Initial references to the concept of prototyping in design could be traced to the proceedings of the Conference on Design Methods in 1962:
"As you come down in scale, it is much more likely that you will be able to mass produce the object, and therefore be able to make a prototype, test it and try it out and explore it."
— J.K. Page
Later, around the year of 1990, the availability of methods for rapidly manufacturing models and prototypes stimulated the publication of a great body of literature dedicated to rapid prototyping techniques and technologies (e.g., 3D printing). Technologies for additive manufacturing (i.e., adding material) or substractive manufacturing (i.e., removing material) together with the use of software for computer-aided design (CAD), leveraged prototype building but also the fabrication of products in limited numbers.
Along the years, further efforts have been dedicated to characterising prototyping in design disciplines in the fields of interaction design, experience design, product design and service design, as well as in product-design-related fields such as engineering/mechanical design. In 2000, designers from IDEO described experience prototyping, introducing types of design representations and methods that allow to simulate aspects of an interaction that people experience by themselves. Experience prototyping can combine various types of prototypes such as spaces, products and interfaces to resemble what the real experience could be like. Around the year of 2010, studies were developed to examine the prototyping of services theorising from the growing practice of service design, which later in 2018 were also used as a reference for service design practitioners.
Prototyping is developed in an iterative cycle of making, testing and analysing which allows to examine dimensions of a solution before its future implementation, anticipating to possible issues and improving them earlier in the process. This cycle can be portrayed the following steps:
One example of this cycle could be the design of a digital interface in the early stages of the process applying paper prototyping. In this case, prototyping may seek to explore and evaluate multiple alternatives of ideas with the users as fast and cheap as possible, before investing time to program it. Thus, the prototypes will represent the structure of the interface by using simple forms and text to indicate the elements (1). A common technique for creating prototypes of digital interfaces would be to sketch wireframes in paper (2). The team will meet with a potential user and the wireframes will be presented by the design researcher. The user will simulate to click the elements and explain the actions that intends to do while moving to other sheets that represent other screens in the navigation flow (3). The feedback gathered will be used to make decisions on the aspects that need to be modified and the layout of the interface will be updated (4).
To prepare for prototyping, some aspects need to be decided. For this purpose, it is useful to individualise and consider various characteristics that will allow identifying how prototyping should be developed according to the design needs. In this regard, the prototyping framework proposed by Blomkvist and Holmid could provide some guidelines. As a result of a literature review, they identify a set of characteristics which are:
Whilst for some scholars prototyping was happening in a particular stage of the design process, the importance of prototyping has been gaining relevance as a continuous activity since the early stages of the process. Considering in which moment of the process prototyping is going to be developed will guide decisions on its purpose and further characteristics of prototyping.
Prototyping can be developed according to different aims of the design process that influence decisions such as what variables of the prototype are going to be examined and who is going to be involved in the testing session. For example, in the early stages of the process, the need could be to explore various ideas within the design team and prototypes may be created fast and with little resources, while at the end of the process the functionality of the solution may be evaluated with future users so the prototype would largely resemble its final version.
A prototyping session can involve a variety of people related to the solution. Internal to the organisation, the participants could range from the members of the design team to colleagues from other departments and managers. External to the organisation, prototyping could involve future users and clients, and representatives from other organisations. The selection of the participants would depend on the purposes of prototyping. For instance, a prototyping session for exploration could be developed internally with colleagues in order to get quick feedback about initial design proposals. Another example would be to involve users in co-design prototyping sessions in order to explore proposals directly with future users.
The activity refers to the method that would be used for testing a prototype, the context in which it is going to occur, and the strategies for testing in relation to what would be the real conditions of use of the solution.
Prototypes can represent one component of a future solution such as "(Inter)actions, service processes, experiences, physical objects, environments, spaces, architecture, digital artifacts and software, ecosystems, [or] (business) value" or comprise various of these components.
Moreover, a prototype can reflect one or multiple dimensions of the future solution and a variety of aspects could be considered. A simple approach would be to think on the fidelity, meaning how close the prototype resembles to the final solution (blom)(stick). More comprehensive approaches can be considered through multiple dimensions. For instance, Houde and Hill describe the “role” (i.e., functionality for the user), “look and feel” (i.e., sensory, and experiential aspects), “implementation” (i.e., performance of the solution). Lim, Stolterman and Tenenberg propose a classification of prototypes according to “filtering dimensions: functionality, interactivity, and spatial structure"; and “manifestation dimensions:materials, resolution, and scope". They suggest these dimensions can be pondered in order to decide how the prototype should be.
"The best prototype is one that, in the simplest and the most efficient way, makes the possibilities and limitations of a design idea visible and measurable”
— Lim, Stolterman and Tenenberg, 2008
Blomkvist, Johan; Holmlid, Stefan (2011). "Existing prototyping perspectives: Considerations for service design". Nordes 4.
