Prototyping for Non-Designers: Reflecting on the Use of Interactive Prototyping Tools

Abstract

Scientists and designers show different problem-solving strategies. Where scientists generally adopt a strategy of analysis; designers are more inclined to solve a problem by synthesis. Instead of striving for a deep understanding and analysis of the problem, a designer tackles a problem by quickly generating a satisfactory solution. Prototyping is one of the tools for designers to conceptualise and realise new product solutions. Fifteen students in their final year at the university following Political and Communication Sciences received an introduction to the programs Makey Makey and Scratch. All participants had little to no experience with programming and prototyping. The reflections on the workshop are described from a teacher and students' point of view through qualitative interviews and a post survey. Results shine a light on the level of enjoyment, satisfaction and barriers of the students about the new learned tools. We conclude that interactive prototyping for non-designers is valuable and other non-design disciplines can quickly integrate such tools.

User oppression in human-computer interaction: a dialectical-existential perspective

“…They are called everyday, amateur, non-expert, or diffuse designers (Gonzatto, 2018) but never as users who also design. Users' negative identity is revealed by studies of collaboration and participation in design that distinguish between designers and non-designers (Grint and Woolgar, 1997;Rose, 2003;Sanders and Stappers, 2014;De Ruyck et al, 2019;Schelings et al, 2020). It seems like there is a potential danger of recognizing the intentionality, rationality and design thinking of the so-called users in their collaboration and participation in the production of material culture, largely conceived.…”

“…They are called everyday, amateur, non-expert, or diffuse designers (Gonzatto, 2018) but never as users who also design. Users' negative identity is revealed by studies of collaboration and participation in design that distinguish between designers and non-designers (Grint and Woolgar, 1997; Rose, 2003; Sanders and Stappers, 2014; De Ruyck et al. , 2019; Schelings et al.…”