Session 6: Basic Prototyping and Testing

Session 6: Basic Prototyping and Testing
Topics
Overview of Mockups & Prototypes
Class Mockup Exercise
Hands-on – “test” your initial mockup with another team
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SIMPLE SUMMARY - 3 stages of making stuff:
Basic Prototypes (mockups, study models…)
What we are doing now
Advanced Prototypes (works-like/looks-like, alpha, beta…)
What you will make for Design Fair
Production (pre-production samples, pilot…)
When you launch your business!
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Value of Mockups and Prototypes
Learning
– 
– 
– 
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Answer questions about performance or feasibility
“Does it work?”
“Can it meet the user needs?”
“Are people attracted to it?”
Concept Development
–  See ways of refining your product ideas
–  Break out subsystems, optimize, and integrate later
Communication
–  Demonstration of product to company/stakeholders
Mitigate risk
–  Changes cost much less now than later
Milestones
–  Physical target for development phase
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Book example/terminology:
Apple PowerBook Trackball
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Where we are today…
later move to the right
Physical
alpha
prototype
ball
support
prototype
beta
prototype
Pre-production
(pilot)
trackball mechanism
linked to circuit
simulation
Comprehensive
Focused
simulation
of trackball
circuitry
equations
modeling ball
supports
not
generally
feasible
Analytical
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OrangeX Juicer
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OrangeX Juicer – basic prototyping
2D mechanical mock-ups
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OrangeX Juicer – basic prototyping
Study Model
Functional Mockup
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Thumbscript
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placeholder
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User interface mock-up (storyboard)
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HOW to make mock-ups, study models, basic proto’s
Fast, rough, representative
Paper/cardboard/foam-core/string
Glue/tape/sew/bolt/weld/staple
Hack an existing product
Light shop work (cut/drill/sand/bond)
Focus on key user aspect (partial proto)
Possible rapid prototyping (FDM, laser-cutting)
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TESTING for basic prototypes/mockups
Mostly about learning and developing concept
Focus on key user needs / key functions
Consider your Target Specifications
Quick and informal
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Poster
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Rapid Basic Prototyping exercise
In addition to new student products, your company, OMi4,
has decided to start exploring concepts for new market
sectors in the green economy.
You have been asked to generate a rapid, scaled-down,
visual concept mockup that captures the essence of your
vision for one of these opportunities:
C – a chair made from repurposed/discarded materials
L – a renewable energy lamp for a one room dwelling
T – a human-powered transportation device
>>>30 second demos and 3 prizes for best in category!
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Rules & Tips
1. You will have 1 hour to complete your task. Spend 15-20
minutes on concept generation/ideas before you build.
2. This exercise is about learning how to represent concepts
visually with physical materials. Engineers, don’t worry to
much about function, and business students, don’t worry
about profits. We will get to advanced prototyping later.
3. No additional outside materials allowed, however we are a
FREE MARKET economy. Each kit intentionally has the
same contents. There are likely more types of materials than
you will need or have time to use. You may trade materials
with other teams, or even accept donations. You will find that
certain materials lend themselves more to each product, so
your best mockup may depend on your ability to source
better materials within your available resources!
This is very common in prototyping, where you must work
with what you have or what you can get. As a student team,
the trick is to find ways to get free or low-cost samples from
suppliers and friends!
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Concept mock-up development
Present your mockup to another team.
Test the concept by:
- Getting initial reaction and feedback
- Measuring against your user needs and target specs
- Simulate using the product (if possible), or
- Talk through use scenario with holding mockup
>Wrap up – do you have refinement ideas?
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