Paper prototype testing is useful for testing your concept with a sample of intended users, at an early stage of development.
It can be very helpful in establishing how well you have understood your market, their requirements from your app, and your alignment with their thought processes. This can be a relatively straightforward exercise, however, certain situations can dictate that a face to face meeting is not an economically viable option, and so it could be useful to conduct the exercise remotely.
Some good examples would be when testing cultural differences, or where location/setting (that the developer doesn’t have easy access to) plays a significant role within your app.
My “Breakout!” concept could be tested using a video link to a classroom, as this is where the app is intended to be used. Students would be in an environment that is familiar to them, eliminating any potential intimidation or nervousness ( which could skew prototype testing results) that an unfamiliar environment might present for them.
While doing some further reading around the subject of remote paper prototype testing, I came across “Morae“, a software tool that facilitates the process. The software basically captures the test session on video, and enables the tester to add notes on the session and the findings. The entire package can then be easily shared with other members of the development team and other stakeholders.
The paper also covers the use of Google glass, but I believe that glass is no longer in use.
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