iPad Paper Prototyping

Paper prototyping for the iPad is super easy, especially when compared to other platforms.  For web-based prototypes, you often have to incorporate a mouse and keyboard.  And for the iPhone it can be tricky to approximate the form factor yet still keep everything legible.  The iPad has the best of both worlds: ample screen space and no fussing with peripherals–unless there’s an external keyboard.  Here are some examples of iPad paper prototypes; I’ll update the list as I find new ones.

OmniGraphSketcher: http://bit.ly/9aLU9a (see image below)

NPR: http://www.snd.org/2010/04/inside-the-design-process-for-nprs-ipad-app/

Instapaper: http://www.marco.org/357350758

Found some other great examples? Send them my way!

OmniGraphSketcher for the iPad.

Bringing iPhone sketches to life

Now that I have a feel for iPhone sketching tools and templates, I’ve been considering alternate ways to bring my sketches to life.  Apple provides iPhone developers with a tool called Interface Builder but I fear it will require more programming than necessary in the early stages of design (Note to self: play around with the builder & test this assumption).  Another option is to post my linked Fireworks files online and view them via Safari on my iPhone, but the browser chrome and zooming features get in the way.  Here’s where the folks at UNITid design come in–they created a nice little script that hides all of the Safari administrative debris.  You won’t be able to test iPhone interactive elements such as transitions and scrolling, but you’ll have a nice click-through prototype on the iPhone and can evaluate visual design choices, such as type size and colors.  Get the full tutorial at the UNITiD blog.  (One small tip: make sure your index file name is lower case; mine started with a cap which prevented the initial screen from displaying.)

An Agile Approach to iPhone Design

Fast & easy ways to incorporate paper prototyping and user testing into the iPhone app design process