Simple prototyping techniquesStoryboarding with PowerPoint

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Diana Laurillard for OLDSMOOC

Storyboarding functionality: example• A different kind of test of functionality makes use of

PowerPoint’s animation functions. For example, it is possible to test how quickly something should move, by observing learner responses.

• This was used to help develop a game for testing children’s response times for a game

• In the game they had to click on the matching rod to make up the 10 width before the falling rod hits the bottom. They see whether their choice matches the gap. If not, the rod dissolves and they can try again at a slower rate.

• The child is asked to point to the correct rod as fast as they can while the observer watches to see which ones they can do.

• This type of very specific prototyping takes only a few minutes to mock up by someone with no programming skills.

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Storyboarding functionality: exampleSpecification

It can be difficult to construct a written description.PowerPoint can be used to explore the design.

View the following slides to see the prototype. (Note if animations do not work on your device a recording is available: use pause and replay if more time is needed to view progress)

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• A rod starts to fall • The learner has to select the correct rod to make a total

of 10 before the first rod hits the bottom. • If the learner gets it right then continue at same speed.

Pair of rods will be inverse of first pair. Speed increases if they get it right again.

• If the learner gets it incorrect, rods dissolve, and they need to repeat the task at reduced speed.

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Case 1: Rod falls. Learner selects wrong match (does not add up to 10).

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Same task but reduced speed.Learner succeeds.

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Then inverse task same speed.

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66 55New task faster speed. Learner fails to make correct match.

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Same task reduced speed.Learner makes correct match.

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