Effective Prototyping for Software Makers (Interactive Technologies)

There are many steps in the development of successful software projects, but one major key is prototyping: rapid, effective methods for testing and refining designs. Effective prototyping can be remarkably simple, yet provide powerful results without delaying the project. Indeed, effective prototyping is often the key to faster development. Up to now, there has been no single source for how it is done. But here, in this comprehensive book, Jonathan Arnowitz, Michael Arent, and Nevin Berger explain all in this essential guide to software prototyping. Everything you ever wanted to know, but had no idea who to ask. --Don Norman, Nielsen Norman Group & Northwestern University, Author of Emotional Design Artists sketch before they paint; writers produce outlines and drafts; architects make drawings and models; aircraft designers take models to their windtunnels-all these activities are forms of prototyping. Designing and building effective software requires deep understanding, and this requires effective prototyping, but most software designers and developers don't seem to know the full range of available tools, techniques, and processes. Effective Prototyping is written by steadfast and reliable guides who cover prototyping techniques in remarkable depth. This book is a thorough guide to prototyping for both newcomers and the experienced. It will take you step by step as well as explain the purpose of each step. This is the essential handbook of prototyping. --Richard P. Gabriel, author of Innovation Happens Elsewhere This is an ideal text for professional software engineers and designers who are new to prototyping as well as students in engineering, design, and human factors. The concepts and techniques presented in this volume should be considered part of the foundational knowledge for anyone in the software development field. I recommend this book to any software company that wants to improve their capability to build great products. --Jim Faris, The Management Innovation Group LLC Content: Acknowledgments , Pages xxvii-xxviii Preface , Pages xxix-xxxviii About the Authors , Page 585 Chapter 1 - Why Prototyping? , Pages 1-18 Chapter 2 - The Effective Prototyping Process , Pages 20-26 Chapter 3 - Verify Prototype Assumptions and Requirements , Pages 28-49 Chapter 4 - Develop Task Flows and Scenarios , Pages 50-82 Chapter 5 - Define Prototype Content and Fidelity , Pages 84-105 Chapter 6 - Determine Characteristics , Pages 106-134 Chapter 7 - Choose a Method , Pages 136-154 Chapter 8 - Choose A Prototyping Tool , Pages 156-173 Chapter 9 - Establish the Design Criteria , Pages 174-202 Chapter 10 - Create the Design , Pages 204-217 Chapter 11 - Review the Design: The Internal Review , Pages 218-232 Chapter 12 - Validate and Iterate the Prototype , Pages 234-241 Chapter 13 - Deploy the Design , Pages 242-249 Chapter 14 - Card Sorting Prototyping , Pages 250-271 Chapter 15 - Wireframe Prototyping , Pages 272-292 Chapter 16 - Storyboard Prototyping , Pages 294-315 Chapter 17 - Paper Prototyping , Pages 316-341 Chapter 18 - Digital Interactive Prototyping , Pages 342-361 Chapter 19 - Blank Model Prototyping , Pages 362-385 Chapter 20 - Video Prototyping , Pages 386-401 Chapter 21 - Wizard-of-oz Protoyping , Pages 402-419 Chapter 22 - Coded Prototyping , Pages 420-439 Chapter 23 - Prototyping with Office Suite Applications , Pages 440-485 Chapter 24 - Prototyping with Visio , Pages 486-517 Chapter 25 - Prototyping with Acrobat , Pages 518-569 Glossary , Pages 571-576 Subject Index , Pages 577-584 * There are many steps in the development of successful software projects, but one major key is prototyping: rapid, effective methods for testing and refining designs. Effective prototyping can be remarkably simple, yet provide powerful results without delaying the project. Indeed, effective prototyping is often the key to faster development. Up to now, there has been no single source for how it is done. But here, in this comprehensive book, Jonathan Arnowitz, Michael Arent, and Nevin Berger explain all in this essential guide to software prototyping. Everything you ever wanted to know, but had no idea who to ask. --Don Norman, Nielsen Norman Group & Northwestern University, Author of Emotional Design Artists sketch before they paint; writers produce outlines and drafts; architects make drawings and models; aircraft designers take models to their windtunnels-all these activities are forms of prototyping. Designing and building effective software requires deep understanding, and this requires effective prototyping, but most software designers and developers don't seem to know the full range of available tools, techniques, and processes. Effective Prototyping is written by steadfast and reliable guides who cover prototyping techniques in remarkable depth. This book is a thorough guide to prototyping for both newcomers and the experienced. It will take you step by step as well as explain the purpose of each step. This is the essential handbook of prototyping. --Richard P. Gabriel, author of Innovation Happens Elsewhere This is an ideal text for professional software engineers and designers who are new to prototyping as well as students in engineering, design, and human factors. The concepts and techniques presented in this volume should be considered part of the foundational knowledge for anyone in the software development field. I recommend this book to any software company that wants to improve their capability to build great products. --Jim Faris, The Management Innovation Group LLC Content: Acknowledgments, __Pages xxvii-xxviii__Preface, __Pages xxix-xxxviii__About the Authors, __Page 585__Chapter 1 - Why Prototyping?, __Pages 1-18__Chapter 2 - The Effective Prototyping Process, __Pages 20-26__Chapter 3 - Verify Prototype Assumptions and Requirements, __Pages 28-49__Chapter 4 - Develop Task Flows and Scenarios, __Pages 50-82__Chapter 5 - Define Prototype Content and Fidelity, __Pages 84-105__Chapter 6 - Determine Characteristics, __Pages 106-134__Chapter 7 - Choose a Method, __Pages 136-154__Chapter 8 - Choose A Prototyping Tool, __Pages 156-173__Chapter 9 - Establish the Design Criteria, __Pages 174-202__Chapter 10 - Create the Design, __Pages 204-217__Chapter 11 - Review the Design: The Internal Review, __Pages 218-232__Chapter 12 - Validate and Iterate the Prototype, __Pages 234-241__Chapter 13 - Deploy the Design, __Pages 242-249__Chapter 14 - Card Sorting Prototyping, __Pages 250-271__Chapter 15 - Wireframe Prototyping, __Pages 272-292__Chapter 16 - Storyboard Prototyping, __Pages 294-315__Chapter 17 - Paper Prototyping, __Pages 316-341__Chapter 18 - Digital Interactive Prototyping, __Pages 342-361__Chapter 19 - Blank Model Prototyping, __Pages 362-385__Chapter 20 - Video Prototyping, __Pages 386-401__Chapter 21 - Wizard-of-oz Protoyping, __Pages 402-419__Chapter 22 - Coded Prototyping, __Pages 420-439__Chapter 23 - Prototyping with Office Suite Applications, __Pages 440-485__Chapter 24 - Prototyping with Visio, __Pages 486-517__Chapter 25 - Prototyping with Acrobat, __Pages 518-569__Glossary, __Pages 571-576__Subject Index, __Pages 577-584__ Much as we hate to admit it, most prototyping practice lacks a sophisticated understanding of the broad concepts of prototyping—and its strategic position within the development process. Often we overwhelm with a high fidelity prototype that designs us into a corner. Or, we can underwhelm with a prototype with too much ambiguity and flexibility to be of much use in the software development process.

