Just enough prototyping

The main role of prototyping is to manifest possible experiences, behaviours or form factors and is key to evaluate people’s experience of the service or application before final roll-out.

Prototypes help to test benefits, drawbacks or other issues related to the use-to-be by different stakeholders in the intended contexts.

The “just enough prototyping” method allows us to do just enough to reveal the quality of the experience. These prototypes are fast, iterative and not tech focused (e.g. they can be made on paper, on video, etc.).

The observation of people’s interaction with such behavioural prototypes allows Experientia to gain insights on what works, and what doesn’t and why, and this at an early stage of the design process. An iterative design process helps to address any resulting usability problems.

Prototypes stimulate interest, buy-in and support within companies through the quality of ideas embodied. They open up a dialogue between all the stakeholders involved: design, marketing, engineering and executive decision-makers.

Prototypes are design embodiments that can elicit:

• responses to help evaluate alternative concepts and scenarios;
• feedback to assist in assessment of alternatives to inform decision-making;
• information for thinking ahead.