Integrating end users in early ideation and prototyping: Lessons from an experience in augmenting physical objects

Abstract

Creating rewarding and resonant user experiences usually requires a designerly approach, that is, to explore multiple ideas and later converge to a specific design outcome that can be eventually implemented. Engaging novice designers as well as end users in fuzzy ideation processes can cause participants' discouragement and disengagement when they do not understand the goal of the various design tasks and the contribution of such tasks to the whole development process. To mitigate this problem, we propose two software tools (called CoDICE and ECCE) to support the ideation, design and early prototyping of augmented experiences. The tools make it possible to apply generative techniques to promote creativity whilst providing a virtual space where ideas and designs can be persistently documented and developed further. The creation of physical prototypes is supported to close the loop, thus enabling end users to ideate, design and prototype their own augmented experiences. Tools were tested with end users who valued (i) to have a process flow to follow, (ii) to be able to explore multiples ideas and interrelate them and, finally, (iii) to create their own working prototypes.