Prototyping Theory
We define the dimensions of the model as role; look and feel; and implementation. Each dimension corresponds to a class of questions which are salient to the design of any interactive system.
I found the model presented in the reading to be an incredibly helpful method of examining and designing prototypes as representations of design ideas. When thinking about a prototype, it’s important to understand its purpose so that it could be properly communicated through usability testing. I found these three categories particularly helpful because they are each distinct and important aspects of prototyping I’ve definitely found in my own work for the IxD program and beyond. It’s important to understand the role a prototype plays with its user, what the look and feel will be to most properly represent its design, and the implementation of these prototypes within real life systems. Some prototypes can be purposed for one aspect while others can be in two or more categories. I appreciate how the system allows for holistic categorization, especially as I’ve found my current projects for classes to be a mix of them.
In the authors’ experience, no one tool supports iterative design work in all of the important areas of investigation. To design well, designers must be willing to use different tools for different prototyping tasks; and to team up with other people with complementary skills.
I find this so true in the case of our class project in IxD Studio One. When me and my team first started developing our prototypes for class, we used paper prototypes. It gave us a lot of clarity into how users would interact with the system we had developed with particular regards to going through a flow. We designed the paper prototype with a much higher fidelity than usual prototypes which allowed us to see what the user thought about the aesthetic elements of the prototype, but missed out how a user would navigate a task independently because of how we designed our usability test. This is where using a different tool, Figma, came in handy. We were better to understand how a user navigated our app design through screens that were designed much smoother with better transitioning and navigation. Coordinating as a team has been very helpful as we’re all able to put our best foot forward with ideas. I believe with knowledge of the new model from this reading that implementation would be a good aspect to design for moving forward.
Be clear about what design questions are being explored with a given prototype—and what are not. Communicating the specific purposes of a prototype to its audience is a critical aspect of its use.
I’ll be taking this particular quote with me when designing prototypes moving forward. Knowing why I do something is super beneficial to my own motivation. I find that reminding myself of the purpose of my prototype helps motivate me to keep up with the task of designing. It can be exhausting work figuring out your prototype, but having those questions in mind on what it will do and not do is something I think that will help me. Additionally, it’s not about me knowing what I’m doing, but being able to communicate what I have done when it’s time to present it to an audience. Many times, an audience will need to be briefed on the prototype so that they can be tested properly as users. Being confident and knowing exactly what the prototype is for is helpful in guiding them. I know this firsthand when doing usability testing for this program.