Floyd, Christiane (1984). A systematic look at prototyping. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer. pp. 1–18. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help) /wiki/Template:Cite_book
Stickdorn, Marc; Hormess, Markus Edgar; Lawrence, Adam; Schneider, Jakob (2018). This is service design doing : applying service design thinking in the real world : a practitioner's handbook. Markus Hormess, Adam Lawrence, Jakob Schneider (1st ed.). Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media, Inc. ISBN 978-1-4919-2718-2. OCLC 922913141. 978-1-4919-2718-2
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Stowe, David (2008). Investigating the Role of Prototyping in Mechanical Design Using Case Study Validation. Clemson University. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help) /wiki/Template:Cite_book
Camburn, Bradley; Viswanathan, Vimal; Linsey, Julie; Anderson, David; Jensen, Daniel; Crawford, Richard; Otto, Kevin; Wood, Kristin (2017). "Design prototyping methods: state of the art in strategies, techniques, and guidelines". Design Science. 3: e13. doi:10.1017/dsj.2017.10. ISSN 2053-4701. S2CID 116507313. /wiki/Julie_Linsey
Buchenau, Marion; Suri, Jane Fulton (2000). "Experience prototyping". Proceedings of the 3rd conference on Designing interactive systems: Processes, practices, methods, and techniques. Dis '00. pp. 424–433. doi:10.1145/347642.347802. hdl:10654/43854. ISBN 1581132190. S2CID 6481095. 1581132190
Blomkvist, Johan (2014). Representing future situations of service: prototyping in service design. Linköping University Electronic Press. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help) https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A712357&dswid=-1860
Stickdorn, Marc; Hormess, Markus Edgar; Lawrence, Adam; Schneider, Jakob (2018). This is service design doing : applying service design thinking in the real world : a practitioner's handbook. Markus Hormess, Adam Lawrence, Jakob Schneider (1st ed.). Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media, Inc. ISBN 978-1-4919-2718-2. OCLC 922913141. 978-1-4919-2718-2
Floyd, Christiane (1984). A systematic look at prototyping. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer. pp. 1–18. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help) /wiki/Template:Cite_book
Ulrich, Karl T.; Eppinger, Steven D. (2012). Product design and development (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-340477-6. OCLC 706677610. 978-0-07-340477-6
Stickdorn, Marc; Hormess, Markus Edgar; Lawrence, Adam; Schneider, Jakob (2018). This is service design doing : applying service design thinking in the real world : a practitioner's handbook. Markus Hormess, Adam Lawrence, Jakob Schneider (1st ed.). Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media, Inc. ISBN 978-1-4919-2718-2. OCLC 922913141. 978-1-4919-2718-2
Lim, Youn-Kyung; Stolterman, Erik; Tenenberg, Josh (2008). "The anatomy of prototypes: Prototypes as filters, prototypes as manifestations of design ideas". ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction. 15 (2): 1–27. doi:10.1145/1375761.1375762. ISSN 1073-0516. S2CID 9985664. https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1375761.1375762
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Stickdorn, Marc; Hormess, Markus Edgar; Lawrence, Adam; Schneider, Jakob (2018). This is service design doing : applying service design thinking in the real world : a practitioner's handbook. Markus Hormess, Adam Lawrence, Jakob Schneider (1st ed.). Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media, Inc. ISBN 978-1-4919-2718-2. OCLC 922913141. 978-1-4919-2718-2
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Ulrich, Karl T.; Eppinger, Steven D. (2012). Product design and development (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-340477-6. OCLC 706677610. 978-0-07-340477-6
Buchenau, Marion; Suri, Jane Fulton (2000). "Experience prototyping". Proceedings of the 3rd conference on Designing interactive systems: Processes, practices, methods, and techniques. Dis '00. pp. 424–433. doi:10.1145/347642.347802. hdl:10654/43854. ISBN 1581132190. S2CID 6481095. 1581132190
Stowe, David (2008). Investigating the Role of Prototyping in Mechanical Design Using Case Study Validation. Clemson University. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help) /wiki/Template:Cite_book
Blomkvist, Johan; Holmlid, Stefan (2011). "Existing prototyping perspectives: Considerations for service design". Nordes 4.
Camburn, Bradley; Viswanathan, Vimal; Linsey, Julie; Anderson, David; Jensen, Daniel; Crawford, Richard; Otto, Kevin; Wood, Kristin (2017). "Design prototyping methods: state of the art in strategies, techniques, and guidelines". Design Science. 3: e13. doi:10.1017/dsj.2017.10. ISSN 2053-4701. S2CID 116507313. /wiki/Julie_Linsey
Stickdorn, Marc; Hormess, Markus Edgar; Lawrence, Adam; Schneider, Jakob (2018). This is service design doing : applying service design thinking in the real world : a practitioner's handbook. Markus Hormess, Adam Lawrence, Jakob Schneider (1st ed.). Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media, Inc. ISBN 978-1-4919-2718-2. OCLC 922913141. 978-1-4919-2718-2
Floyd, Christiane (1984). A systematic look at prototyping. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer. pp. 1–18. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help) /wiki/Template:Cite_book
Buchenau, Marion; Suri, Jane Fulton (2000). "Experience prototyping". Proceedings of the 3rd conference on Designing interactive systems: Processes, practices, methods, and techniques. Dis '00. pp. 424–433. doi:10.1145/347642.347802. hdl:10654/43854. ISBN 1581132190. S2CID 6481095. 1581132190
Blomkvist, Johan; Holmlid, Stefan (2011). "Existing prototyping perspectives: Considerations for service design". Nordes 4.
