Ceci n'est pas un Prototype

Prototypes are omnipresent in design (thinking) practice and related literature. In this chapter what a ‘prototype’ represents and what it contributes to design processes is explored. A distinctive lens on experimental environments is adopted, where individuals without design expertise engage in co -design. The analytical framework positions design activities as three interrelated inquiries , inquiries into the existing situation (what is?) , into the ideal situation (what is preferred?) , and into plans of action (what can be?). The study, set in several Urban Living Labs in which students engage, revealed consistent patterns: novices to design thinking have a preoccupation with the ideal, are reluctant to express what is on their mind , and as a result hardly iterate. The findings suggest that what a prototype represents and which type of inquiry it serves differs among stakeholders, often resulting in unmet expectations. For some, it should advance the inquiry into what is preferred, that is: what matters? For others , it should advance the inquiry into what can be, that is , what realistically can be achieved? Both inquiries are valuable for design thinking processes, but the unclarity leads to unmet expectations. We propose to clarify what is meant by the word ‘prototype’, reserving it solely for representations that portray what realistically can be and use ‘idealtype’ for representations that portray what is preferred : the ideal.