Low and High-Fidelity Prototypes

When we purchase a product, be it a car, a refrigerator, or a digital product, we expect it to perform its intended function with quality, that is, that it works well. In addition, according to Don Norman in the book Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things, we also expect (often unconsciously) that it reaches three emotional levels: the visceral level, related to appearance; the behavioral level that has to do with pleasure and ability to use; and the reflective level, according to the intellectualization of the product. In this sense, when we are creating a product, a new solution, we need to find out if it actually has the potential to reach these levels and if it will work as imagined. One of the ways to achieve this goal is to have a prototyping stage because with it we can reduce uncertainties. A prototype is a model, a work product created to run tests that serve to validate (or invalidate) solutions and assist in the presentation of value propositions. In software development, the prototype helps us to materialize for the customer what the functionalities of a digital product will be, what its interface will be like, and its user journeys, among others. However, it is necessary to understand that prototypes are not all the same. They have characteristics that vary according to their fidelity to the digital product and, to clarify them, we will now explain the differences between low and high-fidelity prototypes.

Low-Fidelity Prototypes

Imagine this: you have an idea for a new digital product, and it seems to you that it could solve a lot of people’s problems. It can be a new application or even a new system that will make the work of companies in a certain field easier. However, to be sure before making a big investment, you need to plan, test, and evaluate this idea. In this case, a low-fidelity prototype can be one of the ways to start validating and maturing the idea. Its characteristics are:

• Validating basic and initial premises of the product;
• Introducing the idea in a broad manner;
• Containing the main functionalities and user flows;
• Delivering a low degree of aesthetic detail;
• Lack of interaction features – usually not navigable.

Low-fidelity prototypes are widely used by early-stage startups that want to seek investment; and also by internal sectors of companies that need to approve budgets for new products. At SoftDesign, we develop low-fidelity prototypes in Product Conception, a service in which, before developing the software, we explore ideas, understand users better, identify functionalities and choose technologies. We also use low-fidelity prototypes during Software Development as part of the Discovery process for new functionalities in existing products. We use these prototypes as a way to discuss ideas and even validate them within the team itself before going on to refine the solution. In the image below, we can see an example of a low-fidelity prototype, developed by SoftDesign’s UX/UI Designers in the Whimsical tool – for this purpose, we also use Miro. Note that it is much more focused on the functionalities of the digital product – that is, the problem it solves – than on aesthetics.

High-Fidelity Prototypes

Now imagine the following: you’ve discussed your idea a lot, you’ve had more than one cycle of evolution based on qualitative data and benchmarking, and now you want to start user testing. It’s time to create a high-fidelity prototype. High-fidelity prototypes have the following characteristics:

• Faithfully representing the new digital product, both in terms of functionality as well as in aesthetics and behavior;
• Introducing details of operations and their extensions, such as button functionality and possible error returns;
• Containing the possible and different steps taken by users;
• It is usually interactive and navigable.

It is important to note that the high-fidelity prototype is not yet the product itself. For example, if your product is an application, your high-fidelity prototype still doesn’t have code written, nor does it actually work. It is just a way of simulating the operation to test some specific aspects of the solution. High-fidelity prototypes can be used to:

• Define the final version of the UI design that must be applied to the product;
• Test the understanding of the value proposition of the product with real users, or the understanding of the terminology adopted (UX Writing);
•  If it is interactive, test it with real users understanding the flow and interaction between the user and the product.

At SoftDesign, we create high-fidelity prototypes in the Software Development service in two moments: during the Discovery process to test new ideas; or during Refinement, to plan and communicate the UI to everyone involved in the project. In the image below we can see a high-fidelity prototype created by SoftDesign’s UX/UI Designers in the Figma tool. Note that it is already more complete and involves a detailed view of each step taken by the user.

Tests with prototypes

You may still be wondering: do I need a low or high-fidelity prototype? When developing prototypes, the most important thing to keep in mind is that it is a strategy for communication and learning. This means that, in order to choose, you should think about what you want to learn from it: – Do you want to exercise understanding and better communicate a possible solution? Low-fidelity prototypes made on paper may suffice. Or, if you don’t like paper, you can use tools like Miro or Whimsical to create wireframes. – Do you want to test if a solution fits a certain flow, and how the interaction between the user and the product will be? You can do this in low-fidelity by drawing a storyboard, or in high-fidelity with a working prototype. – What if the product is physical? You can test the interaction with it, testing aspects such as size, suitability for use, how it will be handled, and others, by making a low-fidelity cardboard prototype, for example, or a high-fidelity one, in a 3D printer. That is, there is no right or wrong in prototypes, the idea is to use creativity to find the best way to simulate the solution quickly and at a low cost, always focusing on the aspect you want to test and generate learning. Thus, it is possible to reduce uncertainty and risk before actually building the product or functionality. Need help developing your digital product’s prototypes? Fill in the form below, we will contact you soon!

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