2.Prototyping

Why prototype in interaction design?

Prototyping allows for:

• Early evaluation and feedback

• Better communication among team members

• Testing of ideas and design alternatives

• Reflection, which is key to refining design

• Helping stakeholders interact more easily than with documents

Q: What is ‘Wizard-of-Oz’ prototyping?

A technique where the user thinks they’re interacting with a computer, but a human is controlling the system responses behind the scenes. It's used early in design to test ideas and understand user expectations without full implementation.

Q: What are horizontal and vertical compromises in prototyping?

• Horizontal: Wide range of features with low detail

• Vertical: Few features with high detail
  Prototypes often sacrifice completeness for speed, but these compromises must be considered when transitioning to full design.

Q: How can prototypes be generated?

• From scenarios or use cases

• By sketching storyboards to visualize steps

• Creating cards to represent each interaction or system action
  This helps explore design issues and capture necessary interactions visually.

Q: What is a conceptual model in HCI and what are its components?

A conceptual model helps users understand how to interact with a product. Components include:

• Metaphors and analogies (e.g., bookmarks)

• Concepts users engage with (e.g., tasks, attributes)

• Relationships between concepts (e.g., folders contain pages)

• Mappings between concepts and user experience

Q: What are interface metaphors and how are they useful?

Interface metaphors link new digital actions to familiar experiences to improve understanding. Example: a search engine or desktop metaphor.
To design one:

1. Understand system functionality

2. Identify problem areas

3. Generate relevant metaphors

Q: What are examples of interface metaphors?

• "Surfing the web" (conceptualizing actions)

• "Desktop" (spatial metaphor)

• Shopping cart icon (visual metaphor for operations)

Q: How can we evaluate generated metaphors in interface design?

By asking:

• Does it provide a clear structure?

• Is it relevant and not misleading?

Q: What questions help in expanding the conceptual model?

A:

• What functions will the system and user perform?

• How are tasks related (sequential or parallel)?

Q: What is concrete design and how does it differ from conceptual design?

Concrete design focuses on details like color, icons, input/output methods, accessibility, and cross-cultural elements. It translates conceptual ideas into actual interface components that users interact with.

Q: What are the 5 main interaction types in HCI?

• Instructing – Issuing commands

• Conversing – Dialog-like interaction

• Manipulating – Interacting with objects directly

• Responding – System-initiated interaction

• Exploring – Moving through environments