Interaction Design & Prototyping Flashcards

What is the main purpose of interaction design?

Answer: Create engaging user interfaces

Interaction design focuses on creating engaging and intuitive user interfaces that facilitate meaningful interactions between users and products or systems. It involves defining how users will interact with a product, considering elements like actions, feedback, and user flows to ensure a seamless and satisfying experience. The goal is to make digital products both functional and enjoyable to use.

What is a prototype in design?

Answer: Early model for testing

A prototype in design is an early, often incomplete, working model of a product or system created for testing and evaluation. It allows designers to visualize and test ideas, gather feedback, and iterate on the design before committing to the final development. This iterative process saves time and resources by identifying flaws early.

Which tool is commonly used for prototyping?

Answer: Figma

Figma is a popular web-based interface design and prototyping tool widely used by UX/UI designers. It allows for collaborative design, creating interactive prototypes, and sharing designs seamlessly. Its cloud-based nature and robust features make it an industry standard for bringing design concepts to life and facilitating teamwork.

Why is usability testing important for prototypes?

Answer: Identify issues early

Usability testing prototypes is crucial because it allows designers to identify and address potential usability issues and design flaws at an early stage of development. Catching problems early saves significant time and resources compared to fixing them after the product has been fully developed and launched. This iterative testing leads to a more refined and user-friendly final product.

What does ‘feedback loop’ mean in prototyping?

Answer: Collect & refine based on feedback

In prototyping, a feedback loop refers to the continuous process of collecting user feedback on a prototype, analyzing it, and then using those insights to refine and improve the design. This iterative cycle ensures that the product evolves based on real user needs and preferences. It's essential for creating a user-centered design and improving usability over time.

What is wireframing?

Answer: Basic UI layout

Wireframing is the process of creating a basic visual guide that represents the skeletal framework of a website or application. It focuses on the layout, content structure, and functionality, without incorporating visual design elements like colors or fonts. This step establishes the core user interface before detailed design, ensuring a clear and logical structure.

Which design principle focuses on ease of use?

Answer: Usability

Usability is a core design principle focused on making systems easy to learn, efficient to use, and satisfying for users. It directly addresses how effectively, efficiently, and with what satisfaction users can achieve specific goals. Therefore, ease of use is the central tenet of usability in design.

What is the difference between low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes?

Answer: Low-fidelity simple; high-fidelity detailed

Low-fidelity prototypes are basic, often hand-drawn sketches or wireframes, used for quick conceptualization and early feedback; they are simple and inexpensive. High-fidelity prototypes, conversely, are much more detailed, interactive, and visually resemble the final product, providing a realistic user experience for thorough testing.

Why is prototyping considered an iterative process?

Answer: Repeated testing & improvement

Prototyping is an iterative process because it involves creating successive versions of a design, testing them with users, gathering feedback, and then refining the prototype based on those insights. This cycle of design, test, and refine is repeated multiple times to progressively improve the product and ensure it meets user needs effectively.