Effective Prototyping for Software Makers

There are many steps in the development of successful software projects, but one major key is prototyping: rapid, effective methods for testing and refining designs. Effective prototyping can be remarkably simple, yet provide powerful results without delaying the project. Indeed, effective prototyping is often the key to faster development. Up to now, there has been no single source for how it is done. But here, in this comprehensive book, Jonathan Arnowitz, Michael Arent, and Nevin Berger explain all in this essential guide to software prototyping. Everything you ever wanted to know, but had no idea who to ask. --Don Norman, Nielsen Norman Group & Northwestern University, Author of Emotional Design Artists sketch before they paint; writers produce outlines and drafts; architects make drawings and models; aircraft designers take models to their windtunnels-all these activities are forms of prototyping. Designing and building effective software requires deep understanding, and this requires effective prototyping, but most software designers and developers don't seem to know the full range of available tools, techniques, and processes. Effective Prototyping is written by steadfast and reliable guides who cover prototyping techniques in remarkable depth. This book is a thorough guide to prototyping for both newcomers and the experienced. It will take you step by step as well as explain the purpose of each step. This is the essential handbook of prototyping. --Richard P. Gabriel, author of Innovation Happens Elsewhere This is an ideal text for professional software engineers and designers who are new to prototyping as well as students in engineering, design, and human factors. The concepts and techniques presented in this volume should be considered part of the foundational knowledge for anyone in the software development field. I recommend this book to any software company that wants to improve their capability to build great products. --Jim Faris, The Management Innovation Group LLC Much as we hate to admit it, most prototyping practice lacks a sophisticated understanding of the broad concepts of prototypingand its strategic position within the development process. Often we overwhelm with a high fidelity prototype that designs us into a corner. Or, we can underwhelm with a prototype with too much ambiguity and flexibility to be of much use in the software development process. This book will help software makersdevelopers, designers, and architectsbuild effective prototypes every time: prototypes that convey enough information about the product at the appropriate time and thus set expectations appropriately. This practical, informative book will help anyonewhether or not one has artistic talent, access to special tools, or programming abilityto use good prototyping style, methods, and tools to build prototypes and manage for effective prototyping. Features * A prototyping process with guidelines, templates, and worksheets; * Overviews and step-by-step guides for 9 common prototyping techniques; * An introduction with step-by-step guidelines to a variety of prototyping tools that do not require advanced artistic skills; * Templates and other resources used in the book available on the Web for reuse; * Clearly-explained concepts and guidelines; * Full-color illustrations, and examples from a wide variety of prototyping processes, methods, and tools. Jonathan Arnowitz is a principal user experience designer at SAP Labs and is the co-editor-in-chief of Interactions Magazine. Most recently Jonathan was a senior user experience designer at Peoplesoft. He is a member of the SIGCHI executive committee, and was a founder of DUX, the first ever joint conference of ACM SIGCHI, ACM SIGGRAPH, AIGA Experience Design Group, and STC. Michael Arent is the manager of user experience design at SAP LabArnowitz, Jonathan is the author of 'Effective Prototyping for Software Makers', published 2006 under ISBN 9780120885688 and ISBN 0120885689.