Efficient prototyping in software development

What is prototyping?

Prototyping is used in many industries, not just in software development. It is a process for making product ideas more tangible and obtaining user feedback through regular user tests.

Wikipedia defines it as follows:" Prototyping is a method of software development that quickly leads to initial results and enables earlyfeedback on the suitability of a solution approach. This makes it possible to identify problems and change requests at an early stage and to rectify them with less effort than would have been possible after full completion."

Conducting tests at an early stage distinguishes prototyping from other design thinking processes and is therefore closely aligned with user-centric design (UCD), provided that efficient methods and tools are used that are suitable for the respective project.

The term "prototype" is derived from the ancient Greek words "protos", which means "the first", and "typos", which stands for "archetype, model, shape". A prototype is therefore a first draft of a product. This is why prototypes are usually created in the initial phase of a project, when the first wireframes or static mockups already exist.

What is prototyping used for in software development?

Prototyping involves repeated iterations, with each iteration being a step-by-step approach to the end product. In the course of an agile project, questions repeatedly arise that need to be clarified with the help of prototyping. Examples include: "Does the user understand the feature?", "What is the core function of this feature?" or "Is using this feature fun or even frustrating for the user?"

For the most part, those involved in a project cannot answer these questions themselves, as they are not users of the software and are too close to the conception of the product. Prototyping is therefore used to clarify these questions and, if necessary, make adjustments to the current requirements in order to steer the development process in the best possible direction as early as possible with little effort and at low cost.

Rapid prototyping

As already mentioned at the beginning, prototypes are used in the early phase of a project so that they can be revised at short intervals and in rapid iteration loops. The method of rapid prototyping is also frequently used, in which, as soon as the first functional drafts of the app or software have been created as a prototype, user tests are carried out to find out where users see potential for improvement. The earlier in the development process you gather feedback from your users, the faster you can refine your prototype and incorporate change requests.

This type of testing serves to validate concepts, minimize risks and costs and improve the overall quality of the software product. However, rapid prototyping is just a more extreme form of prototyping that relies on quick feedback loops. There are also several other forms in which prototypes can be categorized.

Preliminary considerations for prototyping

What types of prototypes are there?

Basically, the first question is what you want to achieve with a prototype in the first place. Do you want to create a basis for discussion in the idea generation phase? Or do you want to test user-friendliness? These two objectives are fundamentally different and are therefore difficult to cast into a single concept. A rough distinction can therefore be made between the following types of prototypes:

1. Exploratory prototypes: Explorative prototypes are suitable when initial requirements already exist and these need to be tested for their suitability and suitability. The requirements are then either discarded or adapted. The prototype therefore serves as a test of the concept, which can result in changes to the original version.

2. Experimental prototypes: Experimental prototypes are used for scientific or training purposes and therefore serve to expand knowledge. The prototype is used to design problems and solutions from which the project requirements are then derived. This type of prototype is discarded as soon as the specifications have been determined, as it is no longer needed in the course of further product development.

3. Evolutionary prototypes: Evolutionary prototypes are constantly evolving from the initial idea to the final product and are therefore used early on in the development process. They can be repeatedly discarded or enhanced until a final version is finalized.

Against the background of continuous improvement of the prototype in the development process, prototypes are often categorized into 3 development stages, referring to the level of detail and proximity to the real application:

• Low-fidelity prototypes: These types of prototypes are still very rudimentary approaches to a product that are intended to structure the information. They can consist of rough click dummies or sketches that are designed by linking to interactive prototypes and are therefore testable. They can even be made of paper, which has the advantage of putting something in the user's hands and thus appealing to more than just the visual sense.

• Medium-fidelity prototypes: Medium-fidelity prototypes occupy the next level up from prototypes. They are more detailed and have already integrated real content, for example graphics, which will also be used in the finished app. You can still see that they have a model character, but they already offer the user or tester a realistic experience because they are already clickable and can be tested interactively by the user.

• High-fidelity prototypes: High-fidelity prototypes simulate the software almost perfectly and can hardly be distinguished from the real product. They are extremely complex, as the most important requirements for software development must be detailed in the design. They are therefore created shortly before the technical implementation of the software in order to obtain final approval for the overall concept.

Different types of prototypes are used depending on how far you have already progressed in the conceptualization of the product. However, they only ever serve as a basis for discussion and never as the final result.

Mistakes are particularly welcome with low-fidelity prototypes, but basically with all types of prototypes, and are seen as motivation for the development process. They can drive change in order to test different possibilities before the final solution can go into production.

Advantages of prototyping

Before I give you some tools that you can use to create prototypes, I would first like to explain the advantages of prototyping.

Better understanding of the requirements

The prototyping method creates the same understanding of what is meant by the requirements among all project participants - whether they have programming skills or not. Prototypes create a common understanding among all team members of what the product should look like, how it should function and what should not be missing under any circumstances. Prototypes can also be used to create reliable tickets in project management tools.

Closer contact with the end user

Regular user tests bring you into contact with the actual users of the software more quickly than other methods. This leads to the positive side effect that development is always oriented towards user needs, which offers great advantages with regard to the premise of user-centric design. Ultimately, this creates a better product, because successful products are created when they meet the actual requirements and expectations of users. Above all, the many user tests can prevent features from appearing in the finished product that are not needed by users and are therefore never used.

Easier adaptations

As prototyping proceeds in iterative steps, it is easy to make adjustments at each step based on user feedback. As is usual in agile software development, it is therefore not difficult to revise the software again if tests have shown that users cannot cope with the software or do not enjoy using it.

Time and cost savings

Even if a lot of time has to be spent at the beginning of the design phase until the first prototype exists, the technical implementation of the actual product is quicker afterwards, as the user's wishes are clear to see through many iterations and surveys and every team member has the same ideas about the development.

It is not uncommon for companies to have to interrupt or completely bury projects because they started programming too early and only saw the pitfalls late in the development process. Investing time in prototyping before programming can therefore save time and money in the end.

What prototyping tools are available?

Choosing a suitable prototyping tool is not trivial, as it must be clear what the aim of the prototype is. When it comes to initial idea generation and brainstorming, you should use cloud-based whiteboard solutions such as Miro or simple wireframe software such as Balsamiq .

However, if you are trying to create more advanced designs, tools such as Axure RP, Invision or Marvel are usually used. Their materials are more suitable for passing on to the user for testing, as they are already provided with design elements that can also be found in the "real" application.

It should also be noted that each prototyping software has different functions and integrations with project management software, for example, which are not suitable for every project team and therefore cannot be used without further ado. It is also important to ensure that you do not exceed the project budget by purchasing paid solutions.

Conclusion

Software prototyping is used in the planning phase of an agile project in order to have a functional product at the start of the project, which can be further developed during the course of the project. User tests show the developers where the software might have weaknesses or where the prototype does not yet meet the users' expectations. Based on this feedback, usability experts can then define new goals, revise old ones and incorporate them into the specifications.

Are you looking for a partner to support you in the prototyping process? Then get in touch with us! Our project teams will ensure that your software is always developed in the right way.