The Key to Prototyping
When my sprint group and I first met to set up our prototype for our teen finance app “BizWiz,” we started by discussing design aesthetics as well as resources. Next, we went over the product breakdown and task division for who would work on which wireframe. After we each worked on our wireframes, the mockups and interactive prototype were built. What helped make this process go smoothly was considering our timeframe and what would be most realistic to complete. This links to the “fake it” method, which is when the team creates a façade, according to Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky and Braden Kowitz in “Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days.” In other words, the team creates an illusion so when users test the prototype, it feels like they are using the actual product, even though it’s not a software at all. For my group’s prototype, we used Figma as it creates a prototype that looks just like a professional app.
What is a Prototype?
In the article, “What is Prototyping and Why is it Important?” by Jason Beres, he describes prototyping as a mockup of the solution you’d like to create. He lists four main qualities of prototypes including:
- Representation — The form of the prototype.
- Precision — The level of detail, polish and realism.
- Interactivity — Whether the prototype is fully functional, partially functional or view only.
- Evolution — Whether the prototype will be built quickly, tested thrown away, replaced or built up from its original form, leading to the final product.
According to the Interaction Design Foundation, there are two main types of prototypes: low-fidelity and high-fidelity. Low-fidelity prototypes are cheap, quick prototypes usually made on paper. High-fidelity prototypes are created digitally and usually interactive for users to test. My group created a high-fidelity prototype as it was created through Figma.
How to Prototype
In “Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days,” the writers explain the approach designers need to take when creating a prototype.
“To prototype your solution, you’ll need a temporary change of philosophy: from perfect to just enough, from long-term quality to temporary simulation.”
— Knapp, Zeratsky & Kowitz
While working on a prototype, it’s important for designers to keep an open mind and understand things will change. Knapp, Zeratsky and Kowitz advise that prototypes are disposable, and designers should not prototype anything they’re not willing to throw away or work on something for too long. They add that there should be just enough built to learn and stay focused on finding the solutions without creating a fully functioning product. Users should be able to feel like they are using a real product when testing the prototype while being able to provide honest feedback. The writers use the term “Goldilocks quality,” meaning the product shouldn’t be too low or too high of quality. If the quality is too low, no one will believe the prototype is a product. If the quality is too high, the product will not be finished in time.
Overall, it’s crucial for designers to keep an open mind when prototyping, stay focused on what can get done in the timeframe, be open to feedback and be willing to make adjustments according to what’s needed for the solution. When designers stay on track and follow the prototype steps, they will have their finished product before they know it!