Prototyping

What is a prototype?

A model of something that allows testing assumptions and improving design, can be non-physical like a use case.

What does prototyping allow us to do?

Validate user interface design, evaluate if design fits user’s mental model, communicate effectively, inspire ownership and foster co-designing

What should a prototype do?

Use user vocabulary, allow iterative refinement, help design team communicate with user/client.

What are the two types of prototypes mentioned?

Low Fidelity (Lo-Fi) and High Fidelity (High-Fi).

Describe Low Fidelity (Lo-Fi) prototypes

Cheap & quick, easy to change, invites users/clients to be co-designers, focuses on process rather than aesthetics, high feature creep.

Describe High Fidelity (High-Fi) prototypes.

Not as cheap or quick, not as easy to change/update, still invites users/clients to be co-designers but with less effect, focuses on both process and aesthetics, low feature creep.

What is storyboard used for?

Helps understand basic navigation and process flow, helps team understand overall project, could be used as precursor to paper prototype.

What is paper prototyping?

Prototype made with paper, pencils, pens, sticky notes, etc., allows testing usability of design in a rough manner, can be used at any stage of development.

What is wireframing?

Closer to final product, users/clients focus more on aesthetics and location of elements, less on flow.

What is the purpose of using a storyboard?

Helps understand basic navigation and process flow, helps team understand overall project, could be used as precursor to paper prototype.

What role does storytelling play in the creation of storyboards?

Storytelling helps convey the sequence of events and interactions in a design, aiding in understanding basic navigation and process flow, and providing context for the overall project.

How does wireframing contribute to the prototyping process?

Wireframing provides a visual representation closer to the final product, allowing users/clients to focus more on aesthetics and element placement, but it may also limit focus on the overall flow of the design.

Explain the concept of feature creep in the context of prototyping.

Feature creep refers to the tendency for additional features to be added to a prototype beyond the initial scope, potentially leading to complexity and delays in the design process.

How does the use of low-fidelity prototypes differ from high-fidelity prototypes?

Low-fidelity prototypes focus more on process than aesthetics and are cheap and quick to create, while high-fidelity prototypes are closer to the final product and focus on both process and aesthetics but are not as easy to change.