Lab5-cct333

Bodystorming is an 'art form' which helps with the design of a product or service by placing it within the context that it will be used. Basically, it allows the designer(s) to observe how an idea would be used in real life circumstances which can provide valuable insights into the design process that may otherwise not be noticed. There are 3 types of bodystorming: 1) Working in the place or space the product will be used, 2) Strong Prototyping, and 3) Use-case theater.

Working in the place or space a product will be used allows the designer to notice the real world circumstances around using a product/service in the context it would normally be used for it's intended purposes. Sometimes the real world circumstances may go unnoticed if designing behind closed doors, so this method can potentially bring out the non-obvious and often subtle situations that could play a big part in the design.

Strong prototyping is similar to working in the space a product will be used, except the environment the product will be used is prototyped. For example if deisigning a new product that improves the efficiency of a waiters or waitresses job, one would setup a prototypical restaurant with tables, booths, perhaps some narrow hallways. Then the new product can be tested in the prototyped environment with is a depiction of the real one.

Use-case theater is similar to strong prototyping since it uses a prototyped environment with props and actors, however this type of bodystroming is more concerned with evaluation rather than design. By this stage a product has been designed and is put to test in a simulated environment which resembles the real one. This gives the designers an opportunity to evaluate and make any design revisions which may become obvious after a use-case theater.

Bodystorming excersice is on my lab partners wiki: http://monika1514.wikispaces.com/Lab+5