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Chapter 4. Developing Applications in Cooperation: X’treme Prototyping
4.4 Discussion and Conclusion
We have introduced the X’treme Prototyping approach that aims to synthesize the
strengths of existing design and development approaches. In particular, the main
focus is to find an explicit balance between user-involvement and a far-reaching,
innovative achievement. As such, the ultimate goal of the X’treme Prototyping
approach is to define features, principles, and future needs in cooperation with user.
An evolving pool of ideas is generated and evaluated in order to create innovative
applications that radically depart from today’s work practices. This is the main
di erence to other approaches: In the case of X’treme Prototyping there is no specific
problem to be solved, it is rather about finding and interesting problems and to define
appropriate and compelling solutions.
Though prototyping is not new as such, X’treme Prototyping has distinct features
from other existing approaches:
Prototyping in general has been established as a useful tool for testing first ver-
sions of a final product. Our use of X’treme Prototypes are rather used for
experimenting with concepts that are not necessarily part of the final concept.
Furthermore, our focus is on revealing innovative aspects covering features of
a final product. As such X’treme Prototyping attracts and inspires through
embodied stimulation of ideas instead of representing incremental improve-
ments that lead to a final product. Product development could be a natural
consecutive step, but we see X’treme Prototyping before that.
Low/-fidelity prototyping tries to simulate the features of a final product. X’treme
Prototypes actually may be either low-fidelity or high-fidelity, since the fi-
delity is dependent on the audience’s background. The common mission of
low-fidelity prototyping and X’treme Prototyping is to enhance communica-
tion between stakeholders and developers and to follow an iterative process.
X’treme Prototypes focus on innovative developments and not on balancing
requirements with resources for a final product.
Rapid prototyping is a quick product demonstration, a mock-up of a final shape.
It may be applied for X’treme Prototyping if the focus remains open for re-
vealing new ideas and solution.
Testbed is a fixed test environment that fixates and justifies the chosen technology
for a product. X’treme Prototypes are rather a collection of toys that represent
bits and pieces to ground ideas in reality and to extrapolate from a given status.
As such, X’treme Prototypes initiate a development process, whereas testbeds
aim at finalizing a development.
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