Product design through prototype functions

Document Type : Research Paper

Abstract

The prototype is one of the most important tools in design criteria. Some experiences show that prototyping can do the critical role in design process but the functions of this tool missed in amateur`s design projects. There are deep studies about prototype and it`s functions but it seems the leakage of knowledge yet. As a description, every physical presentation of the solution is a prototype. Without any attention to the quality of a prototype, this tool can use in a lot of ranges and levels of fidelities. This potential makes a wide range of possibilities for prototype use in product design. This study focused on prototype functions in a real product design project in med design criteria. The purpose was describing of different aspects of prototyping with level by level study of prototypes uses. The designing of an ECG was the case study issues. ECG is a device for understanding of any arrhythmia in heart rate with printing ability of these arrhythmias. Some Iranian companies can manufacture this product but this case had most professional technologies compared to rivals. Different types of prototypes had used in product design steps. The prototype of earlier step made from real parts of product and different assembling of those together. This level of prototyping caused faster decision making and select an appropriate combination of product parts. Communication through this representation and finding a common language was very easier than speaking about what should be happened in this project. The second step of prototyping made from a part of polystyrene foam. This prototype tried to break the false idea to leave the fixation that acquired in the design process. After this step, the employer left the early form of product and design team start a different combination of parts through a new metaphor of form. The two prototypes of next level had different tasks. One of them was a paper prototype of a suggested interface of some pages of product software and the other prototype was a low fidelity prototype of product body that made by CNC machining. The purpose of these prototypes was presenting of main solutions and core idea without any details to get some feedback from users. After this step and got feedbacks about the concept, detail design, and some reforms don. The final prototype made by rapid prototyping methods and after assembling of parts, this prototype tested with users. This step of prototyping as high fidelity sample shown well feedbacks and got the positive response from users and employee. Discussions about this process revealed some results as, the using of a prototype in every when of design project has good results, the purposes of prototypes are different, the fidelity of prototypes are related to their goals, prototype can use as a media, prototypes break fixations, and creation of prototypes is an iterative process. The future studies can study more local projects to find other aspects of prototyping in the design process. We suggest to using of results of same studies in Industrial design curriculum modification.

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References

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Journal of Fine Arts: Visual Arts
Volume 24, Issue 2
May 2019
Pages 113-122

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