Bad is good.
If it looks good, it’s a horrible prototype.
Prototypes are preliminary models that exist to generate feedback. But polished prototypes will generate comments like “I like it” and "I’d buy it,” rather than informing you of what people are really thinking.
The problem is that people aren’t comfortable giving honest feedback.
For example, a few weeks ago, I asked a group of people how I looked. Everybody answered with similar responses -- which were something like “fine,” “nice,” or “good.”
Then I asked them to turn off their internal filters – those little voices that tell people not to say what they're thinking, -- and be honest. I asked the group if they were thinking "wow, that guy is bald and overweight."
Nervous laughter broke out and slowly heads nodded that, yes, that's what they'd been thinking. Our society teaches us to be polite, and not necessarily honest.
Low-fidelity prototypes – sometimes called “crappy” prototypes – help you overcome this goodwilled niceness. Because you are not looking for a compliment, but real feedback, people will be more likely to give you the information that you need. They know that they won’t hurt your feelings.
Here are some tips to help you generate useful prototypes:
It's only a prototype if you're willing to change it.
Treat prototypes as something that are to be used and then discarded. They're most valuable if they quickly become obsolete.
If your mockup is being used to prove value, or you're not willing to change your mockup, it’s not a prototype.
Mockups that are used to solicit money, sell a product or service, or -- let's be honest-- stroke an entrepreneur's ego, may have legitimate purposes. But they are of limited value in helping you improve your product or service.
Paper or plastic?
It's best to start with the simplest and most disposable types of prototypes. That usually means something that you build with paper, cardboard, scissors, glue, colored pencils, and similar materials. If it looks like a kindergartner did it, you’re probably doing it right.
Because you’re not spending a lot of time getting things perfect you can spend more time making and testing multiple versions of your idea. In addition, since you are deliberately making your prototypes look rough, people won’t feel bad about giving you honest feedback about what’s working and what’s not.
You can prototype anything.
Low fidelity prototypes are enabling. Because you’re trying to answer specific questions in the least complicated way, you can prototype anything quickly and effectively. Just be creative.
For example, you can simulate tablet or phone app experiences by simply cutting a rectangular window from a piece of construction paper. Use sticky notes to simulate interactive experiences by moving the notes into and out of the frame. Or, move a piece of paper behind the frame to simulate scrolling or video experiences. In a few minutes, you can develop and test multiple ideas, with no coding needed or wanted.
And you can prototype experiences as well as products. I once simulated aircraft boarding and seating experiences by simply moving chairs into two columns of three chairs and placing tables along the edges of the seats to simulate airplane walls. The insights that my client and I gained were amazing.
Fail upfront.
Fixing an error after development is up to a hundred times as expensive as it would have been before development. Use rapid, low-fidelity prototypes to front-load your failures in a way that is cheap and fun. This will maximize your profits and save anxiety down the line.
Remember, when it comes to prototypes, bad is good.
Learn about rapid, low-fidelity prototyping during a hands-on NCET virtual Biz Café event Wednesday, May 18, from 2-4 pm. NCET is a member-supported nonprofit organization that produces educational and networking events to help people explore business and technology. For tickets and more information go to https://www.ncet.org/ncet-event-calendar/rapid-prototyping-workshop .
Larry Dailey is a Human-Centered Innovation Consultant at Dailey Consulting, LLC, http://larrydailey.com. He’s collaborated with Silicon Valley design and innovation organizations to bring their perspectives to Reno. He’s also an emeritus professor at the University of Nevada, Reno.
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