Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-09 Thread Adrian Howard
On 6 Mar 2009, at 06:41, David Malouf wrote: I really feel you folks are confusing mock-up with prototype. IMHO, if I can't use it, it ain't a prototype. Maybe, human as computer paper-prototypes fit the bill, but otherwise, a series of screens, are mock-ups and an interactive click-through is

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-07 Thread Todd Zaki Warfel
Explain to me how a one page sketch can be a prototype? A concept, sure. But a prototype? The point of a prototype is to communicate a design concept and see how it works. You can't really see/show how something works with just one sketch. On Mar 6, 2009, at 8:02 AM, Jordan, Courtney

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-07 Thread Adrian Howard
On 7 Mar 2009, at 18:38, Todd Zaki Warfel wrote: Explain to me how a one page sketch can be a prototype? A concept, sure. But a prototype? The point of a prototype is to communicate a design concept and see how it works. You can't really see/show how something works with just one

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-07 Thread Chauncey Wilson
There are different types of prototypes and a sketch can, for example, be used to illustrate a prototype of a visual or layout style or even suggest interaction. Buxton makes a big point about sketches not being prototypes (see pages 138-141) in his recent book on Sketching though his chart on

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-07 Thread Todd Zaki Warfel
I'd call that a bucket test. Now, if you'd put together some lower level pages that go beyond that top level nav to let people actually explore the pieces underneath and see how they interact with it, then I'd say w/o question you've got a prototype. On Mar 7, 2009, at 2:34 PM, Adrian

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-07 Thread Will Evans
no doubt this will come down to a DTDT, Todd, but people will come forward with examples of how they used a sketch to test something (structure of info, for instance); or labels and call it a prototype whereas we all know you can't test behavior with a sketch - and therein lies the rub. It

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-07 Thread Todd Zaki Warfel
On Mar 7, 2009, at 2:48 PM, Will Evans wrote: does it really matter what websters or the OED defines as a prototype Not sure how much Webster's definition applies, since that appears to focus primarily on physical object prototypes rather than software system prototypes. Perhaps they

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-07 Thread Chauncey Wilson
Just some snippets of definitions of prototype: “…An easily changeable draft or simulation of at least part of the interface” (Hackos Redish, 1998, p. 376) Prototypes are representations of a design made before final artifacts exist. (Buchenau Suri, 2000) “Tangible speculation” (Robert

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-07 Thread Katie Albers
Oh, for... This will probably surprise a lot of you, but I don't actually care what we take prototype to mean, vs. model vs. sketch vs whatever. I get my panties in a bunch when people claim a commonality of understanding of a word, when that commonality clearly isn't extant. Hence

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-07 Thread Chauncey Wilson
While the discussion on this list about vocabulary shows that we have different views of common terms, the words you use in organizations can have powerful effects since words like design and prototype are often loaded terms (think companies where developers think that they are the designers and

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-06 Thread Jordan, Courtney
prototype. Courtney Jordan -Original Message- From: discuss-boun...@lists.interactiondesigners.com [mailto:discuss-boun...@lists.interactiondesigners.com] On Behalf Of Todd Zaki Warfel Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 7:32 PM To: Mary Deaton Cc: list IXDA Subject: Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-06 Thread David Malouf
I really feel you folks are confusing mock-up with prototype. IMHO, if I can't use it, it ain't a prototype. Maybe, human as computer paper-prototypes fit the bill, but otherwise, a series of screens, are mock-ups and an interactive click-through is a prototype. The distinction is important b/c

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-06 Thread Will Evans
On Mar 6, 2009, at 6:41 AM, David Malouf wrote: I really feel you folks are confusing mock-up with prototype. IMHO, if I can't use it, it ain't a prototype. exactly. If it is not something that a user can actually engage with, then its a sketch, or wireframe or picture. If there is no

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-06 Thread Katie Albers
Well, Webster's has this to say about it: Proto*type\, n. ... An original or model after which anything is copied; the pattern of anything to be engraved, or otherwise copied, cast, or the like; a primary form; exemplar; archetype. Whereas a mock-up is a model, often full-size, for study,

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-06 Thread Andrei Herasimchuk
On Mar 6, 2009, at 9:42 AM, Katie Albers wrote: Well, Webster's has this to say about it: Proto*type\, n. ... An original or model after which anything is copied; the pattern of anything to be engraved, or otherwise copied, cast, or the like; a primary form; exemplar; archetype. Whereas a

