2. Definition & Prototyping Techniques

After generating numerous ideas during the ideation phase, the next step is defining the solution. This phase focuses on narrowing down the ideas, understanding the reasoning behind each, and selecting which features should be included in the prototype. It's essential not to skip this step by jumping directly from sketches to a high-fidelity prototype. Taking the time to carefully define what should be included in the prototype, and why certain features are prioritized, ensures that both the design team and stakeholders have a clear understanding of the product's direction and goals.

Defining the Solution

One of the most effective methods for defining a product's solution is User Story Mapping, a process developed by Jeff Patton. In his book User Story Mapping, Patton explains how mapping the user’s journey through the product helps teams understand the product from the user’s perspective. The goal is to document the steps a user takes while interacting with the product, but also the journey outside of the product itself, capturing a holistic view of the user experience.

How to Map User Stories

1. Start with the goal: Begin by revisiting the problem statement, the personas, and any key insights from the ideation phase. This will help you stay focused on the user’s needs.

2. Map the steps horizontally: Document the key stages of the user's journey, from start to finish, by mapping out the main tasks a user needs to complete horizontally across the wall or board.

3. Detail each step: Once the main stages are mapped, go into more detail, breaking down each stage into its individual steps and identifying the essential features of each one.

4. Draw the MVP line: As the process evolves, some steps may become too complex or lack enough information. This is when you draw a line, separating essential features for the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) from those that are more complex and can be postponed. Everything above the line represents the MVP, while features below the line will not be included in the initial release.

This process helps teams focus on what's most important for the MVP while also ensuring that everyone involved in the product development shares a clear understanding of the user’s journey and the product's goals.

Declaring Hypotheses

Another critical part of defining the solution is creating hypotheses. Hypotheses articulate what the team believes will happen as a result of building the product or feature, and how success will be measured.

A typical hypothesis follows this structure:

• We believe that by [building this product/feature/experience], for [this user persona], we will achieve [this outcome]. We will know this is true when we see [this metric/feedback].

For example:
We believe that by creating an app to aggregate travel data for users traveling to multiple destinations, we will help them keep all their itinerary information in one place. We will know this is true when we see a 20% increase in user engagement during travel and a 10% decrease in customer service inquiries.

Creating measurable hypotheses not only helps guide product development but also facilitates communication with stakeholders and leadership by showing how success will be evaluated.

Identifying Risks and Uncertainties

Throughout the ideation and definition process, it's crucial to document any risks and uncertainties that arise. These are factors that could affect the success of the product or ideas that require further validation. While it’s important to recognize these risks, they should not prevent the team from moving forward with defining the product.

Prototyping

Once the solution has been defined, the next step is to create a prototype that can be tested and refined. Prototyping allows teams to test ideas quickly and gather feedback before committing to a final design.

Types of Prototypes

There are two primary types of prototypes:

• Low-Fidelity Prototypes
• High-Fidelity Prototypes

Low-Fidelity Prototypes

Low-fidelity prototypes are quick, basic representations of the product, often created with pen and paper. These prototypes are valuable for testing fundamental ideas without getting caught up in the details of design.

• Advantages: They are easy to create, test basic concepts, and require minimal resources.
• Disadvantages: They are often limited in interactivity, have many uncertainties, and leave more room for assumptions.

For example, a low-fidelity prototype might consist of simple sketches on paper or a rough storyboard representing the user’s journey. These can be tested with users to gather feedback early on.

High-Fidelity Prototypes

High-fidelity prototypes are more detailed, interactive models of the product, created using software like Sketch, InVision, Figma, or HTML/CSS/JavaScript. These prototypes closely resemble the final product and allow for more detailed usability testing.

• Advantages: They enable full usability testing, give detailed feedback, and are more relatable to users since they look like a finished product.
• Disadvantages: High-fidelity prototypes are more time-consuming and costly to create. Additionally, users may focus on irrelevant details, which could distract from testing the core solution.

Prototyping Tools

Some common tools for creating high-fidelity prototypes include:

• Sketch: A design tool that allows designers to create and organize prototypes into pages, with options to use components (symbols) that can be reused across multiple screens.
• InVision: An interactive platform that syncs with Sketch and allows teams to link screens with clickable hotspots for user testing. It also supports collaboration, enabling team members to leave comments directly on the prototype.
• Figma: A collaborative design tool where multiple team members can work on the same prototype in real-time.
• Adobe Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop): These are widely used for graphic design and prototyping, particularly for more detailed visual work.
• Framer and Principle: Tools used for adding complex animations and interactions to prototypes.

In high-fidelity prototypes, users can test how the interface behaves in real-time, providing valuable insights into usability and functionality.

Conclusion

In this phase, we move from idea generation to the definition and prototyping of the solution. By using techniques such as User Story Mapping and hypothesis declaration, teams can define the most critical aspects of the product, focusing on the MVP and identifying measurable outcomes. Prototyping, whether low-fidelity or high-fidelity, allows for early testing of the product’s usability and functionality, ensuring that the product addresses the real needs of users.

The next step in the product development process is validating the solution through user testing and continuous improvement. By iterating on the prototype based on feedback, the team can refine the product and move closer to creating a successful, user-centered solution.