1. Prototyping March 8, 2007

2. Product Concept Prototypes An approximation (in any appropriate medium) of a concept along one or more dimensions of interest

3. IDEO – Get physical fast, but Know when to say when. Using Prototypes

4. Links Between Specifications and Concept Prototypes Specifications describe the team’s “wish list.” Prototypes make those “wishes” real. Prototypes can suggest where wishes were unrealistic. Prototypes can also suggest where wishes weren’t imaginative enough. As a “shared space,” prototypes allow design and development teams to communicate more effectively.

5. Concept Prototypes and New Product Design and Development Success “The strongest predictor of new product design and development success is the quality of the product development team’s ‘shared space’.” Michael Schrage: “Serious Play: How the World’s Best Companies Simulate to Innovate”

6. Models and Prototypes 2-D Models (plans/drawings) Non-Functional 3-D Models “Looks like” (foam/polymer) Functional Prototypes “Works like” (without the “box”) User Test Models Organization/ System Models (effects on mfg. dist., etc.)

7. Models and Prototypes The Sony Walkman --- Early Prototypes

8. Why Prototype? Learning l Does the concept work? l Does the concept meet the customer’s needs? Communication l Among design team members l With other key stakeholders

9. 4 Integration l Do concept components fit? l Are cross-functional demands met? 4 Milestones l How far have we progressed? l Have we proven the concept? Why Prototype?

10. Prototyping “Cultures” Is a Firm... Specification-Driven? Prototype-Driven?

11. Prototyping Cultures Spec-Driven Dimensions Prototype-Driven Language Purpose Use Media Timing Models are “built” or “assembled” & called “mock-ups.” Manage risks; “Works-like” models Models as sales tools Permanent, palpable Freeze the concept early Models are “designed” or “created” & called “prototypes.” Explore opportunities; “Looks-like” models Models as sources of feedback Ephemeral, virtual Willing to delay the freeze

12. Prototyping Cultures Time-to- prototype Ownership Who Sees It and When? Collaboration with outsiders? Slow; few prototypes Engineering “Never show fools unfinished work!” Infrequently Fast; many prototypes Community property Anyone at any time Frequently Spec-Driven Dimensions Prototype-Driven

13. To Develop Better Products For a more complete discussion of prototyping see Schrage, M. “Serious Play: The Future of Prototyping and Prototyping the Future” in Design Management Journal, Summer 2000, 50-57 or his book “Serious Play: How the World’s Best Companies Simulate to Innovate,” Harvard Business School Press, 2000. If product quality = f(# of prototypes x quality of prototypes), Then to build better products: Build better prototypes and build them faster.

14. Product Use Testing Alpha Testing Testing a pre-release (potentially unreliable) version of a product in-house. This term comes from early 1960s terminology for product cycle checkpoints, first used at IBM but later standard throughout the industry.IBM Beta Testing Testing a pre-release version of a product with selected customers. Usability Testing Broader Market Testing

15. Product Use Testing Usability Testing Usability tests using a prototype are used to collect data while observing and recording representative users perform representative tasks There are a variety of methods for observing and collecting data

16. Product Use Testing What is Usability? Ease of use User friendly Efficiency Effective Satisfying Memorable Pleasure Accessible Learnability Findability Quality Usefulness Error-averse

17. Methods For Usability Testing Think Aloud Protocol Co-discovery Learning Question-asking Protocol Interviews Focus Groups Performance Measurement Logging Actual Use