A role prototype is a type of prototype specifically designed to explore and define the potential functionality of a product or system from the user's perspective, focusing on what the artifact could do for a user.
Understanding Role Prototypes
Based on the provided definition (dated 04-Jan-2019), role prototypes are built primarily to investigate questions of what an artifact could do for a user. Their main purpose is to understand the potential utility and benefits a product might offer its intended audience.
Key Focus: Functionality
The core characteristic of a role prototype is its emphasis on describing the functionality that a user might benefit from. It aims to answer questions like:
- What tasks can this artifact perform?
- How can it help a user achieve their goals?
- What features are essential for its intended purpose?
This type of prototype helps stakeholders visualize and evaluate the core capabilities of a future product without getting bogged down in details of its appearance or technical implementation.
What Role Prototypes Typically De-emphasize
Crucially, role prototypes are built with little attention to how the artifact would look and feel, or how it could be made to actually work. This means:
- Appearance (Look and Feel): Visual design, branding, aesthetics, and the user interface layout are secondary or entirely ignored.
- Technical Implementation: The underlying technology, databases, algorithms, or specific programming details required to build the product are not the focus.
Why Use a Role Prototype?
Role prototypes are valuable in the early stages of product development or design. They allow teams to:
- Validate Concepts: Test whether the proposed functionality aligns with user needs and provides genuine value.
- Explore Possibilities: Brainstorm and evaluate various potential features and capabilities.
- Communicate Core Value: Clearly demonstrate the main purpose and benefits of the product to stakeholders.
- Gather Feedback: Get early input on the usefulness of the concept before investing in detailed design or engineering.
Role Prototype vs. Other Prototypes
Unlike look-and-feel prototypes (which focus on visual design) or implementation prototypes (which test technical feasibility), a role prototype prioritizes the purpose and actions the product enables for the user.
While a simple sketch or a detailed user story can function as a basic form of a role prototype, more complex versions might involve:
- Interactive flowcharts
- Scenario descriptions
- Simple click-through wireframes that illustrate functionality steps
Essentially, anything that effectively communicates the functionality and user benefit without detailing the interface or underlying technology can serve as a role prototype.
