IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION, VOL. 47, NO. 4, DECEMBER 2004 335

Carolyn Snyder

Paper Prototyping: The Fast and Easy Way to Design

and Refine User Interfaces

Book Review—Reviewed by

AMBER LANCASTER

Index Terms—Paper prototyping, usability case studies, usability testing, user-centered design.

Paper prototyping highlights cost-effective usabilitytesting techniques that produce fast results forimproving an interface design. Practitioners andstudents interested in the design, development, andsupport of user interfaces will appreciate Snyder’s textfor its focus on practical information and application.This book’s best features are the real life examples,anecdotes, and case studies that the author presentsto demonstrate the uses of paper prototyping andits many benefits. While the author advocates paperprototyping, she also notes that paper prototypingtechniques are one of many usability evaluationmethods and that paper prototyping works best onlyin certain situations. Snyder reminds her readers thatpaper prototyping does not produce precise usabilitymeasurements, but rather it is a “blunt instrument”that rapidly uncovers qualitative information fromactual users performing real tasks (p. 185). Hence,this book excludes in-depth theoretical discussionsabout methods and validity, but its pragmaticdiscussion on test design prepares the practitioner fordealing with several circumstances and making sounddecisions based on testing method considerations.

What is paper prototyping? While the term has beenused in various ways, paper prototyping is largelydefined as the technique of usability testing the paperversion of an interface. Actual users perform tasksusing the paper prototype, which is manipulated bya person acting as the computer. Information aboutthe user’s interactions and problems encounteredare used to change the prototype for testing thenext iteration. According to Snyder, “In its broadestsense, paper prototyping can be considered a method

Manuscript received June 17, 2004; revised June 20, 2004.The reviewer is with Usability Research Lab.,Deaprtment of English, Texas Tech. University,Lubbock, TX 79409 USA(email: amber.lancaster@ttu.edu).

IEEE DOI 10.1109/TPC.2004.837973

Book Publisher: San Francisco, CA: Morgan Kaufmann,2003, 378 pp. with index.

of brainstorming, designing, creating, testing, andcommunicating user interfaces” (p. 3). While theauthor offers a more elusive definition and widerscope than other usability experts, she pinpoints theessence of paper prototyping—it combines severaltechniques to produce data about user interfaces asearly as possible in the development of a design.

Paper prototyping is divided into four main sectionsdesigned as independent units with related content.As a result, readers can enter the text in anysection and use information without having readother chapters. This flexibility makes the text moreaccessible for experienced usability practitioners, yetthe continuity between units permits a linear readingand a natural progression of knowledge that novicelearners will appreciate. Furthermore, the text’sorganization is ideal for quick reference. Usabilitypractitioners may find this text a useful resourcefor assembling proposals and test plans to gainmanagerial acceptance for a usability testing project.

Part One, “Introduction to Paper Prototyping,” consistsof four chapters that cover introductory material. Thissection explains the concept of paper prototyping,provides a brief historical background, and thenbegins to explore paper prototyping at greater length.Perhaps the most beneficial sections of Part One,Chapters 2 and 4, offer readers tangible models andexplicit instructions from which to construct a paperprototype. Chapter 2, “Case studies,” presents arange of issues from actual paper prototype studiesconducted at several companies, including TheMathWorks, Centra, Priceline.com, and Pingtel. Theauthor addresses paper prototyping interfaces forsoftware, web application, e-commerce, small-screendisplays, and touch screens. Chapter 4, “Making apaper prototype,” informs readers about tools andmaterials required to build a paper prototype andillustrates, with examples, how to create interfacewidgets. After reading Part One of Paper Prototyping,readers will have a solid understanding of what paperprototyping is and how to construct one.

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336 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION, VOL. 47, NO. 4, DECEMBER 2004

Part Two, “Process: Conducting a Usability Studywith Paper Prototypes,” is the core section of thistext and consists of seven chapters. This sectionassumes that readers have decided to use paperprototyping for usability testing on a real projectand provides an in-depth look at the process ofconducting a usability study. It discusses an arrayof topics, including who to involve in the planningstages, how to create well-defined and appropriatetasks, how to conduct a valid and ethical test, andhow-to interpret test results, among other issues.From this section, practitioners will gain “how to”information, and students will obtain valuable insightabout the process. Largely, this section serves as aninstructional resource.

