Prototyping as a research tool
TL;DR: Prototyping is a research method. By building something, we form a mind-body connection. This unveils new insights about our problem space. Aka a quick way to stop navel-gazing and start learning.
One of my favorite ways to identify the right problem to solve is by prototyping. You read that right: not building prototypes to refine and launch a product or to iterate, but purely to learn more about the problem.
AKA we are building and making to think about the problem space.
AKA we use prototyping to tap into different sources of intelligence, tap into the mind-body connection. Getting those hands dirty. Seeing what works and why.
See, too many people jump straight into solutions and ideas without taking the time to truly understand the problem. Prototyping is the perfect way to scratch that ideating, solutions itch we all have while making sure we're staying curious about the problem! Delicious!
CASE STUDY
Connective wanted to learn more about designing digital tools for monolingual Spanish speakers. And so we made a prototype. I’ll spare you the details of what the tool we made was, how we chose to build that, and how we authentically shared it with the audience.
But here’s the thing: the process of building and testing that tool led to some guiding principles that Connective still uses for various programs today!
Very quickly in the building process, we discovered that the tool had to look and function much differently than a tool built for the dominant culture and then translated into Spanish. For instance, we learned that digital social-service tools built for non-English speakers have two audiences - those seeking social services and those who may be helping them access the tool. A large portion of the community won't use the tool without support, so we have to build for both seekers and their family members or community navigators. It made sense and it blew our minds!!!
And this was one of our many insights (read report).
The next time you're doing research and want to learn more about a problem area or a specific audience, I suggest: BUILD A PROTOTYPE.
By getting your ‘hands’ dirty, you’ll learn more. Yeah, mind-body connection is real, yall.
By seeing how your audience interacts with it, you'll uncover insights that were previously hidden!
Add prototyping to your design research toolkit.