Prototype & Test Phases
DURING THESE WEEKS
Ideas should evolve. To speed up the maturity of an idea, you should build prototypes, test them, get feedback, and iterate.
Prototyping can take many forms, but ultimately, you want something that you can manipulate. You need something tangible to test. It doesn’t need to be perfect. A good chunk of the learning in this phase comes from the process of building your prototype—this is the concept of building to think.
<<< Prototype > Test > Iterate > Repeat >>>
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First, remember you can always prototype multiple ideas or concepts at once. If you are stuck, try using the Prototype Mapping worksheet to help you think through your ideas.
Explore these questions with your team as you decide: What are the most crucial moments/shifts within your journey to be addressed? Which concepts are so exciting that you absolutely have to test them in a real-life setting? Where have you got the biggest unknowns? Those concepts might justify a bit more attention in prototyping.
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Focus on creating something tangible and imperfect. You can prototype ideas using any number of activities, such as Storyboards, Role Plays, models, mock-ups.
Check out the IDEO U video by David Kelley.
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The obvious answer is your “user”—the person/group you designed for. However, think back to your “Extremes & Mainstreams”, your users can be diverse—for example, are you getting feedback from males & females?
Check out the Get Feedback page to ensure you are getting honest, reliable, and critical feedback that helps you improve your idea(s).
Need some inspiration?
Creating and Testing a Prototype