Chapter 2 – Case Studies

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter presents some case studies associated with the usage of prototyping. It focuses on usability tests (whether or not they use paper prototypes), preference for one design alternative (as sometimes there are different ways to provide a function), and issues outside the user interface (paper prototypes can reveal some issues that are considered outside the scope of the user interface, for example, the credibility of the company). It contains several real-world examples where paper prototypes provided important and often surprising feedback. Prototyping helps in refining and creating an interface based on user feedback before implementing it. To illustrate that paper prototyping works for a variety of interfaces such as software application, a Web site, a Web application, a telephone display, and a small touch screen are used. Usability issues contains all the sorts of things that are expected to find from usability testing—confusing concepts, poor terminology, lack of feedback, layout problems, improperly used widgets, or any other situation in which the users can't get the interface to work the way they need it to. Interestingly, paper prototypes can reveal some issues that the user might think of as being outside the scope of the user interface, for example, the credibility of the company or the implications of using the interface in a social setting.