What do YOU think a prototype is?
I think a prototype is a scaled-down, relatively inexpensive and abstract representation of a design. Theoretically it is an unfinished version of the final product, and aims to portray specific aspects/functions of the design.
What form does it take?
A prototype will usually be in physical form and should resemble the main functionality of the product. For instance, a prototype for an app could be made up of multiple pieces of paper stacked on top of one another, containing the most important aspects/fields on the screen without too much detail.
What do you need to make one?
To make a prototype, you just need materials that can withstand testing and should resemble the final product (e.g paper, cardboard, pens etc). In the case of the projects for this course, you may also need conductive material for the interface, a computer etc.
What is it used for?
Prototypes are used to test the main functionality and design of a product without having to build the final version. It allows for an iterative approach, and the designers/developers can make changes to the design relatively inexpensively.
What is it’s purpose?
Its purpose is to be able to see the idea materialised, perform better user testing and be able to pick up potential problems that would not have been noticed through a sketch on paper.
When would you create one?
You would create a prototype after building a design in order to test its functionality. Prototypes could also be built throughout the design process in order to adhere to agile methods through building a product incrementally (i.e design, build and test one aspect at a time).
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