Camburn, Bradley; Viswanathan, Vimal; Linsey, Julie; Anderson, David; Jensen, Daniel; Crawford, Richard; Otto, Kevin; Wood, Kristin (2017). "Design prototyping methods: state of the art in strategies, techniques, and guidelines". Design Science. 3: e13. doi:10.1017/dsj.2017.10. ISSN 2053-4701. S2CID 116507313. /wiki/Julie_Linsey
Stickdorn, Marc; Hormess, Markus Edgar; Lawrence, Adam; Schneider, Jakob (2018). This is service design doing : applying service design thinking in the real world : a practitioner's handbook. Markus Hormess, Adam Lawrence, Jakob Schneider (1st ed.). Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media, Inc. ISBN 978-1-4919-2718-2. OCLC 922913141. 978-1-4919-2718-2
Buchenau, Marion; Suri, Jane Fulton (2000). "Experience prototyping". Proceedings of the 3rd conference on Designing interactive systems: Processes, practices, methods, and techniques. Dis '00. pp. 424–433. doi:10.1145/347642.347802. hdl:10654/43854. ISBN 1581132190. S2CID 6481095. 1581132190
Blomkvist, Johan; Holmlid, Stefan (2011). "Existing prototyping perspectives: Considerations for service design". Nordes 4.
Stickdorn, Marc; Hormess, Markus Edgar; Lawrence, Adam; Schneider, Jakob (2018). This is service design doing : applying service design thinking in the real world : a practitioner's handbook. Markus Hormess, Adam Lawrence, Jakob Schneider (1st ed.). Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media, Inc. ISBN 978-1-4919-2718-2. OCLC 922913141. 978-1-4919-2718-2
Floyd, Christiane (1984). A systematic look at prototyping. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer. pp. 1–18. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help) /wiki/Template:Cite_book
Ulrich, Karl T.; Eppinger, Steven D. (2012). Product design and development (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-340477-6. OCLC 706677610. 978-0-07-340477-6
Stowe, David (2008). Investigating the Role of Prototyping in Mechanical Design Using Case Study Validation. Clemson University. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help) /wiki/Template:Cite_book
Stickdorn, Marc; Hormess, Markus Edgar; Lawrence, Adam; Schneider, Jakob (2018). This is service design doing : applying service design thinking in the real world : a practitioner's handbook. Markus Hormess, Adam Lawrence, Jakob Schneider (1st ed.). Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media, Inc. ISBN 978-1-4919-2718-2. OCLC 922913141. 978-1-4919-2718-2
Floyd, Christiane (1984). A systematic look at prototyping. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer. pp. 1–18. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help) /wiki/Template:Cite_book
Camburn, Bradley; Viswanathan, Vimal; Linsey, Julie; Anderson, David; Jensen, Daniel; Crawford, Richard; Otto, Kevin; Wood, Kristin (2017). "Design prototyping methods: state of the art in strategies, techniques, and guidelines". Design Science. 3: e13. doi:10.1017/dsj.2017.10. ISSN 2053-4701. S2CID 116507313. /wiki/Julie_Linsey
Blomkvist, Johan; Holmlid, Stefan (2011). "Existing prototyping perspectives: Considerations for service design". Nordes 4.
Floyd, Christiane (1984). A systematic look at prototyping. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer. pp. 1–18. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help) /wiki/Template:Cite_book
Blomkvist, Johan; Holmlid, Stefan (2011). "Existing prototyping perspectives: Considerations for service design". Nordes 4.
Stickdorn, Marc; Hormess, Markus Edgar; Lawrence, Adam; Schneider, Jakob (2018). This is service design doing : applying service design thinking in the real world : a practitioner's handbook. Markus Hormess, Adam Lawrence, Jakob Schneider (1st ed.). Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media, Inc. ISBN 978-1-4919-2718-2. OCLC 922913141. 978-1-4919-2718-2
Blomkvist, Johan; Holmlid, Stefan (2011). "Existing prototyping perspectives: Considerations for service design". Nordes 4.
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Lim, Youn-Kyung; Stolterman, Erik; Tenenberg, Josh (2008). "The anatomy of prototypes: Prototypes as filters, prototypes as manifestations of design ideas". ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction. 15 (2): 1–27. doi:10.1145/1375761.1375762. ISSN 1073-0516. S2CID 9985664. https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1375761.1375762
Lim, Youn-Kyung; Stolterman, Erik; Tenenberg, Josh (2008). "The anatomy of prototypes: Prototypes as filters, prototypes as manifestations of design ideas". ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction. 15 (2): 1–27. doi:10.1145/1375761.1375762. ISSN 1073-0516. S2CID 9985664. https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1375761.1375762