Technovation Waterloo recently held its second in-person workshop of the season at the University of Waterloo. From 10 AM to 3PM, participants spent the day moving their projects into an exciting new phase which was prototyping their app ideas and beginning early user testing.
The workshop opened with a presentation on paper prototyping and testing led by Sandra Loop from SAP. Participants were introduced to the idea of building simple, visual models of their apps before development began. Paper prototyping allows teams to experiment with layout, user flow, and functionality while identifying improvements in the early design process.
Following the presentation, teams transitioned into dedicated working time where they began creating their own prototypes! Using sketches and paper mock-ups, participants designed the structure of their apps, mapped out how users would navigate different screens, and explored how their features could effectively address the problem they had identified.
One of the most engaging parts of the day was testing paper prototypes in small groups! Teams shared their designs with one another and observed how other participants interacted with their prototypes. This process helped students see their apps from a user’s perspective and gather feedback on clarity, usability and the overall design.
Creating Wireframes of Paper Prototypes
The workshop also included additional team working sessions, giving participants time to refine their ideas and incorporate the feedback they had received. Throughout the day, mentors, coaches and Technovation alumni circulated among the teams, answering questions and offering guidance as students strengthened their prototypes.
Later in the afternoon, coaches and mentors participated in another round of prototype testing, providing teams with valuable insights and suggestions. Their feedback encouraged participants to think critically about user experience and how their apps could be improved before moving further into development.
By the end of the session, teams had developed their first working prototypes and gathered meaningful feedback to guide their next steps!
A team very proud of all the work they did during the workshop!
Getting Feedback & Coding Tips from Coaches
Team Working on their Digital Prototypes
Thank you to everybody who attended!
Thank you to everyone who attended our second in-person workshop at SAP! A big shoutout goes to all of our volunteers, coaches, mentors and alumni, without whom this event could not have been possible!
We were thrilled to have so many of you join us, and we were so impressed by how your projects have grown throughout the workshops. We also loved seeing all your creative ideas for making the world a better place through technology! We hope everyone had a fantastic time collaborating with your teammates on your projects!
From now on, participants can look forward to Help Sessions (by request) with our coordinator Samantha Jewett or Meg for participants who would like extra guidance along the way. As well as weekly online workshops, or they can submit questions through our Ask our Alumni team form! Our next in-person working session will take place on Saturday, March 28 at GHD Waterloo, and we look forward to seeing everyone there!