Heuristics-Based Prototyping Strategy Formation: Development and Testing of a New Prototyping Planning Tool

Abstract

This work seeks to introduce and evaluate effects of a novel method for designing prototyping strategies. This newly developed heuristics-based tool guides designers in planning a prototyping strategy based on answers to Likert-scale questions that embody empirically validated heuristics. We created this tool to augment prior work in the development of prototyping planning methods. The new tool guides designers through six critical prototype strategy choices: (1) How many concepts should be prototyped? (2) How many iterations of a concept should be built? (3) Should the prototype be virtual or physical? (4) Should subsystems be isolated? (5) Should the prototype be scaled? (6) Should the design requirements be temporarily relaxed? We assessed the new planning tool in two environments: (1) a controlled experiment in which volunteers completed a prototyping design challenge, and (2) a capstone design class with a diverse range of open-ended sponsored design projects. In both cases, students received training for the method and then employed it in their own efforts. In our study the new tool caused student teams to employ significantly more efficient and effective prototyping strategies, such as prototyping early and often. The results indicate a higher functional performance of prototypes from groups using the new planning tool compared to control groups. This paper describes the new prototyping strategy planning tool, details both sets of experiments, and discusses results.

Design prototyping methods: state of the art in strategies, techniques, and guidelines

“…Techniques guide the embodiment of a prototype. Table 2 highlights a mapping from common techniques, 'How' , to the outcomes that they directly support, 'Why' (Camburn et al 2013a(Camburn et al ,b, 2014Dunlap et al 2014). The corollary process objectives of reducing cost, and reducing time are included here.…”

“…Empirical studies show that teams iterating on a design significantly outperform teams without iteration, based on the evaluation of self-efficacy and design requirement satisfaction (Dow, Heddleston & Klemmer 2009;Camburn et al 2013aCamburn et al ,b, 2014Dunlap et al 2014). It has also been shown that knowledge of this effect can induce the use of iteration, compared to a control (Dunlap et al 2014).…”

Prototyping Canvas: Design Tool for Planning Purposeful Prototypes

“…To increase the efficiency and effectiveness of prototype practice, researchers have proposed multiple prototyping methods and strategies from the Prototype for X (PFX) framework to a strategic design prototyping methodology that includes seven prototyping techniques (Camburn et al, 2015). Please refer to Menold's dissertation for an extensive review of current prototyping strategies , including these additional references (Camburn et al, 2017a;Christie et al, 2012;Hamon, 2017;Moe et al, 2004;Dunlap et al, 2014). Many of these strategies have been tested with student designers and are helpful in guiding them through prototyping practices, while also teaching fundamental principles about the importance of prototypes.…”

“…Many strategies aim to minimize the resources used to maximize the desired outcome. This was based on the following literature: Menold et al, 2017;Menold et al, 2018;Camburn et al, 2015;Camburn et al, 2017a;Christie et al, 2012;Hamon, 2017;Moe et al, 2004;Dunlap et al, 2014). On the canvas, this motivates the creation of three categories: "Building Plan", "Testing Plan", and "Insights."…”

“…The Prototyping Approaches section was added to directly link validated prototyping strategies and reduce cognitive load of participants. This section lists thirteen different prototyping strategies, which were identified from the literature review on prototyping strategies in engineering design Menold et al, 2017;Camburn et al, 2015;Camburn et al, 2017a;Christie et al, 2012;Hamon, 2017;Moe et al, 2004;Dunlap et al, 2014). The content of both categories was discussed in the presentation given before the earlier version of the Prototyping Canvas was tested, but they were not explicitly listed on the canvas in the previous version.…”