This book will help software makers—developers, designers, and architects—build effective prototypes every time: prototypes that convey enough information about the product at the appropriate time and thus set expectations appropriately.

This practical, informative book will help anyone—whether or not one has artistic talent, access to special tools, or programming ability—to use good prototyping style, methods, and tools to build prototypes and manage for effective prototyping.

Features
* A prototyping process with guidelines, templates, and worksheets;
* Overviews and step-by-step guides for 9 common prototyping techniques;
* An introduction with step-by-step guidelines to a variety of prototyping tools that do not require advanced artistic skills;
* Templates and other resources used in the book available on the Web for reuse;
* Clearly-explained concepts and guidelines;
* Full-color illustrations, and examples from a wide variety of prototyping processes, methods, and tools.

Jonathan Arnowitz is a principal user experience designer at SAP Labs and is the co-editor-in-chief of Interactions Magazine. Most recently Jonathan was a senior user experience designer at Peoplesoft. He is a member of the SIGCHI executive committee, and was a founder of DUX, the first ever joint conference of ACM SIGCHI, ACM SIGGRAPH, AIGA Experience Design Group, and STC.

Michael Arent is the manager of user experience design at SAP Labs, and has previously held positions at Peoplesoft, Inc, Adobe Systems, Inc, Sun Microsystems, and Apple Computer, Inc. He holds several U.S. patents.

Nevin Berger is design director at Ziff Davis Media. Previously he was a senior interaction designer at Oracle Corporation and Peoplesoft, Inc., and has held creative director positions at ZDNet, World Savings, and OFOTO, Inc.

* A prototyping process with guidelines, templates, and worksheets;

* Overviews and step-by-step guides for 9 common prototyping techniques;

* An introduction with step-by-step guidelines to a variety of prototyping tools that do not require advanced artistic skills;

* Templates and other resources used in the book available on the Web for reuse;

* Clearly-explained concepts and guidelines;

* Full-color illustrations, and examples from a wide variety of prototyping processes, methods, and tools.

* www.mkp.com/prototyping Effective Prototyping for Software Makers is a practical, informative resource that will help anyonewhether or not one has artistic talent, access to special tools, or programming abilityto use good prototyping style, methods, and tools to build prototypes and manage for effective prototyping. This book features a prototyping process with guidelines, templates, and worksheets; overviews and step-by-step guides for nine common prototyping techniques; an introduction with step-by-step guidelines to a variety of prototyping tools that do not require advanced artistic skills; templates and other resources used in the book available on the Web for reuse; clearly-explained concepts and guidelines; and full-color illustrations and examples from a wide variety of prototyping processes, methods, and tools. This book is an ideal resource for usability professionals and interaction designers; software developers, web application designers, web designers, information architects, information and industrial designers. * A prototyping process with guidelines, templates, and worksheets;* Overviews and step-by-step guides for 9 common prototyping techniques;* An introduction with step-by-step guidelines to a variety of prototyping tools that do not require advanced artistic skills;* Templates and other resources used in the book available on the Web for reuse;* Clearly-explained concepts and guidelines;* Full-color illustrations, and examples from a wide variety of prototyping processes, methods, and tools. * (http://www.mkp.com/prototyping) www.mkp.com/prototyping