Running a User Day
How Do We Build a Paper Prototype
A paper prototype is a user interface sketched on paper that describes a planned application so completely that practically all the relevant dialog steps can be shown.
A square card represents the screen background. All the other dialog elements are made of pieces of paper and post-it notes and are placed on this card. Typical dialog elements are:
|
Element
|
Description
|
|---|---|
| Window | Large piece of paper or post-it note. |
| Pull-down menu | The name of the menu belongs on the main window because it should always be visible. The menu itself is represented with a small post-it note. |
| Pushbutton | Permanent pushbuttons should be represented with a small post-it note, and not be drawn directly in the window. This permits easy re-design during the test. |
| Pop-up window | Another card that is placed over the main window if needed. |
| Radio button | Radio buttons are simply drawn in the window. The button currently selected can be simulated by covering it with a transparency with a dot on it. |
| Table | A table can be represented with vertical strips of post-it notes that are glued to a card. This allows you to change the order of the columns during the test. |
| Selected entry | Every type of temporary cursor selection can be visualized with transparency. You only have to draw a frame around a selected entry on the transparency. |
| Input field | Real user entries are simply written in input fields. Use removable tape for these fields to permit multiple entries. |
| Other data | It is advisable to create a version of the prototype containing sample data. You can thus discuss it with the user at any time. However, since "real" data is to be visualized, you should also prepare empty versions in which you can write data during the test. |
Ideally, the team works together to create a paper prototype. If this is not the case, you must first show the prototype to the other developers and explain it to them before using it in a test.
If there are several interviews running in parallel during the User Day, make sure that the prototypes can be duplicated using a copier.
You should practice the interview with colleagues prior to the User Day to prevent important parts of the application from being omitted.
Define the objective of the test prior to the actual interview. You can also determine the test objective from the status of the prototype:
- The more detailed a prototype is, the better the user interface characteristics will be tested.
- The rougher a paper prototype is, the better the application structure or basic dialog paradigm will be tested.
Source: User Day Toolkit