FigJam's online whiteboard provides an effortless way to create your low-fidelity prototypes. It is the perfect platform to develop and share prototypes with colleagues and stakeholders. The Low-Fidelity Prototype Template can be selected to initiate the process, followed by the following steps:
Step 1: Define your objectives.
The first step is identifying your goals and objectives. For instance, you might aim to highlight the essential features of your product. Jot down two or three core functionalities on sticky notes that you plan to incorporate in the low-fidelity prototype. This will help you focus on your goals while working on the prototype. You can take advantage of our stickies packs template for this purpose.
Step 2: Determine your approach based on your users and available resources.
The level of detail in your low-fidelity prototype relies on the response to three crucial questions:
- What type of user will be interacting with this prototype?
- How can you acquire helpful feedback from them?
- What tools and resources are at your disposal?
Once you clearly understand your resources, target audience, and feedback mechanism, you can begin crafting your prototype.
Step 3: Develop your prototype.
Our FigJam's template is a perfect tool for this task. It is user-friendly and customizable to meet specific requirements.
Step 4: Implement your prototype.
After selecting the template, it's time to breathe life into your prototype. Don't stress too much about the form or function at this stage. Instead, focus on the idea and what you intend to test with users.
Step 5: Conduct prototype testing.
It's time to evaluate your prototype by user testing. Begin by clearly explaining the goal of your project and asking relevant questions to help users understand it better. You can also include a brief welcome screen or guide alongside the wireframes for users' reference. Solicit general feedback from them, and take note of their reactions, level of awareness, competitive advantages, and intended usage patterns.
Step 6: Learn from the prototype testing phase and iterate.
Gather user feedback and identify commonalities among their observations. These insights can be used to create an affinity diagram to identify patterns or similarities. If necessary, repeat the testing phase with users. After incorporating user feedback into your low-fidelity prototypes, you can proceed to develop a high-fidelity prototype.
When should I use a low-fidelity prototype?
The popularity of low-fidelity prototyping has increased due to the growing prevalence of design thinking and lean start-up methodologies. These approaches prioritize early validation, minimum viable product solutions teams can iterate on, and a collaborative and responsive user-centred design approach. However, when is the best time to use a low-fidelity prototype?
Low-fidelity prototypes prove most valuable when testing each visual design element. Whether it's workflows, conversion paths, or the placement of visual elements and website engagement, a low-fi prototype helps break down complex processes so you can evaluate how it works.
Low-fidelity prototypes are an ideal tool for product managers and UX designers in the following scenarios:
1. Making design modifications. During the low-fi product testing phase, it is simpler to make changes than later in the design process.
2. Receiving honest feedback. Users tend to provide sincere and valuable feedback based on functionality rather than appearance when presented with low-fi prototypes.
3. Setting realistic expectations. Sketches used in low-fi prototypes have basic designs that can help stakeholders understand that the final product may not be ready for release immediately.
What can you learn from a low-fidelity prototype?
During the initial stages of the design process, a low-fi prototype proves to be an invaluable tool. It provides UX and design teams with a high-level overview, allowing them to concentrate on core functionalities without being distracted by other features. This step is critical before moving on to more detailed hi-fi prototypes.
Creating a low-fidelity prototype can help you in the following ways:
- Test functionality: Review and assess how your functionalities work before focusing on visual aspects or additional features.
- Better understanding of complex designs: Concentrate on user experience fundamentals without distractions. The stripped-back approach allows you to focus entirely on core functions.
- Identify areas for improvement: Visualize high-level designs to understand how they work and identify potential enhancements before further development.
