Tuesday February 9th

Working on prototype

Working on prototype

This class, each group created a rapid prototype of our final product. Our task was to make a 'draft' or 'sketch' of what our final product would look like, including the LEDs. We did this so that we could identify any issues early on, and get some feedback from others. 

Most groups split up the work - someone was working on the tech part of it (lights, coding, etc) while the others worked on putting the actual prototype together. We could use any of the materials in the classroom, although everyone chose to make theirs out of construction paper. When working with the LEDs and programming, we would just tape the lights on and sketch where the sewing thread would go so we could save time.

One of the group's rapid prototype. You can see they just taped
the LEDs on and it was made very quickly.

Sharing prototype

Sharing prototype

After our time limit of 20 minutes was up, we shared our prototypes. Each group had one member stay to present their product, and the others would rotate around the room and look at other group's creations. We were given one minute in each group to get a brief explanation of the product and what it does, ask questions, and to suggest ideas. 

Through today's class, every group was able to learn more about each other's products, and possibly gain some inspiration for their own. Some of the common questions that came up when sharing prototypes were:

• What color LED are you planning on using? Will certain colors make a difference?
• Is the battery located in a spot that will not affect the user's comfort?
• Do you have a plan to keep your product safe if it gets wet (rains)?
• Why is your user going to want this?
• Is it efficient?

By the end of the class, we had all gained some feedback, and some groups learned more about their product which they have to improve.