ethnographic data gathering

Using techniques such as ethnography, contextual inquiry, coherence method, and participatory design (all described in PRS), gather data from 3 members of your target user group. In the context of your concept/problem. discover their relevant practices, habits, and tendencies, as well as their needs and desires. Create a 1-2 page summary and analysis of your findings. Make sure to describe your methods and process clearly. Then, zero in on the most relevant results of the data gathering.

storyboards

Develop your scenarios further, based on the data you've gathered. Now, create storyboards based on them. A storyboard is a sequence of sketches, with labels and stories associated with each. The sketches themselves can be small, and without too much detail, like a comic strip (but not necessarily funny :-). Details are found in PRS, and in the references below.

lo-fidelity prototype

Move your storyboards forward into a set of lo-fidelity prototype elements. The elements should now be more detailed, more definite and clear. They should continue to have strong relationships with scenarios. The scenarios, themselves, should evolve. The prototype should be amenable to Wizard-of-Oz style demonstrations. Keep it grounded and realistic. In the next deliverable, you will use these prototypes and scenarios during user testing.

references

Gayle Curtis, Laurie Vertelney, Storyboards and Sketch Prototypes for Rapid Interface Visualization, CHI 1990 Tutorials.

Marsden, K. and Aiken, P. (1993), Experiences Using Cooperative Interactive Storyboard Prototyping, CACM 36:6 (June 1993), 57-64.

PRS, Chapters 8, 9.

Rettig, M., Prototyping for tiny fingers CACM 37:4 (April 1994), 21-27.