A prototype is a limited representation of a design that allows users to interact it. Prototype is a paper-based outline of a screen or sets of screens, electronic 'picture', 3 dimensional paper or cardboard mockup and stack of hyperlinked screen shots. It allows stakeholders to interact with an envisioned product, gain experience in realistic setting and explore imagined uses. Prototype aid when discussing ideas with stakeholders, communication device among team members and effective way to test ideas. Example, clarify vague requirements, to do user testing and evaluation and check a certain design direction is compatible with the rest of the system development. there are 2 types of prototypes, low-fidelity prototyping and high-fidelity prototyping.
Low-fidelity prototyping is one that does not look very much like the final product. Example, the uses materials that are very different from the intended final version such as paper, cardboard rather than electronic screens and metal. It tend to be simple, cheap and quick to produce and important during conceptual design and are never intended to be kept and integrated into the final product. They are for exploration only. There are few types of low-fidelity prototype like storyboard, sketching, prototyping with index cards and wizard of Oz.
Storyboard consists of a series of sketches showing how a user might progress through a task using the product under under development. Example, screen of a GUI-based software, scene sketches showing how a user can perform a task using and interactive device. Sketching is relies on sketching but often people find it difficult to engage in this activity. Device on symbols and icons you want to sketch. Prototyping with index cards means use a small piece of cardboard about 3x5 inches index card. Each card represents one screen or one element of a task. In user evaluation, the user can step through the cards, pretending to perform the task while interacting with the cards. Wizard of Oz is the uses a software-based prototype. In fact, the computer is connected to another machine where a human operator sits and simulates the software's response to meet the user.
High-fidelity prototyping is the uses materials that you would expect to be in the final product and produces a prototype that looks much more like the final thing. Example, the prototype of a software system developed in Visual Basic vs paper-based mockup. The common prototype tools are Flash, Visual Basic and Smallktalk. There are some issues with high-fidelity prototyping. They are too long to build, reviewers and testers tend to comment on superficial aspects rather than content, a software prototype can set expectations to high and just one bug in a high-fidelity prototype can bring the testing to test. It useful for selling ideas and for testing out technical issues.
Compromises of prototyping is by their very nature, prototypes involve compromises, the intention is to produce something quickly to test an aspect of the product. Thus, the prototype must be designed and built with the key issues in mind. There are two common compromises, horizontal prototyping and vertical prototyping. Developing an initial conceptual model divided into 3 categories, interface metaphors, interaction types and interface types.
Interface metaphors is combine familiar knowledge with new knowledge with new knowledge in a way that will help the user understand the system. Choosing suitable metaphors and combining new and familiar concepts requires a careful balance between utility and fun and based on a sound understanding of the users and their context. Example is teaching math to 6 year old children. There are 3 step in choosing a good interface metaphors such as understand what the system will do, understand which bits of the system are likely to cause users problems and generate metaphors. Interaction types are 4 types, there are instructing, conversing, manipulating and exploring. Example, Computer game, manipulating, drawing packages, instructing and conversing. Interface types that are different prompt and support different perspectives on the product under development and suggest different possible behaviours.
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