Unit 5 - Activity 1 Introduction to Prototyping

Activity Overview

This activity introduces the concept of prototypes to students, exploring the difference between low and high fidelity prototypes, and understand how prototypes are used in the real world.

Key Terms and Concepts

PROTOTYPES are interactive drafts or models of a product built to test a concept or process, and are generally used to evaluate and gain feedback on a new design. Prototyping serves to provide specifications for a real, working system rather than a theoretical one.

USER TESTING is the process of evaluating a product by collecting data from people actually using the system.

LOW-FIDELITY PROTOTYPES are prototypes which are sketchy and incomplete, sharing some characteristics of the target product but generally simple, usually in order to quickly produce the prototype and test broad concepts.

HIGH-FIDELITY PROTOTYPES are prototypes which may be quite close to the final product, with lots of detail and functionality. From a user testing point of view, a high-fidelity prototype is close enough to a final product to be able to examine usability questions in detail and make strong conclusions about how behavior will relate to use of the final product.

WIZARD OF OZ PROTOYPES are prototypes that only work by having someone behind-the-scenes who is “pulling the levers” and “flipping the switches,” which allows testing of more complex design concepts before a system is fully working.

Key Takeaways:

Prototyping is very important in the development process and provides a way of evaluating and testing design ideas, clarifying design requirements, and resolving issues throughout the development process.

Driving Questions:

What is a protoype?

What are low fidelity vs. high fidelity protoypes?

How are protoypes used in the real world?

What is the use of doing prototypes on paper?

Materials and Preparation:

MATERIALS

1. (Optional) Projector
2. Computer

IMAGE CREDIT: MIT IMAGINATION, COMPUTATION, AND EXPRESSION LABORATORY

Activity Instructions

1. Defining Prototypes (15 minutes)
• Introduce the activity by framing it as a discussion of the process of how we bring ideas to life.
• Ask students to share a few of their favorite apps and products are.
• Ask students to consider how these products were created, and what the first step of building that product might have looked like.
• ASK: What is a prototype?
  
  • Explain that a “protoype” is:
    
    • An early version of a design
    • A tool of testing an interactive game or technology with users
• ASK: What are low fidelity vs. high fidelity protoypes?
  
  • Explain that “low-fidelity prototypes” are:
    
    • sketchy and incomplete
    • generally simple
    • used to quickly test broad concepts
  • For example, here is a low-fidelity map prototype:
    
  • Explain that “high-fidelity prototypes” are:
    
    • more refined, with lots of detail and functionality
    • closer to the final product
    • used to examine usability questions in detail
    • used to make strong conclusions about system requirements
  • For example, here is a high-fidelity map prototype:
    
    
2. Protoypes in Practice (15 minutes)
• ASK: How are protoypes used in the real world?
  
  • Explain that prototypes enable companies to save money and time by quickly testing out ideas and soliciting feedback through a process called “user testing,” in which people actually use and provide insight into how a product will be used in the real world before it has been finalized.
  • For example: People use paper protoypes to test out app ideas before writing any code:
    
  • For example: Extensive protoyping is performed for famous products we know and love:
    
    • Apple iPod:
      
    • Apple iPad:
      
    • Apple Watch:
      
    • Google Glass:
      
• Begin to encourage students to reflect on how different themes and ideas could be represented in map form, and what requirements that design might have.
• Explain to students that simple protoypes made of paper and plastic can be used for user testing before they’re fully finished and polished. These “wizard of oz prototypes”:
  • only work by having someone behind-the-scenes who is “pulling the levers” and “flipping the switches”
  • allows testing of more complex design concepts before a system is fully working
• ASK: What is the use of doing prototypes on paper?
  
  • Explain that paper protoypes are:
    • quick and easier to make than higher-fidelity protoypes
    • do not distract users with small details which aren’t as important as the broad concepts of the design
    • easy to throw away and restart if the ideas are not working out
• Wrap up the discussion by challenging students to think about how they might begin protoyping some of the maze game designs they explored in the previous unit.