Instructional design/Rapid Prototyping/Techniques

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1. Lesson Overview

2. What is RP?

3. When to use RP

4. RP Techniques

5. Building an RP Plan

6. Strengths and Weaknesses of RP

Prototype Design Process

According to Jones and Richey, there are four steps to successful prototyping:

1. Identify prototype content - What salient features of your design do you want to test? What do you hope to learn about your design? Select a minimal amount of content to prototype.
2. Build prototype - Using the methods described below, build a prototype of your concept.
3. Review prototype - Evaluate your prototype on pre-determined standards. Does the prototype provide insight into your design? Are all stakeholders satisfied with the results? If not, return to steps 1 and 2.
4. Freeze design - Once all stakeholders and designers are satisfied, cease adding new features and begin development of the pilot, or beta, version of the instruction.

A Description of Prototype Formats

Prototypes come in several different formats. Based on your design needs and constraints, each prototype format serves a very specific role.

If your goals include planning, organizing, visualizing, or communicating design concepts, you should utilize a scope/visual format.

If your goals include testing, proof-of-concept, or demonstrating design concepts, you should utilize an executable format.

Scope/Visual Formats

• Alpha Prototype: Typically the first version of the prototype that illustrates format, navigation, content, and graphics. May have some user and computer interactions.
• Documentation Prototype: Models the completed user documentation [paper or online]. Illustrates format, graphics, and presentation.
• Generic Template Prototype: Used across multiple units to illustrate content; instructional strategies, media, setting, and measurement tools.
• User-Interface Prototype: Illustrates navigation and flow without complete functionality (syntactically incomplete). Also known as a Mockup Prototype.

Executable Formats

• Beta Prototype: Essentially a finished product that is ready for pilot test or research; has complete functionality (syntactically complete). Also known as a Pilot Prototype.
• Functional Prototype: Demonstrates user and computer interactions. May be syntactically complete or incomplete. Also known as Technical Prototype.
• Rough Cut Prototype:Illustrates labeling conventions, sequencing, clarity of the message, and pacing in a videotape.
• Rough Sequence Prototype:Illustrates clarity of images sequenced together in videotape.

Prototyping Methods

Once you've selected your format, you can select your prototyping method. Make sure to consider your needs and constraints when selecting your prototyping method.

If you are building a Scope/Visual format prototype, select one of the following methods:

• Sketching: A rapidly executed freehand drawing that is not intended as a finished work.
• Storyboarding: Graphic organizers such as a series of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a sequence of events.
• Algorithms and Flowcharts: A diagram that illustrates the steps of a given process as boxes of various kinds, and their order by connections with arrows.
• Scenarios: Brief written draft outlining one or more design scenarios, including detailed descriptions of instructional contexts. Often take form as short stories.

If you are building a Executable format prototype, select one of the following methods:

• Wizard-of-Oz (Paper Prototyping): Basic interactions and interfaces are constructed on paper and tested by end users. Interactions are simulated by having someone (an evaluator) adjust the prototype according to a user's interactions.
• Physical Prototyping: Using foam, cardboard, and other materials to construct representations of objects.
• Facade Prototyping: The construction of interfaces with an ability to specify input behavior. Often contains meaningless data and content placeholders.
• High-Fidelity Prototyping: Interactive, functional software that includes content. Often developed in Adobe Flash or similar authoring tools.

You will practice using these concepts in the next section.

Please proceed to the next section:

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