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Low-Fidelity Prototyping
WHAT WE ARE MAKING
WHY WE ARE MAKING IT
A low-fidelity scale model of your design idea
To test our idea's function and show it to others to receive feedback
Final Project Expectations
The intervention must be realistic (materials, budget, time), safe, and generate a positive impact on the educational and local community.
Your project should aim to improve quality of life for inhabitants and users of the San Blas neighborhood
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ACTIVITY MATERIALS
Cardboard
Colored Acetate
Bristol Papers
Zip-ties
Straws
Metal Ruler
Pencil
Markers
Cutting Blade
Masking Tape
Hot Glue Gun
String
Brads
Popsicles and wooden skewers
Revise the presentation for prototyping
Now that you've chosen a project direction and visualized it, it's time to make a prototype to show and test your idea. The scale and material of your model will depend on the project itself-- for some projects, it will make sense to build at full scale and test visual elements, for others it might make sense to build at a smaller scale and test functionality or concept.
NOTES:
- These models are low-fidelity, or Minimum Viable Product (MVP) models-- they should be made quickly with simple materials to prove your concept
- If you do work with a scale model, you will. have to represent your site somehow, and it can be very helpful to have a scale figure / cardboard cutout of a human
1st
CARDBOARD TECHNIQUES: SHAPING
Bending
Scoring
Curving
Faceting
Layering
Hinging
CARDBOARD TECHNIQUES: JOINERY
Brads
Flanges
Brace
Skewer
Bend
Hinge
Slots
Butt Joint
Prototypes That Move - Examples
Tape makes a great hinge!
A straw and dowel work for wheels...
Bolts and brads can make parts spin, too!
CARDBOARD TECHNIQUES: Mechanism
Gears
Scissor lift
Grabbing
Waving
Tentacle
Curving
Lever
Fanning
CARDBOARD TECHNIQUES: Mechanism
Slider
Wheel and Axel
Pulley
Spiral
Low-fidelity Prototype Examples
Documentation: Photograph the low-fidelity prototype/MVP. You can photograph it on site if you built at full scale, or photograph your model and collage it onto a site photo at scale.
Record initial impressions about its size, location, and whether it "works" in the space.
2nd
Below are some resources you can use to document your work, both for scanning drawings as well as photo/gif editing tools.
1) Scanner app (Genius Scan)
2) Gif maker (GIF Maker by Momento)
https://ezgif.com/maker https://gifmaker.me/
3) Photo editor / Camera app (VSCO or Adobe PS Express) VSCO Link Adobe PS Express Link https://www.photopea.com/
For photographing prototypes, we recommend everyone using a consistent white or black backdrop. Paper, sheets, walls/desks all work well for this.
CREATE A STATION
Ensure the entire background is white and that natural light is available. For photographing prototypes, we recommend using a consistent white or black backdrop—paper, sheets, walls, or desks all work well.
Clean Images
Make sure all background is white, no edges or other objects in the background
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Clean Images
Make sure all background is white, no edges or other objects in the background
QUESTIONS TO ANSWER
Now that you have built it out of cardboard, what would be the best materials and methods for the next prototype?
You have built and tested one possible shape of your project idea. What other shapes could this concept take?
What do you need to learn to create the next, more developed prototype of this concept?
Now that you've picked a few interesting ideas from the brainstorming board, it's time to start exploring them in more detail. In this phase of the design process, you'll focus on exploring a couple of ideas rapidly.
In this activity, you'll sketch and make fast, simple prototypes. This exploration will help you learn more about your ideas and choose a direction for your final project.