Prototyping Technique

ASST. PROF. KARMJITSINH BIHOLA

CENTRE FOR INDUSTRIAL DESIGN OPEN DESIGN SCHOOL
GUJARAT TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Breaking Down Barriers

Centre for Industrial Design OPEN DESIGN SCHOOL

Prototype

Centre for Industrial Design OPEN DESIGN SCHOOL

IN WHICH SUBJECTS STUDETNS ARE USUALLY FAILED IN FIRST YEAR?

Maths & Drawing

Visualization
Observation
Memorize
Prototype/Documentation
Prototype
For our better understanding and to communicate our ideas to user (To
get the feedbacks from User)
Iterative or Spiral process
Initially ideas are generated build test refine
and then this cycle is repeated till Users requirements are satisfied
It gives us the flexibility to accommodate changes right away
Versions are made based on the strength of the last one. So rarely you
need to start from scratch

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Prototype
Is not always a physical model
Not expensive, not required resources, initially not involve actual
material or process
To accelerate the design process
To test or illustrates the design features or idea
To check the feasibility
Prototyping cycle

Test Ideas

Build

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 Rapid Prototyping
Build the prototype/s with whatever materials you have, while
discussing the ideas with team or clients at an early stage
Quickly show your ideas to user to get the feedbacks
Based on feedbacks and needs, rapidly refine/modify the
prototype/model to get better result

Example Layout of campus and ATM example discussed during FDP.

Prototype Example:

Ajanta Ellora Caves, Aurangabad

Carved from Single mountain
Top to bottom
100 years - How many generations?
How did they transfer the information at that time? They must have
used prototype/model to pass on infromation
Prototype Example:
Apollo 14
There were problem in the oxygen system in the space-craft
Now no help can be send to space from Earth/NASA
They (NASA) asked the astronauts to gather the resources/waste
materials that they have in the space-craft. Then they collected those at
the NASA station and asked different teams to come out with the
solutions
Steps in prototyping:
1) decide on the goal of the project and its major components or categories
2) choose one or two features to begin with (usually in the main category)
3) create a preliminary design on paper using doodling or sketches
4) discuss the design with stakeholders with the aim of improving it
5) repeat steps 3 & 4 to generate a simple design that all can agree on
6) implement the design on the computer (if using CAD) and then through rough
prototype
7) repeat the refinement process until the features are good enough to continue
8) add another feature and repeat the prototyping process of consultation and
refinement

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There are several important things to
focus during prototyping:
- be sure to hear from all stakeholders
- schedule regular meetings from the outset, to keep the project on time and avoid
costly delays (Time value of Money)
- identify who is able to approve a prototype and allow the team to move to the next
step
- look for improvements and dont see feedbacks as criticism
- dont be afraid to make mistakes or say foolish things brainstorm
- dont be afraid to change earlier decisions if new ideas deserve it
- dont get bogged down on details; they may have to be changed later anyway
- be sure to keep to your timeline

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- choose the appropriate step size for each version (discussed below)
- expect the early stages to take longer; the first few features will take the longest; but
do not struck with particular ideas/features for longer
- be sure to do the most important features early on, so that if you run out of time you
still have a worthwhile solutions (but dont do the most important feature first as you
are learning the method!)
- work together on the features/versions to familiarize the whole team with the look
and feel
- if you delegate parts later be sure to compare them so that from the users point of
view they are consistent
- try to design for your least sophisticated user

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Some tips:
- designing on paper at first speeds up the project and keeps the team from
being mesmerized by the computer screen
- paper designs bridge the gap between those comfortable with technology and
those less comfortable or knowledgeable
- if this is your first project, begin with an easy feature
- having a good paper layout makes design much simpler (may be Mind mapping
for ideas, features, forma, functions, materials, components etc.)
- Allocate your time properly for designing/sketching and building the prototype
- Take system level subsystem level components level designing approach

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- precise details such as sizes, fittings, assembly etc. are often best left
until later when more features are added and the impact of the details
can be assessed
- Consult the experts in area you working; for example, not everyone has
the design sense of a trained designer/engineer
- dont have separate teams working independently on different sections,
as these rarely mesh into a coherent single project
- invite people who are not tech-savvy (layman) and dont know the
project to help with testing to get a real world viewpoint

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- Choosing an appropriate step size between versions is important to keep the project
manageable. Too large a step (i.e. too many new features or very difficult ones) may
result in frustration and non-productive meetings.
- Steps that are too small waste time and resources, which remain idle waiting for
approval or critique.
- While step size changes in every project, it should be based on the time between
project meetings, the personnel available, the skills available, and the maturity of the
project.
- In the later stages, more can be done in a step because earlier steps can be used as
frameworks and models to move on.

Centre for Industrial Design OPEN DESIGN SCHOOL

Benefits of prototyping include:
- systems which are finished more quickly
- saving in time, money, resources
- less maintenance required later on
- greater client satisfaction
- more collaboration for stakeholders
- Missing features can be identified early on.
- Difficulties in use or confusing features can be identified and fixed
quickly.

Centre for Industrial Design OPEN DESIGN SCHOOL

 Thank you

Should you have any query, kindly write us at: design@gtu.edu.in

For more information, kindly visit us at: http://de.gtu.ac.in/