Rapid Prototyping:An Alternative Instructional Design StrategyS. D. Tripp and B. Bichelmeyer (1990)

A Practical DiscussionWhat is it?Why use it?Why does it work?What does it look like?What are the pitfalls?Why doesnt everyone use it?

Rapid PrototypingWhat Is It?Tripps Model of Rapid Prototyping:Design methodologyApplicable to instructional design for computer-based instructionExtend into a new domainRoots from engineering design:scientific approachphased -state modelPrototypingtesting ideasmock-upRapid prototyping. In a design process, early development of a small-scale prototype used to test out certain key features of the design.

Classical approach to software development -- the waterfall cycleconcept definition requirements definition preliminary design detailed design code implementation test and acceptance [griping]

Rapid prototyping -- the spiral cycle:

concept definition implementation of a skeletal system user evaluation and concept refinement implementation of refined requirements user evaluation and concept refinement implementation of refined requirements etc., etc., in a continuous cycle.

What is it?DetermineFeasibilityStudy PresentSystemDefinePrototypeBuildPrototypeExercisePrototypeConvertInstallSet ObjectivesConstruct Prototype(Design)Utilize Prototype(Research)Install and Maintain SystemAssess Needs andAnalyze ContentPrototyping Approach to Software DesignThe Rapid PrototypingISD Model

Why use it?Traditional Designextensive documentation but doesnt reduce communication problems.thorough, but doesnt please users.ID phases but doesnt decrease project time.tracks project cost but doesnt reduce them.describes system but doesnt guarantee its the right system.Rapid Prototyping:users can try out the system, discover problems, provide input.pleases users.reduces development time.reduces development costs.produces the right system for the designated task.

Rapid Prototyping May Be Done1. to test out a user interface; 2. to test the database structure and flow of information in a training system; 3. to test the effectiveness and appeal of a particular instructional strategy; 4. to develop a model case or practice exercise that can serve as a template for others; 5. to give clients and sponsors a more concrete model of the intended instructional product; 6. to get user feedback and reactions to two competing approaches.

Rapid Prototyping Why Does It Work?Requires the Appropriate Medium (Tools):computer softwarewith modularitywith plasticityAppropriate Medium Examples:HyperCardPowerPointHTMLother object-oriented computer programs

An example of rapid prototyping

First pass:http://www.umich.edu/~aaps/OLDozA lot of text, kids don't want to read this much text off of a computer screenSecond attempt:http://www.umich.edu/~aaps/disaster/dszt_wel.htm More graphics in this one. Third generation:http://www.umich.edu/~aaps/mygeology/ This version goes to an opening imagemap, rather than text.

First version

Second version

Third version

Different views about RPRapid prototyping should include all the required database, the major program modules, screen displays, and inputs and outputs for the interacting systems. (Tripp, Bichelmeyer)Tessmer (1994) also considers rapid prototyping to be a working part of the final product, Jones, Li, and Merrill (1992) say that rapid prototyping is essentially a feasible version of the final product.

Different views about RPOn the other hand, Dorsey, Goodrum, and Schwen (1995) define rapid prototyping as a graphic cartoon of the possible solutions that will be incorporated into the basic functional components, Boling and Frick (1998) use the term rapid holistic prototype because the prototyping will be rapid but not include everything that the final version will contain. Hence, Dorsey, Goodrum, and Schwen (1995), as well as Boling and Frick (1988), emphasize the earlier versions of prototyping rather than other researchers.

Rapid PrototypingWhat Are the Pitfalls?Can lead to a design-by-repair philosophy.Does not eliminate front-end analysis.Cannot substitute for a paper analysis.Some ISD principles may not be addressed.May lead to premature commitment.Creeping featurism may lead to designs that are out of control!

Rapid PrototypingWhy Doesnt Everyone Use It?Rapid prototyping methodology represents a paradigmatic shift in understanding the nature and purpose of the field of instructional design.

