Day Four: Prototype
What is the prototype mode?
According to the d.school bootcamp bootleg, prototyping is getting ideas and explorations out of your head and into the physical world. To prototype your students must:
Prototyping is a design language. To prototype is to make; more specifically, it is to make something in a physical form. It can be rough, like a cardboard fold-up chair, or a 3D printed model. Through this process, the students keep making, learning, and refining their solution. They should make their prototypes rapidly to allow themselves to learn quickly and investigate a lot of different possibilities. |
Objectives
- Students will build multiple rough prototypes by using 3D printing tools as well as physical items.
- Students will decide on and refine solutions.
- Students will build final prototypes to showcase their solutions, and be ready for testing.
Materials
- 3D printers
- 3d modeling software
(Classroom design, Space design, IKEA, others)
- Wood shop in XART building
Lesson Plan
- Have students give presentations summarizing their ideas from the day three's ideate mode. (10 minutes for each presentation). Allow time for Q&A.
- Have students watch "Design for people, not awards" video by Timothy Prestero.
- Lead a brief discussion about the video. Link this to today's activity: How to prototype for real people and solve real problem.
- Provide a brief introduction of wood shop and safety rules.
- Introduce different materials and tools students can use for prototyping. Invite students to do further research, and encourage students to use more than one method.
- Have students break into groups and begin making prototypes. Remind students they should gather feedback throughout the day, and continue refining their prototypes.
- Offer constructive criticism and remind them that they will present their refined prototype the following morning.
Resources | Examples for students
Explore old/used/reusable materials
Reference: Guerilla Furniture Design
The book features 35 simple, inexpensive projects made from salvaged and recycled materials. Some materials are found items such as cardboard, metal, plastic, and wood. Many of the projects shown in this book are stackable and portable, most can be make in a day or tow. This can be a great resource for students to build something in the wood shop. Each project comes with a detailed instruction. It includes not only how to assemble the item, but also how to disassemble the item. You can repurpose the materials any time you want. |
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Building with reclaimed material
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Explore new materials
Finding new materials to work with
Explore existing materials
Sample prototypes