be well defined,
justified, motivated by reasoning.
• Group dynamic should be
reasonably well established.
• Milestones and deliverables should
be set.
• User testing should be ongoing.
Questions?