🧰 Design Methods Toolbox

# High Fidelity Prototype

# Phase: 🛠️ Problem solving
Focus: Prototype

IN BRIEF

Time commitment: 2 or more days, depending on complexity of prototype
Difficulty: Moderate/difficult
Materials needed: Prototyping tools (Sketch, InVision, Adobe XD, etc), feedback forum (physical or virtual)
Who should participate: User experience designers, visual designers, product/project owners, developers
Best for: Iterating on low-fidelity prototypes and preparing for user testing

# About this tool

High-fidelity prototypes represent some of the final stages in the prototyping and testing process; you've moved through enough satisfactory iterations at a lower level of detail that you're almost — but not quite — ready to create a production build. High-fidelity prototypes are close enough to reality that it's sometimes difficult to tell the difference; often, this can be a negative in terms of those who test your prototypes not understanding that information and presentation is still entirely malleable, but this can actually be a plus at the end stage of a prototyping exercise because it enables you to glean testers' insights with a great degree of applicability fo the final product. (This does mean that your testers will be more likely to comment on superficial details — which is hopefully desirable at this point in your process!)

Because they're so close to "done", high-fidelity prototypes move past tools such as PowerPoint and pen/paper to include the polished look (including colors, fonts, branding, and imagery) facilitated by tools such as Sketch, InVision, or even working directly in code. As a result, they usually take much longer to build than low-fidelity prototypes, and your team does run the risk of being reluctant to consider major changes as a result. With this in mind, move to high-fidelity prototyping only when you're reasonably sure that you won't undergo significant rework of fundamental concepts — or if your testing does call for this later, be willing to accept the need for change.

Finally, remember that even when you're at the high-fidelity stage, prototypes can still fail — and that's OK. If you're in a position of leadership or in direct influence of leadership, be sure to continue to convey the message that even "failed" prototypes represent progress.

← Low-fidelity prototype →