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In this phase, the first examples of solutions are derived. It is the most intense, complex phase and involves the most creativity, coordination, and inspiration. The Requirements Document from the previous phase should provide all of the answers as to what the project should accomplish, but it is in this phase that the development team derives how it will accomplish these things.
This phase includes the development of many prototypes, often the first merely in paper and sketches, while later ones might be more elaborate. There are often two semi-parallel tracks of development. In the first, the experience (or front-end) team is designing the interface for the experience while an engineering team may be prototyping actual engineering solutions. Ideally, both teams work together, but depending on the size of the project, it's complexity, and the amount of cutting-edge technology involved, the interface team may need to develop and prototype the experiences, formulate a preliminary specification and hand-off to the engineering team while they explore how to make it work. Prototypes, for the most part, are examples and not the final solution. They are usually hard-coded, that is, they don’t actually work as intended, only appear to. They are simulations when it comes to the interface, but the engineering team may need time to develop and plan the feasibility of these solutions before production can start.
These prototypes should be tested with potential users to determine if they really meet the needs of the audience. User Testing is too often forgotten or under-utilized. It is essential that assumptions are tested and problems are corrected. Even the best development team cannot plan for everything that the audience may encounter or out-guess every user’s understandings. Also, past this point, user testing will be useless, meaning that it will not be possible to address anything that user testing identifies once a project is in production.
After the front-end interface is mostly finalized, it is time for the engineering team to integrate it into whatever technical prototypes they have been building. These technical prototypes are the results of research and development that concentrates on the back-end, technical requirements to make the front-end work properly. It is essential that the front-end development proceed before the back-end decisions are finalized. Technical work can occur in tandem, but it is not a good idea to allow the technology drive the development of the users’ experience.
At the end of this phase, the Final Prototype needs to be accompanied by a Functional Specification that, together, describe every aspect of the final product. This is what the Production team will use to produce the entire project. Also needed before production can start is a Visual Design Specification (a detailed description of the intent of the visual design) as a part of the overall Functional. Spec. and a Production Matrix. This later part describes every element that needs to be produced and where it fits into the whole project. This is what will be used to determine the budget, scheduling, and team during Production.
Activity: Deliverables
Experience (Front-end) Development:
- User Studies and Observation: User Scenarios, Workflow Assessment
- Information Design and Navigation Development: Cognitive Model Description, Client Brief, Information Design, Flowcharts
- Interaction Design and Application Development: Paper Prototypes, Storyboards
- Interface Design: Interface Specifications
- Visual Identity Development: Visual Style Guide, Visual Design Specifications
- Development of Writing Standards and “Voice”: Writing Style Guide
- Prototype development: Prototype, Functional Specifications
- User Testing: User Test Plan, Report, and Recommendations
- Globalization and Localization Audit: Globalization Plan and Recommendations
- Production Matrix: Production Matrix
Engineering (Back-end) Development:
- Technology Assessment and Evaluation: Technology Project Plan, Technology Licenses
- Database Assessment and Evaluation: Database Strategy
- Database Modeling, Design, Installation, and Integration: Database Design
- Systems Architecture:
Network Plan
Hosting Arrangements (Planning): Hosting Plan and Contract - Hardware & Software Installation and Configuration: Development Systems
- Programming: Technical Prototypes
- Application Development: Technical Prototypes
- Integration of
Legacy Systems: Technical Prototypes
Middle-tier Technology Installation and Integration: Technical Prototypes - Template Development for Publishing: Approved Development Templates
Some of the questions to answer during this phase include:
Information Design:
- What are the final organizations and structure of the information within the product?
- What different ways are there to find and use this information?
Interaction Design:
- What level of interactivity is the target?
- Describe all adaptive technologies? How will these be developed? How will they be simulated for the prototype?
- Describe all co-creative technologies? How will these be developed?
- How will they be simulated for the prototype?
- Describe the cognitive model created in the user’s mind?
- How can this be verified in user testing?
Storyboards:
- What are the most important processes to storyboard and simulate?
- What level of detail is needed to communicate these?
Prototyping Tools:
- Which programs or authoring tools can be used to simulate the product's behavior in the prototype? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each?
- Can these be modified and in what ways?
- Which product is the easiest to simulate the most important features in the prototype?
Media Development:
- How much media will need to be developed to create the prototype and simulate the most important features and processes?
User Testing:
- How many users should the product be tested with?
- Who should these be? What is their experience? What are their assumptions and understandings?
- Will the user testing be videotaped (or otherwise recorded)?
- What is the user test plan?
- How long will the user testing phase take?
- How will the results be recorded, compiled, and addressed?
Iteration:
- What are the most critical problems?
- What are the assumptions that still hold true?
- How can the problems be addressed while keeping the benefits?
- How much time will it take to make changes?
- When can the second round of user testing be completed?
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