[Class] Week 3. Paper Prototyping and Balsamiq.

Exercise:

One of three exercises during class this week was to design a 'text free search interface'. The exercises details can be found HERE.

In class, on a blank A4 sheet of paper, everyone sketched their ideas, this is called paper prototyping. This is my wonderful creation below :) 

We then used Balsamiq software online to help 'mockup' our paper prototype.

Below is the Mockup I created using Balsamiq. 

Reflection:

By drawing the ideas I had in my head, I felt that my ideas could be understood better to whoever I was explaining my thought process too. I have to admit that I preferred the digital mock-up of my idea as it seemed more like what was in my head. Then again my lack of drawing of skills may have influenced this favoritism. I know understand the value of the paper prototype, it gave me a point to build from and it's a lot easier and quicker to make changes; then in Balsamiq. Overall I found this exercise useful in understanding the importance of 'Quick and Dirty' prototyping in the design process, and it will come to my aid during the rest of time in Smurfit and in my future career.