Chapter 5 Interfaces Design and Prototyping PDF

# Chapter 5 Interfaces Design and Prototyping ## What is a prototype? - One manifestation of a design that allows stakeholders to interact with it. - In other design fields, a prototype is a small-scale model: - A miniature car - A miniature building or town ## What is a prototype in inte...

# Chapter 5 Interfaces Design and Prototyping ## What is a prototype? - One manifestation of a design that allows stakeholders to interact with it. - In other design fields, a prototype is a small-scale model: - A miniature car - A miniature building or town ## What is a prototype in interaction design? In interaction design, a prototype can be (among other things): - A series of screen sketches. - A storyboard, for example, a cartoon-like series of scenes. - A PowerPoint slide show. - A video simulating the use of a system. - A lump of wood (for instance, the PalmPilot). - A cardboard mock-up. - A piece of software with limited functionality written in the target language or in another language. ## Why prototype? - Evaluation and feedback are central to interaction design. - Stakeholders can see, hold, and interact with a prototype more easily than a document or a drawing. - Team members can communicate effectively. - Ideas can be tested out. - Prototyping encourages reflection: an important aspect of design. - Prototypes answer questions and support designers in choosing between alternatives. ## Low-fidelity Prototyping - Uses a medium which is unlike the final medium, for example, paper or cardboard. - Is quick, cheap, and easily changed. - Examples: - Sketches of screens, task sequences, and so on. - Post-it notes. - Storyboards. - Wizard-of-Oz. ## Storyboards - It is a series of sketches showing how a user might progress through a task using the product. - Often used with scenarios, bringing in more detail and a chance to role play. ## Sketching - Low-fidelity prototyping often relies on sketching. - Don't be inhibited about drawing ability - practice simple symbols. ## 'Wizard-of-Oz' prototyping - The user thinks they are interacting with a computer, but a human is responding to output rather than the system. - Usually done early in design to understand users' expectations. - What is 'wrong' with this approach? ## High-fidelity prototyping - Uses materials that you would expect to be in the final product. - Prototype looks more like the final system than a low-fidelity version. - High-fidelity prototypes can be developed by integrating existing hardware and software components. - Danger that users think they have a complete system...see compromises. ## Conceptual design - A conceptual model is an outline of what people can do with a product and what concepts are needed to understand and interact with it. - Understand problem space and current requirements; empathize with users. - Creativity and brainstorming techniques. - Mood board may capture desired feel. - Consider alternatives: scenarios and prototyping helps. ## Choosing an interface metaphor - Interface metaphors combine familiar knowledge with new knowledge in a way that will help the user understand the product. - Three steps: understand functionality, identify potential problem areas, and generate metaphors. - Evaluate metaphors: - How much structure does it provide? - How much is relevant to the problem? - Is it easy to represent? - Will the audience understand it? - How extensible is it? ## Considering interaction and interface types - Which interaction type? - How the user invokes actions - Instructing, conversing, manipulating, exploring, or responding - Do different interface types provide insight? - Shareable, tangible, augmented reality, and so forth ## Concrete design - Difference between conceptual and concrete is emphasis. - Many aspects to concrete design: - Color, icons, buttons, interaction devices, and so on. - User characteristics and context: - Inclusiveness, input, and output modes. - Accessibility: - Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. - Cross-cultural design: - Language, colors, icons, and information architecture. - Indigenous knowledge and perspectives.