As I complete each step of a design process there is something that takes me by surprise each time. As you move from site mapping, to creating flow charts, to prototyping you will continue to find errors in your design. Each step brings you new questions that the last step did not. This notion reinforces the importance of each stage.
As I began paper prototyping for my last project I was startled to see how many new questions I had and how many issues I needed to reconcile. It seems to me that paper prototyping is what has unfolded most of the concerns I have had with any given project. It makes you consider all of the small details that are not mapped out in site maps and flow charts. Every button, transition, and pathway is considered.
The biggest questions I have as I work through my paper prototypes start with, “What if…?” There are a multitude of ways that a user can complete one task. Each path brings you a new set of screens that need creating. So as I draw I continue to ask myself, “What if a user chooses to achieve their goal this way,” or, “What if a user needs to backtrack from this page? What controls need to be in place to be able to do this?”
The idea of having to change or add to your project during every stage of design planning can be grueling and maybe even discouraging. However, keep in mind that these revelations should not discourage you, but rather create a feeling of security in your product. Each issue you find and solve brings you a step closer to a better end product.
As you work through your prototypes your projects will continue to be altered. Every time. There is no question about that! You must embrace the changes that come about and take it as a positive. After all, it is better you find these issues than your user.
Samantha Mantiglia 