Similarities and Differences of Formative Evaluation and RP

Formative evaluation

Rapid prototyping

Purpose

S

Quality Control

D

Error finding

Revision

Improvement of quality

Revision

Validation

Formative + Summative evaluation

Effective-

ness and Efficiency

S

Both intend to increase effectiveness and efficiency of design process

D

Low sensitivity to time

Medium sensitivity to cost

High sensitivity to speedy

High sensitivity to low investment during initial designs

User Involve-ment

S

Both require adequate number of users with a range of experiences

D

Users as testees

Short period of involvement

Collaboration of experts, designers, and users

Designer and users as partners

Long-term, continuous involvement

Collaboration of users and designers

Process

S

Gradual revision and refinement process

D

Linear, Systematic

From simple to complex testing methods

Normative design

Non-linear iterations

Systemic

Discovery design

S= Similarities, D= Differences

Contrast Between RP and Traditional ID on Selected Factors

Factor

Conventional ID

Rapid Prototyping

Time and effort devoted to goal specification

High

Medium

Amount of initial task and hierarchical analysis

High

Low

Amount of initial detailed design specification

High

Low

Cost of first prototype

High

Low

Completeness of first prototype

High

Low

Number of iterative tryouts

Low

High

Amount of revision expected to be needed after first tryout

Low

High

Amount of user input to design

Low

High

Difference of final product from initial specifications

Low

Medium/High

Project Step oneFind the topicAnalysis (Submit a report)needs, analysislearner analysiscontent/task analysisstatement of the general goalPedagogical approach and justification for the approach You have 2 weeks to finish the analysis

At very early stages of planning, a small-scale prototype is built that exhibits key features of the intended system. This prototype is explored and tested in an effort to get a better handle on the requirements of the larger system. The prototype is then scrapped as designers start over and build the larger-scale system. This process is called rapid prototyping. Its advantage is that it allows for tryout of key concepts at early stages when costs are small and changes more easily made.

It is hierarchical, linear and sequential processin the linear, hierarchical features of the conventional ISD model, the predefined steps affects the following steps activity. For example usually, formative evaluation starts after the prototype is developed. The user does not hear from the designer until the pilot test. Thus, there is not much allowance for the formative evaluation team to revise the pilot materials or product because they joined after the design team developed the product Rapid prototyping, a design process used in software design, has been put forth as an alternative model that addresses many weaknesses of the conventional ISD model, it quickly builds and evaluates a series of prototypes. Prototypes may be shallow or narrow: shallow in the sense that the entire look of a product is replicated minus some functionality, or narrow in the sense that a small segment is completed with all functionality, leaving other whole portions of the final product undeveloped.

Prototyping can be relevant to all kinds of training development projects, but its value is most apparent in the design of computer-based systems. Easy-to-use authoring programs such as HyperCard or ToolBook are commonly used as prototyping tools because of their power and flexibility.Note the huge amount of text here, compared to graphics. Designers quickly discovered that kids don't want to read this much text off of a computer screen.

More graphics in this one. Note the much smaller logo at the top of the page. Screen space is at a premium in the schools. It's easy to lose sight of that when working from the university.

This version goes to an opening imagemap, rather than text. Our field observations of the prototypes told us this might work, and when we put this prototype in place, we found that students did make some use of it.

"The main disadvantage of prototyping can be summed up in one complaint that is easy to imagine: it has a tendency to encourage informal design methods which may introduce more problems than they eliminate.This failure can be avoided if the following issues are kept in mind:Prototyping can lead to a design-by-repair philosophy, which is only an excuse for lack of discipline. Prototyping does not eliminate the need for front-end analysis. It cannot help if the situation is not amenable to instructional design. A prototype cannot substitute completely for a paper analysis. There may be many instructional design problems which are not addressed bv prototyping. Prototyping may lead to premature commitment to a design if it is not remembered that a design is only a hypothesis. When prototyping an instructional package, creeping featurism (the adding of bells and whistles) may lead to designs that get out of control."

rapid prototyping follows the principles of pragmatic design, namely, minimum commitment, at each stage in synthesizing a design no commitment is to be made beyond what is absolutely necessary to solve the problem at hand future ISD will move from a linear, analytical approach to a holistic, synthetic one that places more emphasis on understanding and accommodating the entire design context.