Abstract
This paper describes a visually-oriented, iterative methodology for the design of human-computer interfaces. It focuses on the implementation of an interactive electronic information kiosk, the “CHI ′89 InfoBooth.” Throughout the system's design, the interdisciplinary project team concentrated on using visual materials to simulate the user's experience, rather than on writing text specifications.
The paper discusses the role played by visual design in three phases of the system's development. It first describes how the use of “visual placeholders” — sketchy drawings conveying interface ideas — facilitated early design explorations. Next, it shows how “storytelling prototypes” were used to refine ideas before rigorous programming was undertaken. Finally, it describes how problems uncovered during informal user testing of functional prototypes were corrected by seemingly small changes to the interface's appearance. Specific visual examples are provided throughout.
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