+
Prototyping à la Node with ExpressPam Selle
@pamasaurthewebivore.com
+
This is a little talk about prototyping and user testing
+This is a little talk about Express and building quick websites with Node
Hopefully you learn a little something
+
Prototyping
+What is prototyping?
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing
to be replicated or learned from.
Source: ye olde Wikipedia
+
“The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.”
-Linus Pauling
+Playing modes
Idea/Concept
Process/Technique
Replicate/Learn
+Prototypes:
Quick
Make early
Not necessarily pretty
Not permanent
+Prototypes are not:
The first iteration of a project
+Prototyping/wireframing tools
Balsamiq
Justinmind
Mixture.io
Axure
InvisionApp
Adobe Empire (Photoshop, Illustrator …)
… and lots more
+… forget that!
Let’s do it all in JavaScript!
(and HTML/CSS)
+Express.js
Web app framework
Analogous to Sinatra
http://expressjs.com/
+Express.js
Routes
Requests
Views
+Wow!
That sounds good for making a web app prototype.
+
STOPDemo time.
+Cheat to win!
npm install –g express
express [appname]
+Prototyping
Not difficult to build!
Express is pretty nifty
But not always necessary
Nice article on Express Understanding Express.js from Evan Hahn
+
User Testing
+Why user test?
Usability!
The ‘U’s of usability Utility: Does it do what you need? Usability: Ease and pleasure of use Useful: usability + utility
Useful, usable, desirable (Liz Sanders)
Needed, understandable, wanted & enjoyable
You are not your users/audience
+User testing
Test early.
Look for heuristics violations.
Look for anger.
Document.
+Test early
+Look for heuristics violations
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/
+Look for anger
+Document
Take pictures
Take (limited) notes
Then, you iterate.
+User Testing
Do it early
Observe
Document
Great book: Don’t Make Me Think
+Summary
Use prototyping to cheaply produce something to show
Express is a quick, fun way to create apps
User testing is fast, cheap, and you can do it!
+
@pamasaur
thewebivore.com
Thank you!