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-06 Thread Uday Gajendar
Good lord this thread has just devolved into an embarrassment! (and whatever happened to Saffer's admonition--no more tedious endless definition threads!) For the last time: http://www.ghostinthepixel.com/?p=130 And if you're still that confused about wireframes (and mockups) vs prototypes, well

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-06 Thread Erik Stolterman
Hi list Since this thread is about the nature of prototypes, I might push for a paper I wrote with some colleagues on the topic. It was published in ToCHI last summer. You can download it here http://www.box.net/shared/static/6cg0s7crjh.pdf it is called The Anatomy of Prototypes Best Erik

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-05 Thread Mary Deaton
In Todd's definition, a storyboard can be a prototype, but a one-page mock-up cannot be. Right? On Wed, Mar 4, 2009 at 1:21 PM, Adrian Howard adri...@quietstars.comwrote: On 2 Mar 2009, at 12:46, Todd Zaki Warfel wrote: [snip] In other words, while a single static element cannot be a

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-05 Thread Todd Zaki Warfel
I series of storyboards could be used in the prototyping process, but I wouldn't necessarily call it a prototype. That's one of those grey areas. On Mar 5, 2009, at 3:45 PM, Mary Deaton wrote: In Todd's definition, a storyboard can be a prototype, but a one-page mock-up cannot be. Right?

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-05 Thread Andrew Boyd
Hi Todd, to clarify: a prototype shall be a series of representations of a screen or screens? Best regards, Andrew On Fri, Mar 6, 2009 at 11:31 AM, Todd Zaki Warfel li...@toddwarfel.com wrote: I series of storyboards could be used in the prototyping process, but I wouldn't necessarily call it

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-04 Thread Adrian Howard
On 2 Mar 2009, at 12:46, Todd Zaki Warfel wrote: [snip] In other words, while a single static element cannot be a prototype, a series of them that represent the changes in state of a system (e.g. begin point and end point) can be a prototype. [snip] Y'know that reminds me of Scott

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-02 Thread Andrew Boyd
On Mon, Mar 2, 2009 at 7:02 AM, Todd Zaki Warfel li...@toddwarfel.com wrote: I think one of they keys here is that Andrei's perspective on prototyping is very different from the majority. That's not to say it's strictly right or wrong, but I find it a bit myopic, narrow, and shortsighted. It

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-02 Thread Francis Norton
If it's a thing that shows stuff, rather than being stuff itself, then it's a prototype - regardless of what I might use to create it. There's an interesting report in 2005 ( http://www.usability.gov/pubs/062005news.html) reviewing research into the effectiveness of low-fi (paper) v. hi-fi

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-02 Thread Todd Zaki Warfel
On Mar 2, 2009, at 5:24 AM, Andrew Boyd wrote: to me, if it is a representation of a concept used for communication purposes, then it's a prototype. While I hold a fairly liberal definition of a prototype, it's not that liberal. I define a prototype as a representative simulation of a

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-01 Thread Adrian Howard
On 1 Mar 2009, at 05:16, Andrei Herasimchuk wrote: [snip] Now, are those methods bad or wrong. No. They are merely acceptable. I use them all of the time. Why? According to your scale paper prototypes - for example - are _always_ worse than HTML/JS. alternatives. Are there other

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-01 Thread Todd Zaki Warfel
Another thing that's not being considered here is that prototyping happens with or without an Interaction Designer. There are Product Managers, Business Analysts, Visual Designers, Usability Engineers, etc that are prototyping and doing it very effectively without writing a single line of

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-01 Thread Todd Zaki Warfel
On Mar 1, 2009, at 12:16 AM, Andrei Herasimchuk wrote: Are you suggesting that testing the behavior of a slider control with a paper prototype is better than a fully interactive one done on JavaScript? More effective? That depends. I can build an interactive slider control with less

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-01 Thread Todd Zaki Warfel
Adrian, well said. On Mar 1, 2009, at 4:17 AM, Adrian Howard wrote: [..] Cheers! Todd Zaki Warfel President, Design Researcher Messagefirst | Designing Information. Beautifully. -- Contact Info Voice: (215) 825-7423 Email: t...@messagefirst.com AIM:

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-01 Thread Todd Zaki Warfel
On Mar 1, 2009, at 8:17 AM, Todd Zaki Warfel wrote: On Mar 1, 2009, at 12:21 AM, Andrei Herasimchuk wrote: The tools these days by and large are still crap. Further, so many people in this field refuse to learn how to draw or spec type, so I'm not sure how well a survey of the field is

