The Question of the Prototype

Interaction Design Methodology Seminar | Week 6

What is the difference between a proof of concept, a mock-up, and a prototype? Though similar, each one has a different purpose during the design process. A proof of concept (POC) can be thought of as a way of giving context to an idea, evaluating through narration. This allows the designer to pitch their idea as something concrete, with substance. An example of a proof of concept might be a storyboard. A mock-up on the other hand can be a volume, a model, a sketch, etc., and does not necessarily have to respect any constraints. Finally, the prototype. It is the first of its kind; Youn-Kyung et al. (2008) define it as a “representative and manifested form of design ideas” (p. 10).

I have always viewed prototyping as a method for finding a solution to a design problem, a means to an end. Youn-Kyung et al. (2008) however, introduce a new way of framing the prototype in “The Anatomy of Prototypes: Prototypes as Filters, Prototypes as Manifestations of Design Ideas,” known as the Fundamental Prototyping Principle. They define it as the following:

Basically, prototyping is not a means to an end, rather a tool to explore/filter qualities that interest the designer and relate to the design problem. In addition it is a manifestation of the idea of the designer.

I would argue that to read theory and understand existing research on a subject is invaluable to the design process. Having said that I would also argue it is important to apply this theory in practice. During a bodystorming exercise in the Interaction Design Process course at ZHdK we were able to do just that. While working with other groups and their projects to help bring fresh perspectives to their work, we began to realize how the prototyping framework of Youn-Kyung et al. (2008) could help us filter our ideas. As the authors state in their research (2008), the interaction design space is larger and less restricted than other areas of design (p. 10). For this reason it is crucial to use filters, not to narrow our concept, but to “filter qualities the designer wants to examine and explore” (p. 8).

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