One MVP builder based on group instructions

Category: Prototype
Author: Ilse Fraussen, Annelies Schrooten
Facilited by the teacher
Build the solution bases on clear instructions by the team.
90 min.
10-40 students 2-15 groups
A virtual whiteboard, breakout rooms and creative materials

Steps

1. The group sums up the general idea which came out of the ideation phase. What is the idea? What are the main characteristics, features, …?
2. Then the team members discuss their prototyping skills in their project groups. Who has
expertise in e.g. 3D or graphic design programs, who is a good cartoonist, …
3. The person with expertise in one of these ‘designing’ skills shares his screen with the graphic design program. He/She can use different apps/design programs like gamification tools (eg. classcraft), creating storyboards (eg. pixton), tools for drawing (sketchup, autocad, paint, canva) of even j.ust a whiteboard, and waits for the instructions of the group to start drawing or building.
4. The group gives clear instructions to the designer what he/she has to draw or build, taking into account the characteristics, must-haves and nice-to-haves which came out of the ideation phase. One instruction at a time, every group member has to take turns in giving instructions. If necessary, the oral explanation can be supported by sketches or pictures pasted on the shared whiteboard (‘has to look a bit like this…’)
5. One instruction by one, the designer is building or conceptualizing the prototype or MVP (Minimum Viable Product).
6. When every group member has added an instruction to the MVP, a second round of instructions can be started.
7. After the MVP or protype is – according to the whole group – finished, the group can start working on the realisation and communication (next element of the digital Atom Model).

Reflection

The activity could be done using online tools such as Padlet, virtual whiteboard. If there are
graphic design skills available within the group, a specialised graphic design program can be used
(e.g. classcraft, pixton, sketchup, autocad, canva, paint, …).