CSE 440 - Introduction to HCI - Autumn 2024

Assignment 4.1: Paper Prototype

Due: Tuesday, November 12, 3:00pm

This assignment is a component of Milestone 4. Be sure you have reviewed that larger context for this assignment.

The goal of this assignment is to develop an initial paper prototype that will support testing of your design.

Develop a paper prototype that conveys critical components of your design, including implementing support for testing based on a walkthrough of your two focus tasks.

The prototype should be complete for two focus tasks, including enough detail to show how to complete each step in the task. This should include the desired / expected / intended path through the focus task, but also the most likely error conditions (e.g., if a person provides invalid input).

For each focus task, develop a story that provides context and details for understanding and interacting with your paper prototype. Because designing a paper prototype to support any imaginable input is often not feasible (e.g., a design that includes data entry might also include visualizations that cannot be anticipated), details provided in this story will guide both development and testing of your paper prototype.

This paper prototype will be informed by your prior sketching and walkthroughs, but will likely require more detail than your prior assignments. If necessary or appropriate, revise your focus tasks based on what you learn in prototyping.

We recommend you work on paper, then capture high-quality images (e.g., avoid shadows). You may alternatively use an informal drawing tool, but be sure you do not adopt a tool that will start to embed unnecessary assumptions or decisions in your design process.

If you use an informal drawing tool, you will need to have physical copies of your paper prototype available for usability testing. You will also need the ability to quickly iterate on your paper prototype.

Submission

Due: Tuesday, November 12, 3:00pm

Within the Drive folder for course project files:

  • Identify the Slides deck corresponding to this assignment for your group. The deck provides a template for this assignment. Edit the deck in-place, so that you can easily share it in critique.

  • Prepare a Slides deck with the following structure:

    Overall paper prototype:

    • 1 slide: Design title and brief description of its key idea or approach.
    • 1 slide: Overview image of entire paper prototype.

    For each focus task (2 total):

    • 1 slide: Focus task title.
    • 1 slide: Story providing context and details for paper prototype.
    • Multiple slides: Step-by-step task walkthrough with the paper prototype.

Reminders and requirements:

  • Submission via Canvas is also required, in support of grading.

    • Remove instruction slides and template markings from your deck before submission.

    • Export a PDF of your deck, via the menu: File -> Download -> PDF Document (.pdf).

  • This is a group submission. Ensure your section and names of all group participants are appropriately clear.

  • Review and follow guidance on Clarity and Presentation.

  • Names of participants should be replaced with pseudonyms in all documents. It is important to protect participant anonymity, even in the case that reporting seems harmless.

The Drive folder for course project files is here:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Sm12CpuMNsKBqk6E_Ri875hfFs0A-IRS?usp=drive_link

Submit via Canvas here:

https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1746586/assignments/9793018

In Class

For Friday's section, bring your paper prototype and be prepared to use it for usability testing.

Completion Grading

This assignment will be graded on completion of the following components:

  1. Design Title & Summary

    This may be taken directly from Milestone 3, or it might have evolved based on what you learned in prototyping.

  2. Overall Completeness and Appropriateness of Paper Prototype

    Include an overview image of the entire paper prototype to convey critical components of your design and the context of your focus tasks.

    If you use an informal drawing tool, be sure this overview shows physical copies of your paper prototype available for usability testing.

  3. Focus Task Stories

    For each focus task, include a story that provides context and details for understanding and interacting with your paper prototype.

  4. Focus Task Walkthroughs (2 total)

    For each focus task, develop a step-by-step task walkthrough with your paper prototype. Include each step in the task, with enough detail to show how to complete each step.

  5. Clarity and Presentation

Prior Samples

Samples are from prior offerings that had different requirements. Samples are also intended only to illustrate a variety of approaches, and were not selected to be ideal or exemplary. These may help to see how prior students approached elements of a project, but be sure to understand and consider requirements and feedback in your own work.