A Dude & His Prototype Philosophy: A Love Story

#sxsw #AloveStory

Most people have had some experience prototyping in one form or another and could likely describe it and its value with little effort.
However, after years of prototyping from dotcoms to IBM to frog design and now cultivating a formal practice on prototyping at Mutual Mobile, getting consensus on a proper definition, its full value, and where/when it can be used all have been challenging.
But all agree that it is crucial and worthy of a similar set of documented best practices as any production-level work.
This session will "help" define the practice (it will need to match your own company culture and objectives).

I'll describe the spectrum of prototypes and overly often interchangeable terms (simulation, prototype, lean UX, spike).
I'll map varying types, values across differing disciplines, and how activities evolve over phases.
And most importantly, I'll outline the approach from vetting, honing scope, and transitioning to production (with learnings but no code).

Presenters

Jeff Wilson

Consulting Architect

Whole Foods Market

Sculpting (particularly in bronze and/or sausage); expert chef; part time farmer; triple time dad; Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys, and any knock-off version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (yeah, I said it); grass-fed beef; roaring pit fires and slow, gentle hickory smoke; most things that go bump in the night; and while the Mrs. shamelessly thinks an oaky, buttery Chard like Parducci goes with anything, I feel a fruity bouquet of a quality, full Penfolds is both reasonably priced and goes better with lamb or duc. That said, due to my super-macho exterior I must publicly push a wicked local 512 IPA. And I am mighty handy with a nail gun to boot. Did I mention I built my own house?

Oh, and I also have been developing software for 17+ years. Look me up on LinkedIn. Dotcoms, IBM, frog, Mutual Mobile. Lot of architecting, talking, drawing pretty pictures. Oh, I do have a bunch of patents. IBM made me a "Master Inventor". Not super relevant but interesting banter at cocktail parties.