Prototyping

The purpose of this activity is to learn more about low-fidelity prototyping by creating a simple, hand-drawn prototype in less than 5 minutes, and simulating it with another user. Divide up into pairs for this activity.

Prototype Your Alarm Clock

Think about the alarm clock you use to wake up every day. It may be a digital clock radio, it may be an analog clock, it may even be a cellphone or a desktop application. Make a low-fidelity prototype of your alarm clock. Include enough of the interface so that your low-fi prototype can display and change the current time, display and change the alarm time, and turn the alarm on and off.

Each of you should draw your own alarm clock at the same time. Don't discuss it with your partner yet.

Run Your Prototype

Simulate your prototype, acting as the Computer, while your partner acts as user. Use these tasks:

• Is the alarm set to wake me up at 9 am?
• Suppose not. Set the alarm to wake me up at 9 am.
• Set the current time one hour backward for a daylight savings time switch.

Then switch roles, so that the other person acts as the Computer simulating their own prototype on you.