Lo-Fi Prototype Spec (group)

Last revised date: 9/17/2026

Overview

Create and test a low-fidelity prototype with clients using inclusive and accessible methods

Required Competencies

When you turn in this homework, also turn in these competencies

• Inclusive Experiments

Assignment Details

• TODO: I also think this assignment could be improved by prompting more detailed responses about the tasks the interface supports and how it facilitates those tasks.
• Learning Goals for this assignment (competencies)
• Submission requirements for this assignment
• Make your prototype
• Plan for testing your prototype
• Create your report

Note: This is a means to support in-class critique and discussion. You will report on this in more depth to your mentors as part of your design spec the following week. Because this is a formative stage of your design proposal, we are primarily focusing on participation here (we will also assess experiment inclusiveness).

TODO: I also think this assignment could be improved by prompting more detailed responses about the tasks the interface supports and how it facilitates those tasks.

Learning Goals for this assignment (competencies)

• Participation, Effort and Teamwork
• Inclusive Experiments

Submission requirements for this assignment

• A report on your low-fidelity prototype
• Your contribution statement (same as Client Engagement Spec). Please note that we will not grade submissions where this statement is missing.

Make your prototype

Produce a low-fidelity prototype that allows you to experiment with clients. It doesn’t have to work yet, but you need to be able to make your clients believe that it is working, and whatever you do needs to be accessible to them. Your prototype must be accessible to your clients, and this may impact your prototyping strategy. Consult the reading on Accessible Lo Fi Testing for ideas.

Plan for testing your prototype

Consider your goals for testing. For example, how you will test (1) the accessibility and (2) the functionality of your prototype. What do you want to learn/measure in both categories (that is feasible with this testing method?)

Consider how you will make the test accessible and inclusive (following the Inclusive Experiments rubric)

• Identify any ethical issues: Are there any risks of safety, privacy, or other concerns regarding these activities?
• How will the access needs of each person be met? Include communication, materials, space, and time in your answer to this question.
• Identify and address concerns regarding power dynamics, safety, ableism, racism, or anything else that might affect inclusive participation.

Create your report

The length of this report depends on the number of photos. This report does not have to be accessible.

1. Description of your low-fidelity prototype
   • What are the tasks your prototype supports? About one sentence per task
   • What are the parts that are ‘wizardry’? (what parts are you ‘faking’ for now but that will later be implemented) A few sentences
2. Pictures of the prototype that shows how people can interact with it.
3. How is your experiment inclusive and accessible (Graded on Inclusive Experiments)
   • Accessibility Should be about a paragraph. Describe how you made your prototype accessible and anything else you did to make the experiment accessible to your clients
   • Ethical and/or intersectional identity related issues relevant to your project Should be about one paragraph. Describe how you worked to ensure your experiment addressed other client identities besides disability
   • Concerns regarding power dynamics, safety, ableism, racism, or anything else that might affect inclusive participation or engagement with your project Should be one paragraph or less. We expect you to pick one or two of these concerns that are relevant to your project and address them.

Inclusive Experiments (rubric)

• Experimental design documentation
• Informed consent forms
• Accessibility and inclusion considerations
• Analysis of power dynamics and ethical issues