To make a perfect product, rapid prototyping is the way to go. Prototyping can be incredibly efficient as it can save development hours and create an experience that the client wants. Rapid prototyping is a tool we use in our UX process instead of having tons of development hours just for prototyping. This leaves us with plenty of time to take feedback, discuss, iterate and re-test.
When we talk about mobile app development, we create prototypes to provide you with a visualized idea or rather a prominent shape that lets you see the better functional and communicative results to connect and serve your users better.
To get the most of rapid prototyping, an execution plan served by a systematic approach is required. It requires you to know how it should be approached and implemented to make the most of it. But before that we need to look into the what and why of rapid mobile app prototyping.
What?
Prototypes have been given different names such as proof of concept, minimum viable product, mockups and wireframes but it doesn’t matter as the objective is the same. It is to build an approximation of the actual product to test it with real users.
Why?
Rapid prototyping is an integral part of building an app for all the right reasons as it is very doable. Firstly, mobile apps is a software contained within the screen of a mobile device. It reduces costs and risks because building a mobile app from scratch and then finding out that the these features are not what the users want is costly. Instead of having the designers and developers redo all the work, rapid mobile app prototyping helps avoid such circumstances
The truth is that this process is highly practical. To guide you on the right path for effective rapid mobile app prototyping, here’s a process that we follow:
Take Down Notes
Process your thoughts into definitive ideas and allow them to take the form of a comprehensive identity to match the mobile app’s functionality. Then place them in a manner in which they can be translated into wireframes.
Draw them into wireframes
Stick to the points you arrived at in the first attempt. This is the part where you sketch from the concepts the team brainstormed. As we move ahead, we are enriching the idea by processing them into wired illustrations.
Import your screens
Once we are done with the primary screens, we move them to a prototyping tool to make them more organized for better references. It makes the screens more communicative and a defines a perfect flow for the app. It is basically a way more presentable way of displaying the screens.
Design the mockups
Now, we need to bring them into a more real character by converting them into communicable interfaces. It involves translating them into functional designs that are more expressive and engaging enough to be referred by users. In simple words, designing the mockup screen is allowing it the concluding look and appearance.
Test them for quality
Before you forward the screens for final design and development check them for their visible quality and for functional effectiveness. For this,you need to test it before you pass it on for coding.
Final words
With rapid mobile app prototyping, we are able to approach mobile app designs with more authority and control. Rapid prototyping does not ask for separate hours of work, it is done in a dynamic manner and still get the most out of it.
To discuss ideas on app prototyping and mobile app development you can contact us