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-01 Thread Todd Zaki Warfel
On Mar 1, 2009, at 1:54 PM, Andrei Herasimchuk wrote: Sorry... I'm just going to have to disagree. The skills are specifically hand coding HTML/CSS/JavaScript and if not C++, then things like ActionScript. Then in your opinion, no prototype other than one that involves coding should be

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-01 Thread Todd Zaki Warfel
I think one of they keys here is that Andrei's perspective on prototyping is very different from the majority. That's not to say it's strictly right or wrong, but I find it a bit myopic, narrow, and shortsighted. It seems to be very 37signals—this is the way we do it and it's really the

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-01 Thread mark schraad
There are a couple ways to approach contract design work ( a studio or agency working from the outside of the firm or client) and thus protoyping. In the first, you actually put the client, or someone from the client firm on the design team as a product manager and as a proxie

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-01 Thread David Malouf
I'm staying out of the fray of this really stupid thread and sticking with the first question. Andrei, for embedded computing please also consider adding arduino and similar board-level prototyping methods. But often embedded software interacts with non software interfaces. So being able to

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-03-01 Thread David Malouf
A timely piece by David Cronin of Cooper for Adobe: http://tr.im/gUM6 (Shhh! its on prototyping!) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=39316

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-02-28 Thread Jeremy Kriegel
Interesting chart, but I think it is a gross oversimplification of the utility and applicability of tools. There are valid situations where the reality is diametrically opposed to your evaluation. Having been one for many years, I know that there is a tendency towards 'certainty' in consulting.

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-02-28 Thread Andrei Herasimchuk
On Feb 28, 2009, at 6:49 AM, Jeremy Kriegel wrote: Interesting chart, but I think it is a gross oversimplification of the utility and applicability of tools. There are valid situations where the reality is diametrically opposed to your evaluation. Unless you have something specific in

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-02-28 Thread Andrei Herasimchuk
On Feb 28, 2009, at 6:49 AM, Jeremy Kriegel wrote: Having been one for many years, I know that there is a tendency towards 'certainty' in consulting. It's reassuring to clients, who may get nervous with an 'it depends' approach. And as a small side note: The point of the interactivity of the

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-02-28 Thread Adam Korman
I'll try to put some concrete feedback around the basic criticism. Because of the criteria you've chosen, the chart has a bias in favor of prototyping using the tools that are the same (or closest) to how the product will eventually be built. Tools that are the same or similar to what will

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-02-28 Thread Todd Zaki Warfel
On Feb 28, 2009, at 2:54 PM, Andrei Herasimchuk wrote: While it is personal opinion, it has been my experience. I encourage you to go create a counter argument, and I'll even point to it from the page as a countering opinion. I can't say I personally agree with a number of your

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-02-28 Thread Todd Zaki Warfel
On Feb 28, 2009, at 6:14 PM, Adam Korman wrote: Now if you already know you're right, a hyper-realistic prototype with reusable code and graphic assets may be useful. This brings up an important missing piece from the chart, which is any discussion of the goal of creating the prototype

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-02-28 Thread Angel Marquez
I don't think Andrei's chart was implying making one prototype; but, rather using one group of technologies for as many prototypes as you want for specific platforms giving a broad overview of their effectiveness along with tools and resources to do so. I think what tools and resources go with

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-02-28 Thread Andrei Herasimchuk
On Feb 28, 2009, at 3:14 PM, Adam Korman wrote: Tools that are the same or similar to what will be used to build the final product always score the best, and there's a drop-off whether you use more or less sophisticated tools. By this measure, the chart shows that there's never a good

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools resources

2009-02-28 Thread Angel Marquez
I would make it so you could toggle the grid so along with selecting a platform and seeing the overview you would also be able to select your performance criteria and the tech package would present itself to you directing you to the tools and resources based on your decision. jQuery rules.

[IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools + resources

2009-02-27 Thread Andrei Herasimchuk
I'm interested in fleshing out some more detail for the following: http://make.involutionstudios.com/conceptcar/ I'm looking to add more tools + resources links and am seeking out things I've missed in the process to make sure the list is as thorough as possible. For example I know

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools + resources

2009-02-27 Thread Angel Marquez
Superb. Professional elegant. Very clean. Excellent use of technology to convey the message. The layout is solid as well as the code. I really like the use of color and the sketched icons. I like how the dots fall to marginal for flash and silverlight, lol. Good job. iRise, I just evaluated