Transcript

Welcome to the course on Design Thinking for agricultural implements. So, in this course we are discussing about a tool which is used in developing agricultural implements more focused towards customers. So, in this Design Thinking Tool there were 5 stages: First stage was, the Empathy study, the next stage was Definiton, third stage was the Ideation, the fourth stage is Prototyping. Prototyping is very important so in this week we will try to cover in detail about prototyping.

Introduction

The prototype mode is the iterative generation of products intended to answer questions that get you closer to your final solution. So, till now we were writing in words, we were try to compare with customers in terms of quantitative parameters. We have here very basic schematic diagram about what all functionality should there be in a product. But, now we are going to make something and show it to the customer this is how your products look like. Ofcourse, virtually also you can do a prototype and show it to the customer, but virtual prototype has its own problem. For example you can draw an object which cannot be fabricated or you can try to have a colour which cannot be produced in real time. In that case making a physical prototype is very important. And that is what is dealt in this line “The prototype mode is the iterative generation of products intended to answer questions that get you closer to your final solution”. While making the prototype you might feel infeasible features. Infeasible functions which you thought could be done easily. For example you could have thought about mechanically moving object which is attached to your battery and this battery is the energy source is the portable energy source. Definitely, with is the portable energy source if you have a mechanical energy part the energy drained out is going to be very fast. So, now when you do the prototype and when you take it to the customers you realize the customers will say..Oh! this is accepted or not. So, prototyping is a very very critical stage. Like all other stage you have to give enough emphasis on physical prototype.

In the earlier stages of the project that question may be broad … In later stages, both your prototype and the questions may get you refined. As, I told you in the beginning the 5 stages – whatever we have studied as part of design thinking these 5 stages we move step by step by step. So, at every stage please keep it in mind that you can go back to the previous stage and re-alternate your problem. When you make a prototype that does not mean you are going towards the solution. When you make a prototype it can give you a lead for redoing the empathy study. So, that is we are trying to say that a prototyping is trying to treat very close to the customer or very close to the final solution what the customer wants.The production of a prototype, i.e. the method of prototyping, is used to visualize ideas, to explore aspects of a solution or to test a preliminary result. Prototyping is used to evaluate, iterate and improve. This is very very important. Prototyping does not means that you have reached the solution. Prototyping is only to evaluate, re-iterative your idea and improve your idea such that you can go towards a better solution.

Definition (s)

• A prototype is an intangible idea brought to life to create an experience that can be put in front of the user
• A prototype is an experimental model of an idea
• Prototype is a question, it’s a way to gain confidence in your idea. At its core, a prototype is a way of trying something out with your design’s audience before investing in its full development. So, prototype can also be made part by, part by part, function by, function by, function and then you can start integrating it.

Why Prototype

To use as few resources as possible means less time and money is invested up front, on the idea whatever you have made on screen or on paper. To be able to fail quickly and cheaply. So, this is very very important. To fail quickly and cheaply. So fail quickly means before going to the final product and then making this product, developing it into the fullest extent, giving an aesthetic look, giving a form to it, everything you give and finally you realize that the product did not work. For example one point of time in developed countries more emphasis was given towards aesthetic of the vehicle, rather than the functionality of the vehicle. But later people started realizing aesthetic is one part but functionality is very important. So, if you give lot of importance towards aesthetic form and make everything then you realize that its not going to functionally well you have invested lot of time, you have invested money and that is what we say when we make a prototype we are able to fail quickly and as well as economically.

To test possibilities. Staying low-res allows to pursue many different ideas. So, this resolution or the risk whatever we say. So, it is staying low resolution allows to pursue many different ideas. To make it quicker to see if further improvements are necessary. To break large problems down into smaller, testable chunks. S0, as I told you system, several subsystem, inner subsystems, several functions, develop prototype for each function, integrated into a subsystem, look for 4- functions whether the subsystems is working and then you integrate several of this subsystems to take a main objective to see whether it is working or not. So, in that case Prototyping becomes very handy and it is very very essential.

Thank You