"Get real!": what's wrong with hci prototyping and how can we fix it?

Abstract

A prototype of computing technology.as a means to evaluate and communicate a good idea.is often an essential step towards useful, shipping products and towards a deeper understanding of what people really need. Prototyping and user evaluation can be enormously expensive and failure rates are high. Moreover, prototype user evaluations are often far from real with respect to user representatives, tasks, and measures. But to.get real. in HCI prototyping and evaluations risks placing even greater (more unrealistic) demands upon the HCI researcher. Do very real costs and constraints force HCI prototyping to the margins? Can we change acceptable HCI prototyping methods, helping HCI prototyping "get real," in both its conduct and in the implications of its results.