Innovation
Rapid Prototyping
Prototyping is a highly effective method for human-centered designers to bring their ideas to life, learn through hands-on experience, and receive valuable feedback from their target audience. By testing with real users, designers can identify promising concepts and refine early ideas. The goal of prototyping is not to create perfect models, but rather to create simple and efficient prototypes that save time and allow for focused testing on essential elements. The timeline for the steps outlined below can vary from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the complexity of the problem being solved. It is recommended to follow these steps at a comfortable pace.
Workshop steps
Once you've generated ideas and grouped them into concepts, choose a few of the most promising ones to proceed with testing. Utilize the "Determine What To Prototype" activity to assist you in selecting concepts and gaining clarity on what you need to learn.
After deciding on the prototype, use the Build & Run Prototypes activity to discover quick and resourceful methods for testing. This design process phase may last from several days to weeks, based on the test subject and the number of prototyping rounds desired.
You'll likely test multiple prototypes simultaneously, so it's essential to record your results systematically. This will help you understand what works and determine what to improve or proceed with. Use the Prototype Report Card worksheet to achieve this.
Go through the prototyping process multiple times, incorporating feedback and refining your solution in each iteration. As you progress, your learning goals will become more focused, helping you make informed decisions about what to improve.
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