Prototyping is an essential part of the iterative design process. The purpose of prototyping is to allow users and various stakeholders to interact with the product being developed and test usability. Most importantly, prototyping allows designers and developers to make essential design decisions throughout the iterative process. Depending on the product being designed, your prototype selection may vary.

Choose a category of software from the following list:

• New website
• Revision of a website
• New smartphone app
• Update of an accounting software system

Now you are planning to develop or modify your chosen category. What type of prototype do you use? Address the following as you justify your choice:

• What is it you want to learn from prototyping?
• What does your chosen prototype offer that other methods do not?
• What steps would you have to take to create your prototype?

In your responses to your peers, provide constructive feedback on their prototyping choices. Possible suggestions include:

• Describing additional steps that may be needed
• Explaining why an alternate prototyping method might work as well
• initial a couple of paragraphs. responses a paragraph each

 

Discussion Responses

Response I

            Hi Gauthier. Incremental Prototyping can lead to significant variation of the developed prototypes to a point they could appear as different software packages. Thus, your team must develop guiding principles to define boundaries and maintain design consistency in the preparation stage. On the other hand, the team can also avoid the drawback entirely by utilizing evolutionary Prototyping. Unlike the incremental approach, they would develop a single prototype that will undergo adjustment and refinement to establish the ultimate MVP. The model minimizes risks of design inconsistencies while still guaranteeing prompt user feedback and satisfaction of requirements.

Response II

            Hi Corbin. Indeed, evolutionary Prototyping is ideal for designing a mobile app since it maintains consistency and delivers user needs. The prototype becomes "evolutionary" as stakeholders incorporate requirements that enhance the final product. Besides the listed steps and pointers, it's necessary to note that evolutionary Prototyping requires at least one evaluation of functionalities. Thus, the approach is typically incorporated in complex projects where the team has a vague understanding of the requirements and technology. However, the team can also utilize Rapid Throwaway Prototyping to define complex projects. Unlike evolutionary Prototyping, the model helps the team visualize requirements easily and gather prompt feedback from the end-user. It allows designers to assess various ideas and terminate any prototype that does not satisfy specifications.    

Discussion Methods of Prototyping

            Prototypes help designers examine the UI, user flow, and proposed functionality of a mobile application. For instance, iOS app prototypes typify how the app would appear and run on different iPhones. This discussion entails the integration of Evolutionary Prototyping when designing a mobile application. I plan on using the knowledge to understand how prototyping can be incorporated appropriately into the planning stage by comprehending and acknowledging client specifications.

            I selected the Evolutionary Prototyping approach since it forms the fundamental basis of the final product. With this method, designers create a prototype and use user requirements to build functions gradually. One improves the prototype continuously until they create a satisfactory product that becomes the final version. Notably, the model does not support establishing app requirements definitively or outlining key features before coding. Nonetheless, constants updates, adjustments, and refinement transform the prototype into an MVP (Llema & Vilela-Malabanan, 2019).

            Therefore, I plan on utilizing the same procedure, starting with a paper prototyping process that focuses on user needs. I’d then give the user-centered design to developers who can begin defining requirements and outlining key features. The resulting prototype would undergo gradual changes as the team redefines and refines requirements per user needs. Unlike other approaches, Evolutionary Prototyping delivers the end product in time and supports user engagement. Therefore, the MVP is likely to satisfy end-user needs considering their involvement in tests, feedback, refining, and other critical processes.