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Design, Prototyping and Construction

This document discusses design prototyping and construction. It defines prototypes as models that can range from low-fidelity paper sketches to high-fidelity working software. Prototypes are used for evaluation and feedback, validating design ideas, and encouraging reflection. Different prototyping methods like storyboards and index cards are appropriate for early stages, while tools like Director allow for higher fidelity prototypes later in the design process. The goal of prototyping is to iteratively refine a conceptual design into a final constructed product through evaluation and feedback.

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UsmanHaider
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282 views

Design, Prototyping and Construction

This document discusses design prototyping and construction. It defines prototypes as models that can range from low-fidelity paper sketches to high-fidelity working software. Prototypes are used for evaluation and feedback, validating design ideas, and encouraging reflection. Different prototyping methods like storyboards and index cards are appropriate for early stages, while tools like Director allow for higher fidelity prototypes later in the design process. The goal of prototyping is to iteratively refine a conceptual design into a final constructed product through evaluation and feedback.

Uploaded by

UsmanHaider
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Design, prototyping and

construction
Prototyping and construction
• What is a prototype?

• Why prototype?

• Different kinds of prototyping


– low fidelity
– high fidelity

• Construction
What is a prototype?

• In other design fields a prototype is a


small-scale model:
– a mini car
– a mini building or town
What is a prototype?
• In interaction design it can be
– a series of screen sketches
– a storyboard
• cartoon-like series of scenes
– a PowerPoint slide show
– a video simulating the use of a system
– a cardboard mock-up(full-sized scale model of a
structure)
– a piece of software with limited functionality
• written in the target language or in another language
Why prototype?
• Evaluation and Feedback
Prototypes are a useful aid when discussing ideas with
stakeholders; they are a communication device among
team members, and are an effective way to test out ideas for
yourself.
• Validation of design ideas
• Encourages reflection in design
– very important aspect of design
• Choosing between alternatives
Low-fidelity Prototyping
• simple medium
– e.g. paper, cardboard, Pen
– often different from the final medium
• flexible
– changes quick, cheap and easy
• examples
– sketches of screens, task sequences, etc
– storyboards
Low-fidelity Prototyping
Website example
Storyboards
• often used with scenarios
– more detail
– chance to role play
• series of sketches
– shows how a user might progress through a task
using the device
• used early in design
– cheap and simple
– validation of design ideas
– feedback from stakeholders
Story Board
Activity

• Produce a storyboard that depicts


how to fill a car with gas (petrol).
Sketching
• important to low-fidelity prototyping
• drawing skills are not critical
– symbols to indicate tasks, activities, objects
– flowcharts for time-related issues
– block diagrams for functional components
• computer support
– some drawing and brainstorming programs
have functions that help with sketching
– may make things more complicated than
necessary
Index Cards
• small cards (3 X 5 inches)
– usually lined
• each card represents one screen
– multiple screens can be shown easily on a table
or the wall
• thread or lines can indicate relationships
between screens
– sequence
– hyperlinks
• often used in website
development
High-fidelity prototyping
• choice of materials and methods
– similar or identical to the ones in the final product
• looks more like the final system
– appearance, not functionality
• common development environments
– Macromedia Director, Visual Basic, Smalltalk,
– Web development tools, MS Visio.
• misled user expectations
– users may think they have a full system
Conceptual Design

• Transformation of user requirements


or needs into a conceptual model
• Stepwise refinement
– iterate, iterate, iterate
• Consideration of alternatives
– prototyping helps
Definition ‘Conceptual Design’

“A description of the proposed system


in terms of a set of integrated ideas
and concepts about what it should do,
behave and look like, that will be
understandable by the users in the
manner intended”
Summary
• Different kinds of prototyping are used for
different purposes and at different stages

• Prototypes answer questions

• Construction: the final product must be


engineered appropriately

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