Validate your product *before* you start developing, with web or mobile prototypes.
Pretotyping and prototyping, in my view, are the same thing. Pretotyping, as a label, is gaining some momentum with the Lean Startup Movement, since it emphasizes the testing and validation of a product before any code is written. It’s a way to figure out if your idea will work before you invest a lot of time or money.
Since most startups fail, obviously that’s a *very* good idea. Even if you are not a startup, prototyping is a very good idea, especially with riskier flows, because of the time you can save in development.
There’s lots of prototyping tools out there, but the more interactive they are, the more valid the results will be. Simply clicking from one screen to the next won’t often get the job done – a strictly linear process leaves out the human element. In other words, your customer. There’s a variety of tools I use to make prototypes, or pretotypes– they’re dependent on what sort of task or flow needs testing, and whether the product is a web or mobile application. It’s possible to make robust prototypes which can be tested on the device for which they are intended. Once you have your prototype in hand, then its time to talk to your customers.
You can read more about the benefits of pretotyping/prototyping:
Pretotype.org
Is your mobile site the equivalent of Tiny Web Pages? Ouch.
The current paradigm shift from desktop to mobile/cloud requires new thinking. About everything. Your products might be viewed on a desktop machine, a tablet or a mobile phone. In each case, your product should be rethought from the customers point of view – the context of each is different and should be considered to provide the best possible experience for your customer. If you simply try to port your web application to a mobile device, your customers will suffer.
I have experience designing applications for iPhones, iPads and Android devices.
Please Note:
The examples shown on the portfolio pages are only a representational few; many others are not eligible for public display. I’d be happy however, to talk you through some of the projects/products I’ve worked on in the last year, sharing my thoughts on my process while showing you additional work.
Additional clients include:
97d West
Volusion
FoodontheTable
T-3
SolarWinds
Take the time to talk to your customers – they will always surprise you.
There are quite a few flavors of usability testing, but the point is this: watching customers use your product is invaluable, and well worth the effort.
I’ve run all sorts of user tests, from locally to remotely; with paper prototypes to full-fledged interactive prototypes to testing existing products. My preferred method is one-on-one sessions, using the “talk-aloud” protocol. This method asks users to perform a series of tasks, co-designed with the user if possible, while describing what they are looking for, seeing, and doing. It’s not for the faint of heart – but it is fascinating, and never fails to produce surprises and poke holes in assumptions.
I’m well-versed in all aspects of user testing, from creating and designing the prototype, to recruiting participants, to running the tests (with video capture), to writing the report.