[Sigia-l] your'e invited- ART OF THE PROPOSAL- NYC

[Andrew Hinton]

::listera at rcn.com::wrote on 10/30/02 7:44 PM:

>> A user interface yes, but a big honkin' structure?
> 
> I'm not sure what information without interface would even be/look like.
> Interface means usage, access, interaction, flow, connectivity: all stuff
> that can and should be prototyped.
> 

The same reason why you can have information about the US Interstate system
without having to drive on it.

I don't think anyone here is saying that we should skip prototyping.


>> Not sure. Though I agree I'd rather keep the wireframes away from my
>> clients if I could.
> 
> So we agree: work product. :-)


It's true that the experience of the information environment isn't "real"
until it's a clickable prototype with all the bells, whistles, dogs &
ponies. Getting from what a paper prototype or wireframe feels like to what
the real app or site feels like requires some imaginative work on the part
of the user. But waiting until you have a complete prototype before getting
approval or feedback from the client or users is just dumb.

If you prepare your client and set expectations properly, there's no reason
why you can't do very low-fidelity sketches and diagrams of workflows,
scenarios, paper protoypes (which can look a lot like wireframes but aren't
necessarily the same thing -- depends on whom you ask). Some clients are
very good at being involved in this process, and collaboration with the
client is always preferable if it can be done. Some clients just don't want
to be involved, or are "problem clients" and would do more harm than good.
For this latter set, it's fine to just do all the work then ceremonially
unveil it, but that invites huge risk ("Um, we don't like it, please start
over; the deadline doesn't change though.")

There's also often a difference between what you'd show a
user-testing/feedback subject and what you'd show the executive
decision-making team on the client side. Many of our clients have layers of
personnel to whom we expose only the stuff they really need to see, and
often the users we're interviewing and testing see a lot more raw stuff than
the client team does.

As usual, it depends.

--
andrew
www.memekitchen.com