Prototype

In order for anything in life to be created, whether it be in art, science, or even the natural process of evolution, there has to be a first draft, or a prototype. Even if on a very rare occasion the outcome is perfect with the first prototype, the prototype needed to be created in order to make sure that it was truly the most efficient solution. Rapid prototyping is an incredibly effective way to make ideas into reality, to learn through making the prototype, and to quickly get feedback from the people that the product is being designing for. Since prototypes are not meant to be perfect, as they are meant to convey an idea, it is easy to quickly move through a variety of iterations, building on what you’ve learned from the people you’re designing for and past prototypes that were created and the feedback given on it. Rapid Prototyping makes sure that something is made well enough to test your idea and get feedback before going right back to make it better based on the feedback that was received. This process repeats until the final prototype has no or extremely minor critiques that need to be fixed.

A worker at Google made a video explaining the Rapid Prototyping process called “Rapid Prototyping: Sketching | Google for Startups”, which explains in deeper detail the process of prototypes and their importance to creating a successful product. He describes a prototype as “…an experimental model of an idea it's a way to give our ideas a presence that we can put in front of somebody else to see if our idea has value”. An important thing to remember in the prototyping process is to not be afraid to share the prototypes you create early and often, so that way you can get the most accurate and up to date feedback to guide the next product design decision you make for the prototype. There are various prototype techniques that are often used, such as sketching, paper prototyping, digital prototyping with form, principle and native prototyping.

The article written by Rikke Friis Dam and Teo Yu Siang called “Stage 4 in the Design Thinking Process: Prototype” continues to delve into the different aspects and processes of prototypes. Similar to the worker from Google, they describe prototypes as “…a quick and effective way of bringing you/your client's ideas to life. A sample of your intended users or evaluators can then be observed and tested, and their opinions can be used in order to make improvements during an iterative design process”. The article also talks more about the differences between the prototype methods high-fi and low-fi. In low-fi, simple versions are produced with whatever materials are the most easily available in order for it to be able to be tested immediately. On the other hand, high-fi methods are closer to the final product in terms of look, feel, and means of interaction, which helps the design team gain valuable insights into how the product will be received when the final version is distributed.

In the article by by Rikke Friis Dam and Teo Yu Siang, it goes more into depth about the importance of prototypes. Early research, regardless of how thorough, does not tell all the information that is necessary that you need to know in order to create the optimal solution to the problem. Prototypes fulfil the purposes of exploring, experimentation, learning, understanding, engaging, testing, experiencing, inspiring, and motivating Testing is still crucial for success, so “…adopting a ‘thinking by doing’ mindset is extremely helpful in letting you derive more value from researching, defining, ideating, and testing”.