Effective user feedback : the practical value of mock-ups

In this chapter, we discuss our practical experience of obtaining user participation in the development and design process by focusing on the use of mock-ups within the project environment. A mock-up can be defined as a physical representation (or model) of a technology (or parts of a technology) constructed to investigate aspects of the design. Mock-ups can range from a simple cardboard or foam representation of the design to high-tech working models. In some respects it can be argued that a mock-up is effectively a type of simulator.