Prototyping

The role of Prototypes in a Design Process

So, you have an amazing idea? That's great! But what if we would challenge you? If we'd give you a pen and a piece of paper. Would you be able to visualize it? To find the right words and UI elements to use? With the help of BTNG, we'll empower you with the best, most cost-effective tool for validating your idea: Prototyping.

What is a Prototype?

A prototype is a simple experimental model of a proposed solution. It is used to test or validate ideas, design assumptions and other aspects of its conceptualization quickly and cheaply. Prototypes can take many forms, and just about the only thing in common the various forms have is that they are all tangible forms of your ideas.

They don’t have to be primitive versions of an end product, nor do they need to be primitive sketches, storyboards, or even role-playing to act out a service offering an idea are examples of prototypes.

All too often design teams arrive at ideas without enough research or validation and expedite them to final execution before there is any certainty about their viability or possible effect on the target audience.

Sketches and Diagrams

Use sketches to illustrate ideas and launch them into the real world. Even the crudest of sketches can easily achieve that.

Use storyboards to work out how you want a particular product or service to be used. Think of it as the blueprint for user experience design, with all of its elements in place: information architecture, wireframes and prototypes that can be refined into working concepts.

The power of non-tech paper prototypes

Paper Prototyping might sound primitive, but it's the pound-for-pound heavy-weight champion of Prototypes. Digital prototypes might be more often expected but when prototyping, speed is of the essence!

During fifteen years of experience, we've developed a unique prototyping process. Even in the early stages of rapid prototyping, we're able to take sketches of a user interface and validate them with real users. The root of BTNG lies with UX Design. This means prototyping has always been a part of our iterative process.

When we create prototypes with our clients, our prototyping software is able to take sketches of user interfaces and create an on-screen experience. This allows us to take the speed from paper prototypes and combine them with the power of digital.

Low-Fidelity vs. High-Fidelity Prototyping

Depending on the situation and maturity of the solution both low fidelity prototypes and a high fidelity prototype might make sense. A low fidelity prototype is more often used at the start of a solution.

Before digital prototypes created the feedback we are looking for, paper prototypes are by far the fasted way to validate with user testing.

Give birth to the ideas in your head with BTNG's Prototyping

Prototyping is more than just making something look pretty. It's a crucial part of the Design Thinking process that helps validate ideas with real users before you invest in them.

BTNG has over fifteen years of experience bringing ideas to life through prototyping and we assemble a hand-picked team of remote experts who guide you through the design thinking process, bring your ideas to life, and make sure they work for all types of users.

We have extensive knowledge across industries including retail, education technology, healthcare IT systems development, manufacturing processes automation software as well as wearables such as fitness trackers or smartwatches.

Schedule a free phone call today so we can get started on understanding what makes sense for your business goals!