1. Analyse and prioritise findings from e.g. user interviews or other user feedback that can act as the foundation for your prototype. This can be done through e.g. a thematic analysis.

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2. Map the optimal user journey together with your team but make sure to plan for the unexpected. A clearly defined problem and a clear user journey will make prototyping easier.

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3. Ideate with your team, for instance by running a Design Studio. This is a great way to get input for a prototype.

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4. Decide on fidelity. If you are looking to build a new feature and test ideas early, a lofi or midfi prototype will very likely be enough to get you feedback on the user flow and see if users are able to understand and complete the tasks. If you are redesigning an existing feature, consider creating a hifi prototype, as users already know the interface well.

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5. Schedule users for usability testing early, as it can take several weeks to book tests. This gives you a clear deadline as well.

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6. Stick to the agreed upon user journey. If you realise along the way that changes need to be made, involve your team in decision making.

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7. Reuse design patterns when it makes sense but don’t be limited by them. Reusing patterns and components will make the prototyping process more efficient and can make it easier for users to understand how something new works.

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8. Involve your team in the process, either by co-creating the prototype or by getting feedback from them throughout the prototyping process.

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9. Document design decisions. This will help the rest of the team understand why things work the way they do.

10. Test the prototype with users. This helps you know if you are on the right track and if you need to iterate the design before handing it over to development.

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11. Analyse the findings with your team, for instance by doing a thematic analysis.

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12. Iterate the prototype as needed. It is important to work with the feedback from the users. If larger changes are made, it might be good to run a second round of tests.

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13. Hand over to development. Make sure you hand over clear design specifications and test documentation to the development team and be available for any questions.

• Turn reusable UI elements into components, as it will make the prototyping process more efficient.
• Document and continuously review design patterns to see where it makes sense to reuse them. Having design patterns documented helps the team understand and contribute to the prototyping process.
• Learn continuously. Prototyping tools change all the time, take some time to look at tutorials and stay up to date on your prototyping tool.