X-DreamersWHAT YOU WILL PRACTICE
Scope a manual prototype that tests value before a full product is built.
Build around the job
A prototype should let you observe whether a person can achieve one useful outcome. Remove features that do not test that outcome. You may provide the service manually, using a document or spreadsheet rather than new software.
Be honest about how it works
Tell participants what the prototype does, what is manual and what its limits are. Ask only for data you need. A concierge service is a legitimate test when the human involvement is understood.
Measure use and delivery cost
Record whether the person used the result, returned, and what it cost you to deliver. A result that users like can still be too expensive or error-prone to provide. Learning about constraints is part of the test.
IN PRACTICE · ORIGINAL EXAMPLE
Before building a reporting platform, manually produce one weekly report from a volunteer’s non-sensitive sample data. Observe whether they use it in their workflow and measure the time needed to create it.
Do not automate an untested workflow merely because building software is more comfortable than speaking with users.