Chapter 5, “Planning a usability study with apaper prototype,” starts with an overview of projectconsiderations and then delves into each. Topicsdiscussed include holding a meeting with teammembers, determining the goals of the test, designingtasks, recruiting members, and conducting thetest, to name a few. While the chapter presentsa lot of information to be absorbed, the authorprovides an excellent resource that captures all ofthe considerations in one table. This table is animportant feature of Chapter 5 because it helpsreaders to comprehend the complexity of planning ausability test and the many people needed to makeit a success. One shortcoming, however, is thatthis chapter fails to mention conflict between teammembers that can often increase planning time andcomplicate collaboration. Consequently, a studentreader may develop misconceptions about the easeof creating a test when working with managers,marketers, technical writers, graphic designers,programmers, etc. Some discussion on workingwith cross-functional teams and workplace decisionmaking processes would help depict the complexitythat conflict between team members can add to ausability study.

The remaining chapters of this section build onconcepts discussed in Chapter 5. In Chapters 6 and7, “Task design” and “Preparing the prototype,” theauthor shows careful consideration for the novicelearner by providing ample details and examples fordesigning good tasks and an acceptable prototype.Chapters 8–10 focus on conducting the usability testand address issues such as roles and responsibilitiesof the facilitator, legal matters, and users’ responsesto working with a paper prototype. The author pointsout, for example, that preparing users for paperprototyping may differ from other usability testingmethods because it is “an inherently visual andkinesthetic activity” and may be more awkward tousers (p. 203). To prepare users for the awkwardnessof using a paper prototype, the author suggests

that the facilitator explain the concept behind theimaginary computer, how interactions will occur, andthe roles of testing staff. With such thoroughness,Part Two offers one of the better treatments writtenon specific details of usability testing.

Part Three, “Deciding Whether to Use Paper,” isextremely helpful for determining the best applicationsfor paper prototyping and whether or not it is anappropriate method for a given situation. Part Threewill also satisfy the more academic reader because itpresents research and introduces some theoreticaland ethical questions about paper prototyping.Chapter 12, “What paper is (and isn’t) good for,”explains the four dimensions of a prototype: breadth,depth, look, and interaction. This chapter provides adecision checklist based on categories of questionsand goals of testing. Chapter 13, “The politics ofpaper prototyping,” looks at four main issues thatusability professionals must deal with: validity, bias,professionalism, and resources. This chapter providesinformation about political constraints encounteredwhen using paper prototypes and offers suggestionsfor overcoming skepticism. Chapter 14, “When touse paper,” expands on the information in Chapters12 and 13, but focuses on specific circumstancesof a project that could determine whether or notpaper prototyping should be employed. Overall, PartThree offers readers supplementary, yet valuable,information about the kinds of problems that mayexist when using paper prototyping.

Part Four, “Broadening the Focus,” while brief,situates paper prototyping within the larger scope ofuser-centered design. This section consists of twochapters: Chapter 15, “Examples of user-centereddesign,” and Chapter 16, “Final thoughts.” Thissection offers readers insight into other usabilityevaluation methods and provides additionalreferences and resources on usability testing. In thisfinal section, the author emphasizes the ways inwhich several usability evaluation methods can worktogether to optimize user feedback.

Overall, this text is an excellent reference forpractitioners and students alike. It would beespecially ideal for a novice learner of usabilitytesting with paper prototypes and/or for use inan introductory course in usability testing orhuman–computer interaction. Paper prototypingprovides exemplary case studies and instructionalmaterials from which its readers can design paperprototypes and conduct usability testing. It offersa broad enough scope to cover design, methods,applications, justifications, and political concernsassociated with paper prototyping, yet its scope isnarrow enough not to overwhelm the newcomer.