4.6. Show Me the Prototype!

One of the most powerful communication tools at our disposal is the prototype. There is simply no better way to communicate what a user interface will look and behave like than by prototyping it. In almost every construction profession, from bridges to cars, the mock-up or prototype is essential to the design process. The same is even truer for software.

“Prototyping is one of the most essential steps any software team can take before it begins a project.” (Sullivan, 2001)[5]

[5] From Under Pressure and On Time by Edmund D. Sullivan. Copyright 2001. Reproduced by permission of Microsoft Press. All rights reserved.

The prototype is the most efficient way to communicate the plan to the entire team. If you describe the ...

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