Making a paper prototype

Paper prototyping is a totally new concept for me.  I have done static wire framing, mockups and usability testing, but nothing quite this.  The reading gave many ideas of how to do this type of prototyping, but not a lot of reasoning as to why.  Perhaps this is in another part of the book. I am sure there are situations where this type of prototyping and testing are the norm, but it is very new to me. Nevertheless, I am sure this will prove to be an interesting experience.

The author goes into great detail about different materials and techniques used to simulate navigation and operation of an online course.  Some of the pictures have very detailed prewritten content of what is on the site. However, the author does mention towards the end of the article that detailed content is not always necessary at this stage.  If there are elements that have not been worked out, then skip them.  I feel the main point of this exercise is to test the navigational flow and organization of the site itself.  If the categories and processes make sense, than content details can be added later.  The key is to make sure the very foundation and structure of the site is solid and not confusing user.

The author makes a good point about making sure the intended medium is tested.  If you expect that your users will be using mobile devices to access the course, then this should be planned for in the prototyping phase.  However, often, it is unknown what type of device a user will use.  In this case, I feel planning the prototype for a desktop computer would be best.  Then in the course construction phase, a responsive template can be used to accommodate smaller devices.  In responsive design, there is the option to leave out or add elements in mobile versions versus the desktop counterparts.  While I do not believe doing separate prototypes for various screen/device sizes is necessary, if there are elements that may be different between the full sized, and smaller versions,  this should be brought up during user testing/prototype stage.