The Role of Feedback in Design
- Feedback is essential for refining designs, ensuring they meet user needs and function effectively.
- It provides insights into:
- Usability: How easily can users interact with the design?
- Functionality: Does the design perform its intended purpose?
- Aesthetics: Is the design visually appealing to the target audience?
- Feasibility: Can the design be realistically produced within constraints?
Feedback is not just about identifying flaws, it's a tool for discovering opportunities to enhance a design.
Types of Feedback Gathered:
- Quantitative: Task times, error rates, force measurements, etc.
- Qualitative: Opinions on look, feel, ease of use, and preference.
Choose the prototype type that best aligns with your feedback goals. For example, use physical prototypes for ergonomic testing and CAD models for structural analysis.
Don't rely on a single type of prototype for all feedback. Different stages and aspects of design require different approaches.
