Transcript

Welcome to the lecture on prototyping. Prototyping is the fourth stage when you are going through the ideation stage you would have realized that there are four or five ideas with me now. Now, how will I choose the best idea out of it. So, the easiest way out to that problem is try to develop prototypes. In this lecture we will start going through what are prototyping and what are different types of doing prototypes to pick out the best solution.

So prototyping is an experimental phase and the aim is to identify the best possible solutions because in the ideation stage what  did you do you had multiple ideas now, you can’t work on all these multiple ideas to develop products for one single problem. So, what you do is you have multiple ideas now you cut down this multiple ideas putting a filter and go towards the closure. So, this is an experimental phase and the aim is to identify the best possible solution for each of the problem identified during the first three phases. So, it is an experimental phase, it is not necessary whatever prototype you develop that goes to the final phase. In fact, when we finish the prototype we realize that oh we did not define the problem correctly that is why we have got the solution.

So, it is an experimental phase and the aim is to identify the best possible solution for each of the problems identified during the first three phase. The first three phases are empathy, definition, and ideation. The design team will produce a number of inexpensive scaled-down version. So when you would start developing prototypes we should not keep in mind one is to one scale. We should look for scaled down model and try to solve it. For example if you are trying to solve a problem for a mosquito then we will go for scale-up model and then start working on it. So, basically the idea is to develop a physical prototype very quickly and try to evaluate with the customer and understand what is it supposed to do, or whether it is doing, what is supposed to be done. So, that design team will produce a number of inexpensive scaled-down versions of the product. To investigate the problem solution generated in the previous stage. It is an iterative generation of artifacts intended to answer questions that gets us closer to the final solution. It is an iterative generation of artifacts.

So, why we need to have a prototype to solve a problem and ideate. We need a prototype to interact with the customer we need a prototype, to start a communication we need a prototype, to fail quickly and cheaply, this is very important point whatever, idea you had if you think that that will work and you don’t even try to make a prototype you make a final product so then you realise it is a failure you have invested a huge money in it. So, now here what we are trying to say is the prototyping is going to say fail quickly and cheaply then to test features and possibilities and the last one is to manage the solution building process. So these are all the needs for prototyping. So start building prototypes with raw materials which is available with you or with an economical raw material. The act of picking up some material will be good to get you going. For example, here it is all made up of paper, these are all paper chairs. So, the act of picking up some material because paper is available will be good to get you going later on you can get creative ideas while building it slowly. So, at the first stage you try to build so many things and then you try to evaluate these prototypes and then you try to get a solution for this solution, and then start slowly using that and create multiple ideas around that to go towards the solution. Don’t spend long time on one prototype. So it is long time and the cost also. So if the prototyping itself is going to take a year to make then it is better to avoid making prototypes using such material or such processes towards the solution. So you need to let go before you find yourself getting too emotionally attached to any one prototype. So if you are trying to develop a prototype first you try to see the functional aspect of it, don’t start working on the aesthetics in the first round. The moment it is meeting out all the functions then you start looking unto aesthetics. So that’s what is it. You need to let go before you find yourself getting too emotionally attached to any one of the prototypes. The disadvantage of this is that you will spend a huge amount of time on it while you could have worked on a better idea.

Build with the user in mind – What sort of behavior do you expect from the user? What do you hope to test with the user? For example you have developed a sofa so, what would you will expect from a customer? Do you expect them to go sit peacefully when kids are there they jump so, now what is that is what sort of behavior do you expect from the user while showing the product? So that is also there what do you hope to test with the user so these two questions are to be kept in mind the answer for these two questions will help focus your prototype. So, what sort of behavior do you expect from the user? what do you hope to test with the user? So, identifying variables, identifying what’s being tested with each prototype, when tested your prototype should answer your particular question. So identifying a variable, so variable in the sense it is varying diameter, varying lengths, varying some modular fitting, all these things identify what’s being tested with each prototype, when tested a prototype should answer a particular question.

So first, we try to develop Low-Fidelity prototypes, and then we will try to develop High-Fidelity prototypes and then go towards the solution. So the Low-Fidelity prototype involves use of basic models or examples of the product being tested. So, it is basic model, it’s not the higher and final version. For example, the model might be incomplete and utilize just a few of the features that will be available in the final design. Suppose, if this itself tells to tell you that oh it is not working then you will not work further on, on developing this idea. So, the model might be incomplete and utilized just a few of the features that will be available in the final design or it might be constructed using material not intended for the finished article such as wood, paper and metal or a plastic product. So, you can use any or it might be constructed using materials not intended for the finished article such as wood, paper, metal for a plastic product. LowFidelity prototype can either be models that are cheaply and easily made, or simply a recounts or visualization of them. So, here is a automatic seed, seed sowing machine so which is developed using a low fidelity prototype. So here material used is a metallic box then, Arduino board for control, then toy parts we have taken, then the purpose is testing the automation, capability and control requirement of sowing seeds. So this was the purpose. So, we are not considering for material or strength of prototype. So here we are only looking at how does it look? How do you build the conversation, and the next one is what all are the possible errors it can happen? So, that is also seen when you start making a prototype.

So, then we try to produce a High-Fidelity prototype. High- Fidelity prototype are prototypes that look and operate close to the finished product. So, in the low-fidelity it can be partial of the functions but when you are talking about high-fidelity it is almost 1:1. For example a 3D plastic moldel with movable part allows the user to manipulate and interact with the device in the same manner as the final design, is high-fidelity Fi in comparison to say the wooden block. So, what is developed here is a high-fidelity prototype. So, this is a rice planter so, a rice planter we have made all the links a scaled-down version. All the links and we have made it almost exactly like the final version. So now we know by looking at the dimensions, by looking at the structure, by looking at the loads, by looking at the thickness, we will like to see where all are the possible failures and we can try to avoid it.

So benefits of prototyping – Prototyping helps to eliminate ambiguities and improve accuracy in interpretation of the system requirements and functionality. So, when I try to show a clock, when I try to show a phone, when I try to show a product, so when I try to show it tries to have an understanding and then it will try to also communicate with my team members first, that this is what we are planning to develop or this is what is the outcome of our development. So, prototyping is very very important. Yes, you can always do a virtual prototyping, but many a times the virtual prototyping does not give you a feel for it. So it is advised to do, develop a low fidelity prototype in the first go, use with the raw material which is available or the low cost material which is available and then try to go for a high fidelity prototype which will help you to communicate your idea to the customer as well as to our team members. Prototyping helps to ensure that the solution does what is it supposed to do. Many a times we start aiming at one solution but we you start developing prototypes we get into a different domain or in a different space and we start developing in that space moving towards the solution. And when I was talking to you about high fidelity prototype I said that it has to be almost one is to one close. So in the low fidelity prototype if you start working on aesthetics so sometimes you might even
forget the functionality of the prototype. So, that is what it is supposed to say here, ensures that the solution does what it is supposed to do and not what the developer thinks it ought to do and how. I am sure at the end of this lecture you will now realize there are two prototypes to be made one is called as – Low Fidelity prototypes the other one is called as High-Fidelity prototypes. These two will try to help you in polishing your idea to meet out to the customers solution.

Thank you very much