The point is to make ideas real. They are (limited) representations of conceptual designs for users to interact with.

Sketching for interaction design

Why prototype?

  • Saves time and money: don’t waste time coding/building the wrong thing
  • Communication: discuss ideas with stakeholders
  • Evaluate: interface effectiveness for communicating conceptual model
  • Further develop conceptual and physical design

Before prototyping

Identify:

  • questions that your prototype(s) need to answer
  • requirements you need to address
  • users and tasks that your prototype(s) will support

Acquiring mental models

  1. Using the system (hands-on learning)
  2. Observing others using the system
  3. Reading about a system (documentation)

Interaction Types

Deciding upon which of the interaction types to use, and why, can help designers formulate a conceptual model before committing to a particular interface

  1. Instructing: users issue instructions to a system
  2. Conversing: users have a dialog with a system
  3. Manipulating: users interact with objects in a virtual or physical space by manipulating them
  4. Exploring: users move through a virtual environment or a physical space
  5. Responding: system initiates the interaction and the user chooses whether to respond

Fidelity

Fidelity is partly a matter of completeness. As you get more hi-fi it become more close to the actual deployment platform

6 dimensions to fidelity → fidelity is a spectrum. It is complicated to prototype multiple dimensions at once, so don’t!

  • visual realism: how real it looks. polish, graphic imagery
  • physical realism: shape and form for 3D objects; feel
  • scope: how many features/functionalities included; horizontal vs. vertical
  • data: operates on real vs. faked data
  • autonomy: requires “supervision” vs. operates alone
  • platform: interim vs. final implementation

Lo-fi

Rough (but flexible) proof-of-concept of interface design. Useful for generating or narrowing down requirements.

Benefits

  • cheap/easy to make -> intended to be thrown away
  • lack of polish → less intimidating for users (surprisingly important!)
    • avoids nitpick feedback
    • inspires more creative feedback
    • more willingness to criticize

Mid/hi-fi

Increasing in completeness and detail

  • higher degree of functionality
  • higher degree of polish

Vertical vs Horizontal

Vertical prototype:

  • includes in-depth functionality for only a few selected features
  • key design ideas can be tested in depth

Horizontal prototype

  • surface layers only: includes the entire user interface with no underlying functionality
  • a simulation; no real work can be performed

Wizard of Oz

Method of testing a system that does not yet exist

  • Human simulates system’s intelligence and interacts with user
  • User
    • Uses real or mock interface as expected and is told “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain”
  • “wizard” (sometimes hidden):
    • Interprets subject’s input according to a preset algorithm
    • Has computer/screen behave in appropriate manner

Possible downside is that the human can over-/under-estimate the quality of the actual technology being simulated.