I was more tweaked with Forrester for not putting context around the statement – I am in total agreement that technology has basically ignored design (and even worse, they have largely ignored the end user). But I have also been a part of many projects where we were brought in to implement a design that another team has created, only to find out that the designers never considered technological challenges.

I guess where the pendulum sits has a lot to do with perspective – if we are working with IT or a system integrator, we do not see nearly enough thought put into design; if we are working with marketing or a creative agency, we do not see tech involved soon enough

Of course, balance is needed, and programmers should be part of the design team from day one – as should business people. But if you hang your project’s hat on starting in on prototyping, statistically speaking, your prototypes will always evolve into your product. You will explore far fewer alternatives that you would using a design-based approach, and at best, you will get a competent implementation of a sub-optimal design.

Personally speaking, I invested too much energy, time, and sleep deprivation in graduate school in computer science to waste the resulting skills on second rate designs.

Programming is essential. It is just not sufficient. And, until we make a strong break from the past, we will just proceed into the future using the same old techniques at worst, or minor tweaks, at best. Our users deserve better, as do the skills of the programmer.

There’s always a place for Photoshop mocks, especially when quickly iterating through aesthetic approaches. But for interaction models… Nothing beats the insights you gain through iterating on an actual prototype. Both in terms of what you learn while actually making it and playing with it, but also how early and often you can put it in front of people and enjoy real observation.

I have done paper prototypes before. I don’t plan on ever doing them again. They had a place, in their time, but for me, that time has past.

That being said, one of my favorite design tools is still my whiteboard… ;) (But that is also a big indication of workflow – sketches are ephemeral. Often times, the design IS the prototype.)