Abstract

This publication describes experiences gathered during the use of interactive prototyping in two areas: design of user interfaces for a touch screen information kiosk and interactive prototyping of business processes. Prototyping is promoted here as a technique useful for both visualizing design concepts and for stimulating communication within relevant teams. Developing interactive prototypes of use interfaces is discussed here as a technique with several major benefits: it useful for visualizing design concepts, for usability testing and also for identifying necessary improvements of a specific system. It offers students' an excellent opportunity to observe their own design "in action", what gives instant feedback on user-perceived quality of the system, but first of all it stimulates customer-centred thinking being an essential skill of a prospective IT project manager. Interactive prototyping of business processes was evaluated in a small scale experiment with the use of a Metasonic Touch table, which allows for the teamwork in analysis and modelling. Outcomes of this experiment were twofold: advantages point out collaborative learning, knowledge transfer among participants, converting tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge, sharing knowledge and deeper understanding the process. In turn, disadvantages show that the touch screen device itself draws too much attention from novice users, thus being suitable rather for experienced business analysts than as educational tool for university students.

Author (1)