Visual Prototyping - (B-E)

In this course we develop your skills for visual thinking and visual prototyping.

The course is partitioned into two major parts:

1) Knowledge and application of basic visualization skills.

You will learn all the basic skills and tools it takes to generate simple visualizations, both physical as well as electronically (using the program “Concepts”).

2) Knowledge and application of visual tools and applications in business for building fast prototypes.

You will learn the underlying logic and background for using fast visualizations in business. This includes an understanding of the setting, the psychology of the audience the choice of visualization and specific visual tools for the business setting.

We will furthermore investigate various options of prototyping and do joint exercises and projects.

The examination consists of

•    four individual “mastery projects” and
•    two group “mastery projects”.

Each mastery project consists of two different parts: 

1)   The visualization – i.e., your structural and visual approach.

2)   A word document or note: This covers your conceptual thoughts and arguments for your choice and approach in your visualization.

These two components shall ensure that whatever visual approach and project you do, you deliver a well-grounded decision that is based on your best analytic decision and skills.

Individual projects: 

Mastery project 1: Database of Business Icons (10%)

You develop a personal database consisting of 20 business icons for your individual use.

Components:

1)     Visual (the icons and icon structure)

2)     Your note

In your note you specify:

·      The field of application for those business icons (e.g. new business development).

·      The specific icons and their meanings.

·      The reasoning for the selection of individual icons and the portfolio.

Mastery project 2: Database of Business Structures (10%)

You develop three personal structures for a sketchbook page or a flipchart or whiteboard page.

These structures must enable you to perform visual thinking in a specific context in a fast and efficient way.

Components:

1)     Visual (the business structures)

2)     Your note

In your note you specify:

• The setting in which the structure is used.
• The logic why the specific structure makes sense in a certain way.

Mastery project 3: Sketchnote (20%)

You develop a sketchnote for an important talk found on the internet (e.g. TedX talks). The sketchnote has an A3 Format and covers elements of structure, content and visuals. It provides the reader with a simple way to understand the talk.

Components:

1)     Visual (the sketchnote)

2)     Your note

In your note you specify:

• Reason for structure.
• Reason for specific choice of content.
• Reason for specific choice of visuals.

Mastery project 4: Persona or Prototype (15%)

You develop a visual prototype for the description of a specific segment, called “persona” or for a prototype.

In this mastery project you need to develop

·      a visual character that represents a target segment of a real company / a prototype that represents your future offering and its characteristis.

·      the information components that further describe that character / prototype (e.g. demographics, pain points, behaviors, features, etc.).

·      the structure for the persona /prototype tool (i.e. what components, what descriptions, what information, etc.).  

 Components:

1)     Visual (the persona/prototype)

2)     Your note

In your note you specify and describe:

·      The content to be included in the description of the segment.

·      The structure and visual representation of the overall appearance and components of the persona.

Group projects

Mastery project 5: Business Tool (25%)

You develop a novel business-related visual prototyping tool that allows the user to perform business processes in a simple and efficient way. A well-known example for such a tool is the business model canvas, a landscape, one-page visual prototype that allows for fast business model prototyping.

Components: 

1)     Visual (the business tool)

2)     Your note

In your note you specify and describe:

• The goal/ambition with the tool.
• The components and their specific functions/contributions.
• How to work with the tool in concrete business settings.

 Mastery project 6: Wireframe Tool (20%)

You develop a visual prototype that helps/assists founders to conceptualize webpages/landing pages and allows for a simple and fast setup of hypothesizing and testing.

You take a case of a real company and 1) analyze 2) re-conceptualize and 3) re-develop an optimum version of their webpage.

Components: 

1)     Visual (all visual components related to the wireframe)

2)     Your note

In your note you specify and describe:

·      The overall functioning and use of the prototype.

·      How it enables and facilitates hypothesizing and testing for the specific case company.

 Grading Criteria:

 For all mastery projects we take the same approach for grading. We look at and evaluate:

·  Underlying reasoning and logic of the visualization (each mastery project needs your reasoning/explanation, i.e., what you specify)

Students will master the transfer of business information into visual representations. 

Relating to MiE objective 1.2. Students will be capable of developing promising novel business ideas and business models:

Students will master the creative and visual aspects of generating novel business models, relating to the use of appropriate visual tools. 

Relating to MiE objective 1.4. Students will be experts in scaling new business (i.e. mastering the operative setup of new business): 

Students will exercise and apply and thereby gain expertise in visual tools to represent the growth of new business. 

Relating to MiE objective 1.5. Students will be experienced in building and maintaining strong teams and partnerships:

Through joint and concrete development of prototyping students will experience teamwork and team building in a very applied and business-like setting.

• Lectures (full day basic skill workshop, full day business visual workshop)
• Class discussions (discussion of current tools and applications of tools)
• Individual mastery projects (including the coaching of individual students for their work)
• Electronic components available via YouTube channels

Mastery project 1: Database of Business Icons (10%)

You develop a personal database consisting of 20 business icons for your individual use.

Specify:

• The field of application for those business icons (e.g. new business development).
• The specific icon and its meaning.
• The reasoning for the selection of individual icons and the portfolio.

Mastery project 2: Database of Business Structures (10%)

You develop three personal structures for a) a sketchbook page and b) a flipchart or whiteboard page.

These structures must enable you to perform visual thinking in a specific context in a fast and efficient way.

Specify:

• The setting in which the structure is used.
• The logic why the specific structure makes sense in a certain way.

Mastery project 3: Sketchnote (20%)

You develop a sketchnote for an important talk found on the internet (e.g. TedX talks). The sketchnote has an A3 Format and covers elements of structure, content and visuals. It provides the reader with a simple way to understand the talk.

Specify:

• Reason for structure.
• Reason for specific choice of content.
• Reason for specific choice of visuals.

Mastery project 4: Persona or Prototype Features (15%)

You develop a visual prototype for the description of a specific segment, called “persona” or for a specific prototype.

You specify and describe:

• The content to be included in the description of the segment or prototype.
• The structure and visual representation of the overall appearance and components of the prototype.

Mastery project 5: Business Tool (25%)

You develop a novel business-related visual prototyping tool that allows the user to perform business processes in a simple and efficient way. A well-known example for such a tool is the business model canvas, a landscape, one-page visual prototype that allows for fast business model prototyping.

You specify and describe:

• The goal/ambition with the tool.
• The components and their specific functions/contributions.
• How to work with the tool in concrete business settings.

Mastery project 6: Wireframe Tool (20%)

You develop a visual prototype that helps/assists founders to conceptualize webpages/landing pages and allows for a simple and fast setup of hypothesizing and testing.

You specify and describe:

• The overall functioning and use of the prototype.
• How it enables and facilitates hypothesizing and testing.

Grading Criteria:

• Underlying reasoning and logic of the visualization (each mastery project needs one page of reasoning/explanation; i.e. what you specify)

• Quality of the visualization (both physical and electronic)
• Use and expertise of visualization skills and tools from the course
• Novelty and innovativeness of the tool
• Relevance of the tool
• Fit of the visualization and the goal/outcome
• Application quality of the visualization (user friendliness)