Paper prototypes

Paper prototyping is fast, allowing you to rapidly devise and refine user interface designs, even while you're testing them. Let's practice making some, while leveraging our new user interface design skills.

Pair up (5 min)

Design and prototype (45 min)

Design the user interface for a simple consumer appliance (other than an alarm clock) such as microwave, dishwasher, washing machine, etc. Your goal is to test the learnability of your design.

• Devise a concept for your design
• Choose a task you want a person to be able to accomplish with your prototype
• Determine its inputs and all of the feedback it'll give to help bridge gulfs of evaluation
• Create a wireframe paper prototype that is complete and high-fidelity enough for someone to successfully learn your UI without your aid
• Prototype feedback for all possible things a user might do

Test (15 min)

Partner with another pair and see if they can learn how to use prototype correctly, without your assistance.

• Give your users their goal and explain nothing else
• Operate your paper prototype, but give no help or assistance
• Observe breakdowns that lead to confusion or failure

Reflect (10 min)

• Were your prototypes clear?
• What was difficult about constructing a paper prototype?
• What affected the quality of your test results?

Credit (1 min)

Sign your name for credit.