A.1 What is a Prototype?
A. What is a Prototype?
B. Meet Taylor Moreland
Taylor Moreland grew up on a farm in Missouri. He became a prototype designer to help his son, Brody. Brody was born with a spinal cord deficit called spina bifida, which means he can’t move his body below his chest. Taylor wanted Brody to be able to move around and play with toys – like any other kid his age – but there wasn’t a device that helped young kids do this…so he made one! He created the Frog and it has helped not only Brody to move around, but other kids like him! Taylor not only took action to solve a problem to help his son, but ended up helping many other kids with spina bifida and other mobility issues.
Can you find Missouri?
C. Being a Designer
D. Designing a Prototype
A prototype is a physical mock-up of a solution to a problem. As Taylor said in the video, it is not meant to be perfect or pretty, it is just to show your idea.
To develop a prototype, designers usually go through the following steps (although not all do!):
- Problem: Identify a problem and think up a product that would solve this problem.
- Sketch: Create a concept sketch.
- Build: Develop a prototype.
- User Test: Test your prototype with users to see if your design works like you planned.
- Adjust: Refine your prototype based on user testing.
Check out the photo on the right of the Frog that Taylor created! Was it what you pictured in your mind after watching the video above?
Even though Taylor didn’t have any formal training, he went through these steps when creating the Frog! How do you think growing up on a farm helped to prepare Taylor for this?
Taylor wants to help other kids like Brody – even if their parents don’t have enough money to pay for it. He donates a Frog to any child who needs one. Not only is Taylor taking action by designing a product for kids who use their upper bodies to move around, but he is also donating to those in need!
For this project, you will also take action by designing a prototype that solves a problem!
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