[IxDA Discuss] What tools do you use for prototyping?

[Jeremy Yuille]

On 12/11/2007, at 4:17 PM, Eric Scheid wrote:

> On 12/11/07 2:19 PM, "Andrei Herasimchuk"  
> <andrei at involutionstudios.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Ok. That's what I mean as well. So what's so controversial then about
>> a prototype that basically acts just like the real thing?
>
> what do you use prototypes for?
>

hey great question!
(hi all - been lurking and reading this thread)

"Is a brick a prototype? The answer depends on how it is used."

see http://www.viktoria.se/fal/kurser/winograd-2004/Prototypes.pdf

sorry don't have the exact ref with me but its from Chap 2 in the  
handbook of hci.
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/bookdescription.cws_home/524988/ 
description#description

in this paper Houde and Hill propose a 3d model for understanding  
prototypes. I have found this helpful to use when describing the role  
of prototype to collaborators and stakeholders, not as the last word,  
but definitely as a starting point. They describe some good examples.

<blockquote>
“Role” refers to questions about the function that an artifact serves  
in a user’s life — the way in which it is useful to them.

“Look and feel” denotes questions about the concrete sensory  
experience of using an artifact — what the user looks at, feels and  
hears while using it.

“Implementation” refers to questions about the techniques and  
components through which an artifact performs its function — the  
“nuts and bolts” of how it actually works.purpose of any prototype in  
context for the designer and their audiences.  It gives a global  
sense of what the prototype is intended to explore; and equally  
important, what it does not explore.
</blockquote>

hope this helps, apols if its already been covered.

cheers
jy