Week 5 · Adaptive Planning Program

23. Rapid Prototyping

30 min

By the end you'll be able to

Create low-fidelity prototypes of intervention components
Use prototypes to communicate design concepts
Iterate rapidly based on early feedback

It is time to move from abstract planning to concrete making. We introduce Rapid Prototyping, a method for creating inexpensive, tangible representations of your services or products before you spend a dime on implementation.

Whether it is paper mockups of apps, storyboards of classes, or role-play scripts, you will learn to build low-fidelity models to test your concepts immediately.

Practice quiz

Question 1
Which of the following best matches the lesson’s definition of a Rapid Prototype?
- A fully coded mobile app submitted to the App Store
- A peer-reviewed journal article describing intended outcomes
- A paper mockup, storyboard, or role-play script used to test a concept before spending on implementation
- A finalized line-item budget with indirect costs included
Question 2
What problem is rapid prototyping designed to solve?
- It eliminates the need for behavioral theory
- It moves teams from abstract planning to concrete making, so concepts can be tested before implementation dollars are spent
- It guarantees that the first version of a program will be effective
- It replaces the role of community partners in design
Reflection 3
Describe one prototype you could build in under a day to test a hypothetical ‘text-message reminder for clinic appointments’ intervention.

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