A prototype is initial sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or idea or just to learning from. In software development, prototyping is often basic working model of product or system for demonstration purposes. The word itself derives from from Greek prototypon “a first or primitive form”, more info about the etymology of the word can be found here.

UI Prototyping

User Interface(UI) prototyping is analysis technique in which users are actively involved with their feedback to help the developers/designers to improve the system UI design and experience. Below we will describe the steps involved in that process and examine the logic behind every step in the process.

In the flowchart above you see the following steps for mentioned process:
Step 1. Determine the needs of your users and improve their experience by deciding how to evolve the essential parts of your UI.

What is Ingress?

Ingress is location-based augmented reality game for iOS and Android. With interesting and long story behind it. During 2012 researchers in CERN discover that the Earth was seeded with “Exotic Matter”, or XM. This substance has been associated with the Shapers, a mysterious phenomenon or alien race which is neither described nor seen.

Тwo factions emerge after this, The Enlightened who believe that their actions will lead the humanity next chapter in it’s evolution and The Resistance who believes that it’s protecting the humanity from Shapers influence.

The game play consists of capturing “portals” at places of cultural significance or historical sites, for example: public art, landmarks, monuments, etc., by deploying resonators at neutral (white/gray) or friendly portals, or using Bursters to take down enemy portals.

How to play is out of the scope of this post, but if you choose to install the game you will be presented with short tutorial.

TL;DR: It’s giant game of Capture the Flag 🙂

Why I play Ingress?