A prototype is a draft version or an approximation of a final product. It is usually the initial stage of a product. A porotype helps in the representation of a design that allows users to interact with it and explore its suitability and production of an intermediary product to be used as a basis for testing.
Why Prototypes?
The creation of a prototype is very different from the final product. The creators usually create a prototype to understand the intent and traits of the final product. It is very important to understand that tough a prototype is created to understand the design and possible outcome of the product but, it may have its limitations.
Few major advantages of the prototype are:
- Identify possible problems.
- To confirm the suitability of a design.
- using prototype testing can become an easier process.
- Prototypes enhance the understandability of the project as the stakeholders can see and interact more easily than a drawing.
- Prototype encourages collaboration.
- Save time, effort and money.
A technique for Prototyping :
As we already know that prototyping is the way to find the core areas of the project those need attention and brainstorming so that the creator can use time more effectively and can achieve maximum output. Techniques are used to fabricate a prototype. Rapid prototyping is a method that is relative and is used to create a constructive structure of the prototype mainly using 3D technology.
The technique uses an agile strategy throughout the product development process. Layer by layer formation of any product is done which helps in earlier detection and deduction of design and errors.
Rapid Prototyping decreases development time by allowing corrections to a product to be made early in the process.
Rapid Prototyping: Design Thinking Process
- Scope the prototype: Figure out what exactly we want to build.
- Craft persons & user scenarios: Once we know the area for prototyping, we need to know the who, why and how of the UX.
- Iterate gather feedback: Start with the breadth and then dive into depth. You’ll usually start with a horizontal prototype (main landing pages and homepage) and then iterate into vertical prototypes based on specific user flows (like uploading, editing, and tagging friends in your photo)
Prototyping method:
Paper prototyping avoids inefficient usage of time and money since it permits developers to test product interfaces before they initiate development.
How does a paper prototype operate?
It follows the subsequent steps to create a prototype that can be easily modified and used at the initial stage of development.
Sketch each screen: Each screen’s sketch should be creative.
Create user scenarios: Create a realistic scenario to run through, either to demonstrate for a presentation or for your test-takers to try to figure out.
Rehearsal: Run through the different scenarios until the “human computer” works a real machine.
Presentation: For presentations, just run through the scenario as rehearsed.
Advantages of Paper Prototyping
Rapid Iteration
Low Budget
Fun collaboration
Easy documentation
Modern prototyping tools can be used?
There are various tools that can be used for creating and analyzing the prototype. This tool has its own key features and advantages. Few of them are:
Rapid prototyping is a method used to accelerate the innovation process. This method was used to create one of Google's newest inventions, Google Glass.
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