Practical Paper Prototyping

*Paper prototyping is important*

In user interface design we want to make lots of mistakes, and we want to make them early where they're cheapest to fix. Just about the cheapest fix you can make is drawing a large X over your sketch, turning over the piece of paper, and starting again on the other side.

A paper prototype can be used for:
* Design discussions: "I think these elements work much better side-by-side.
* Client communication: "Is this what you mean?"
* Developer scoping: "We have five screens with 14 interaction points, only three of which are non-trivial."
* Usability tests: "What do you expect to happen if you click that?"

*Paper prototyping is easy*

Can you draw a box on a piece of paper with a pen? Can you write? The hardest thing about paper prototyping is the problem you're solving; the process itself is rapid, iterative, and transparent. We'll talk about the most important aspects, with efficiency tips born of years of experience. We'll also walk through several rounds of prototyping and testing a small application.