
How to Prototype an App in 1 hour: meet POP - Wraecca
http://www.boardofinnovation.com/2013/04/05/how-to-prototype-an-app-in-1-hour-meet-pop/
======
bambax
1\. > _During workshops we don’t have time to learn people how to use
software_

"teach"

2\. The inventor of the PalmPilot used a prototype made of cardboard for
months, to see if it was usable. He would bring it to meetings and "use" it to
take notes like it was the real thing! Here's a pic of one of those prototypes
in the Computer Museum in Palo Alto

[http://bambax.smugmug.com/Other/2012-10Californie/27080082_g...](http://bambax.smugmug.com/Other/2012-10Californie/27080082_gbQz7C#!i=2272103432&k=v2tqR5s&lb=1&s=A)

~~~
ManuVollens
Thx for the feedback and the inspiring example!

------
taude
On being a maker: Most non-designer/non-technical business types I know can
pretty competently use tools like Keynote or Basalmiq Mockups to slap screens
and ideas together. I'm not sure that hand drawing sketches out would be any
faster for them. And then if you're paying for UI stencils to draw...what's
the point? Maybe it's nice to take a break from looking at a computer screen?

If learning Keynote or a tool like Basalmiq is too much of a learning curve,
I'm not sure someone should even be working in the world of app design? I know
non-technical people that downloaded some Keynote templates and were slapping
together ideas in less than an hour after reading some quick tutorials.

Also, as far as mobile prototyping goes, I'm a strong believer of higher-
fidelity mockups since screen real estate is such a premium.

~~~
ams6110
Using drawing software for prototypes has the disadvantage that there is a
temptation to start tweaking nonessential details... fonts, shadows, colors,
obsessing over alignment of widgets, etc.

Pencil and paper doesn't have these problems except for the most anal-
retentive of folks.

------
samirahmed
At a glance, this is a very creative way to fuse the best of digital
prototyping with the spontaneity of hand drawn prototyping.

However I believe that digital linking and editing stages would be easier if
it were on a browser than an iphone.

~~~
lmirosevic
I use pop a lot and its actually really easy and intuitive. Just my opinion.

~~~
stravid
Can I use it on an iPad? For non phone app prototypes an iPhone screen seems
rather small.

------
gfodor
POP is great and I use it not only for hand-drawn sketches but also for
wireframes and comps too. Especially for an iPhone app with clever uses of
comps and transitions you can pretty much demo what the final app is going to
look like before writing any code.

~~~
fakeer
What such options are the for an Android? Do they generate skeleton code?

~~~
focuser
You may want to check out this: <http://jimulabs.com/>

~~~
ManuVollens
Nice! Thx for sharing.

------
dirkdk
I personally prefer Prototyper by Appgyver
(<http://www.appgyver.com/prototyper>), editing your mockups from your
computer with a mouse and keyboard.

------
jayferd
This is my new response to anyone who wants their design to "pop".

------
alok-g
See also: <https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4789281>

------
PAULHANNA84
Seems ok but I would stick with Axure for wireframes and prototyping.

------
seivan
Most good software engineers could probably prototype faster with code either
html or cocoa.

~~~
rpc_was_taken
Really doubt it.

And the idea behind paper prototyping is to be able to discard without regret.
Once you code, you can get attached to your first ideas and not iterate, or
iterate over some arbitrary restriction set by the tools. Paper prototyping
makes it easy to "kill your darlings" without regret.

More than that, the second and probably more important idea is to avoid the
_customer_ to get attached to an un-iterated design, and the "but it's almost
done!" effect that can be devastating when negotiating times.

~~~
WayneDB
I don't doubt it...at least not for desktop or web apps, which are the kind
that I build most of the time.

Just this past Thursday, we found a new task that our call center would have
to perform. I opened Visual Studio, created a new WinForms app and layed out
the UI within 20 minutes. I emailed the screenshots to all the principles and
got responses back within the hour.

------
rikacomet
Hi, a great addition to the HN. I'm currently attending the SW, and since we
are a little down on the developer side of things, I would love to check out
what you shared above.

