Prototypes

Prototypes are communication tools that allow us to learn and collaborate around the essential overlapping areas of business, emotion, and technology. They help remove ego in the decision making process and focus the business on the relevant market. This tangible simplification of ideas promotes a better market fit.

A prototype that includes emotional design works to capture the function while examining or testing the human need. These prototypes help us see how people react to certain concepts and then explore their specific responses. Emotion can be captured within a simple prototype, because while emotion is sophisticated, it doesn’t have to be complicated. As Einstein is famously quoted, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”

Sophistication also translates to a simple visual aesthetic during prototyping. A pleasurable visual experience supports the concept that “attractive things work better” (Norman 2004). The simple aesthetic helps mitigate the risk of information overload and provides a level of forgiveness for any minor difficulties in the experience.