Prototyping


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**Introduction**
Whether you are developing a new unique product, service, or result or redesigning one, there are critical steps that a designer must follow to ensure that the quality, functionality and other aspects of the product are not compromised. That is, when developing a set of requirements, to which an end product is based upon, it is important to keep those basic requirements intact in order to achieve the desired outcome. One way to facilitate the design or redesign of a product, thereby ensuring that all essential requirements are built in to the end result, is prototyping.

**Definition**
Prototyping is a method used to build a model that expresses what a proposed product, service, or result will potentially be, with much emphasis on its unique features and characteristics. (Haag et al, 2006). This technique has been described as an iterative process by taking basic requirements and molding that into a preliminary model that contains key features outlined by the requirements. (Haag et al, 2006). Thereafter, the intended users review and enhance the prototype, thus continually improving or modifying it until it has reached the desired outcome. (Haag et al, 2006). A prototype can be developed from paper, storyboards, to utilizing software or cardboard mock ups. (Benyon et al, 2005). One of the main purposes for creating prototypes is that it allows the end users to not only gain insight as to what the product will be like, but the end result will essentially contain their creative input, fulfilling their exact needs and wants.(Haag et al, 2006).

**Functions**
Prototypes can perform the following functions:
 * 1) **Gathering Requirements**
 * The first prototype you develop is based on the initial requirements that highlight what the end users want in the product
 * After it has been developed, the end users reviews and enhances it by making suggestions, thus adding requirements not originally outlined. (Haag et al, 2006).
 * 1) **Helping Determine Requirements**
 * There are times that users are unsure as to what they want, but they do know that a current product, service or result is not meeting their needs. As a result, prototyping can help to discover what exactly is needed, the precise requirements, that is. (Haag et al, 2006).
 * 1) **Proving that the System is Technically Feasible**
 * Proof-of-concept is defined, as someone who is unsure if something can be built or done then the best solution is to develop a prototype first. (Haag et al, 2006).
 * 1) **Selling the idea of a proposed system**
 * Known as selling prototype, one would utilize this sort of prototype to convince others the benefits and worth of a potential product, service or result. (Haag et al, 2006).

**Why Develop a Prototype?**
There are several reasons for building a prototype, that prove beneficial in the design process of a product. For example, when discussing ideas, a prototype helps to convey the features and characteristics of a proposed product, thereby enhancing ones understanding of what the outcome will be like. (Preece, 2002). A prototype acts as a communication device that continuously reflects the creative ideas of its intended users. (Preece, 2002). In addition, because a prototype will display all the features and characteristics of a potential product, stakeholders have the ability to make suggestions, if they find that something is missing or they want additional features. (Haag et al, 2006). This leads to revising the protoytpe based on those suggestions. (Haag et al, 2006). Given the fact that a prototype allows such flexibility, it prevents costs from potentially rising when developing a final system. (Haag et al, 2006). That is, a final system that has been built without prototypes can be costly if intended users want additional features or specific features to be altered. (Haag et al, 2006).

**Types of Prototypes**
There are two kinds of prototypes that developers use to convey their ideas. These are the Lo-fi (Low fidelity prototypes) and Hi-fi (High fidelity prototypes).

> o They focus on broad ideas of the design > o They are produced quickly > o They are usually produced in early design thinking. (Benyon et al, 2005).
 * 1) **Lo-fi prototypes**- these are often called paper prototypes because they are usually drawn and made from paper. These prototypes have the folowing features:
 * 1) **Hi-fi prototypes** - These prototypes have similar look, feel (but not necessarily functionality) to the final product. Typically these prototypes have the following features:
 * It is useful for evaluating the main design elements
 * It is used to show the client about their product so that they can disagree or agree about the design
 * It is developed into the project when the developer's ideas are starting to get concrete. (Benyon et al, 2005).

**Prototyping Process**
Creating a prototype will depend on what the purpose of it is and who is developing the prototype. (Haag et al, 2006). For example, insourcing is when IT specialists of an organization are assigned to develop a prototype. (Haag et al, 2006). In contrast, selfsourcing are knowledge workers hired to develop a system with minimal assistance from IT specialists. (Haag et al, 2006). Diagrams of both processes are below. The key difference is that the end result of insourcing is a technical blueprint for a final system and in selfsourcing, the prototype is continually revised until it actually becomes the final product. (Haag et al, 2006).

**Advantages and Disadvantages of Prototyping**
As outlined within various texts, some advantages include the fact that prototyping allows users to interact and participate in the design discussion of a potential product. (Haag et al, 2006). They have the ability to make any additional inputs and suggestions regarding the design of a proposed product or service along with its features, which reflects their needs and wants as the targeted users. (Haag et al, 2006). Being that intended users and developers come together to discuss the many aspects of a future product, any sort of discrepancy can easily be identified and therefore resolved immediately. (Haag et al, 2006). In addition, as one of the functions of prototyping, determining the technical feasibility also proves to be beneficial. (Haag et al, 2006). There are many individuals whose needs and wants are not met because of the limitations that certain products, services, or results may withhold. Therefore, if a user develops a way to improve a product to meet a need or want, the best way to accomplish that is to develop a prototype to determine if it can be done. (Haag et al, 2006). Finally, prototypes are also advantageous in that it breaks resistance barriers for those individuals who have a hard time grasping onto new concepts. (Haag et al, 2006). Selling prototypes are utilized in this situation where a product’s features and characteristics are highlighted, showing all the beneficial aspects that can be derived once developed and utilized. (Haag et al, 2006). Prototypes do have drawbacks as well. For example, people tend to think that an end result will be developed right after a prototype has been created. (Haag et al, 2006). However, as shown in the diagrams above, prototyping is a step-by-step process in itself within a product development cycle. (Haag et al, 2006). Thus it takes sufficient time to design, document and continuously revise a prototype in order to maintain what is required from it. (Haag et al, 2006). Furthermore, a prototype is a model of what a proposed system or product will be like and therefore it does not reflect the actual performance a final system would undergo within real conditions. (Haag et al, 2006). Lastly, individuals have a tendency to skip the testing and documentation phases once a product, service or result has been developed. (Haag et al, 2006). They assume because there has been many revisions and enhancement to a prototype and it has built in the stated requirements, it will work. (Haag et al, 2006). But again, a prototype is only a model and does not produce results that reflect its performance in an actual environment. (Haag et al, 2006). Thus, it is essential that proper testing be conducted to determine the validity of an end result. (Haag et al, 2006).

**Sources:**
__Activities, Contexts, Technologies__. Essex: Pearson Education Limited, 2005. 253-265.
 * 1.** Benyon, David, Phil Turner, and Susan Turner. __Designing Interactive Systems: People__


 * 2.** Haag, Stephen, Maeve Cummings, Donald J. McCubbrey, Alain Pinsonneault, and Richard Donovan. __Management Information Systems for the Information Age__. 3rd ed. Canada: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited, 2006. 97-100.

& Sons, Inc., 2002. 239-264. Haag, Stephen, Maeve Cummings, Donald J. McCubbrey, Alain Pinsonneault, and Richard Donovan. __Management Information Systems for the Information Age__. 3rd ed. Canada: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited, 2006. 97-100.
 * 3.** Preece, Jennifer. __Interaction Design: Beyond Human Computer Interaction__. John Wiley
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