Prototyping involves creating representations of design ideas in various forms like physical mockups, video simulations, or paper prototypes. There are two main types - low-fidelity prototypes using inexpensive materials for early testing, and high-fidelity prototypes that more closely resemble the final product for technical and usability testing. User testing of prototypes is important for gathering feedback to improve designs and evaluate alternatives through methods like usability testing, field studies, and expert evaluation. Effective evaluation requires determining goals, questions to be answered, appropriate techniques, and addressing practical and ethical considerations.

1. Protoyping and
User Testing
from Preece, Rogers, Sharp, “Beyond Interaction Design”

2. What is a Prototype?
• a piece of wood (ie. Palm Pilot development)
• cardboard mock up
• video simulation
• paper-based outline
• hyper-linked screens shots

3. Why Prototype?
• useful aid when discussing idea with stakeholders
• communication device amongst designers
• support designers in choosing between alternatives
• user testing and evaluation

4. Why Prototype?
• Low Fidelity Prototype
• materials of low cost and fast assembly
• affords multiple concept testing in short time frame
• made to be explored, modified and rejected

7. Why Prototype?
• High Fidelity Prototype
• looks and acts more like the finished design
• interactive and functional
• useful for marketing ideas, testing technical issues
• more accurate materials but more expensive production
cost
• made to be improved upon, for more final testing
• includes interactive programs, simulators, prototypes

8. Evaluation Paradigms
1. “quick and dirty”
• more informal, at any stage of design cycle, fast input rather
than careful documentation, used for short turnarounds,
qualitative
2. usability testing
• user’s performance on prepared tasks, controlled by evaluators
3. field studies
• naturalistic observation, context of use (ie. workplace)
4. predictive evaluation
• expert evaluators, heuristic evaluation

9. DECIDE Framework
1. Determine overall goals of the evaluation
2. Explore the specific questions to be answered
3. Choose the evaluation paradigm and techniques to answer
questions
4. Identify the practical issues that must be addressed
5. Decide how to deal with the ethical issues
6. Evaluate, interpret and present the data