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## Good Design, Good Business
Good design leads to better business outcomes.
Our mission is to create products that aren’t just the bare bones of your idea, but ones that your customers will fall in love with.

# Contact
Contact: won@wjystudios.com

# Copyright
Copyright: All content © Won J. You Studios. All rights reserved.

# Usage Policy
Policy: The content on this site may not be used for training, fine-tuning, or augmenting machine learning models without explicit written consent from Won J. You Studios.

# Licensing
License: None granted


# The Power of Rapid Prototyping

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/hero-rapidprototyping.jpg)

We use the power of design thinking to take your ideas from a concept to a high-quality prototype, so that you can test and deploy your products faster.

## Introduction

In this era of digital transformation, it’s never been more important for companies to be able to find faster and more efficient ways to bring products to market and of course, to iterate on those products so that they can stay ahead of their competition. And while it may seem plainly obvious, many companies still struggle to integrate rapid prototyping into their process. In fact, I still hear clients insist that they know exactly what they want, and that there’s no need to validate and test their ideas with real users before jumping into development.

So I thought it would be worthwhile to dive into some of the many benefits of prototyping during the design process.

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/workshop.jpeg)

> “If a picture is worth 1000 words, a prototype is worth 1000 meetings.” — Tom & David Kelley, [IDEO](http://ideo.com/)

### 01\. Creates a Shared Vision

I’ve sat in countless meetings with leaders of Fortune 500 companies, where the executives would debate ideas presented in presentation decks. And rather than provide clarity or alignment, many times those meetings yielded more confusion instead of collective understanding. Creating a prototype allows everyone to see an incarnation of the solution and how it would work.

I like to say that an idea is very much like a seed planted in the ground. Everyone has a different vision of what that seed will grow into. A prototype makes those ideas _tangible_. It promotes clarity with stakeholders and team members alike by showing a North Star vision of what is possible. Where a PowerPoint deck might highlight an opportunity and lay out flat representations, a prototype shows how the idea can actually be made manifest. A prototype is something that can not only be seen, but also interacted with, and hence, it holds much more power.

### 02\. Identifies What Works and What Doesn’t

By making and testing a prototype, you’re able to validate your assumptions. At the end of the day, all product and/or business ideas are simply hypotheses. And the best way to test those hypotheses is with experimentation. By creating a rapid prototype of a design solution, businesses can test their concepts with people, and hear users’ thoughts and feelings _before_ going through the time and expense of building and deploying the full product. Seeing a user interact with your prototype can spark new ideas or highlight potential usability issues, or even highlight flaws in the business model. Because we are not our users, testing helps to uncover blind spots in our vision.

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/process.png)

### 03\. Explore More Ideas

Another advantage of designing and building prototypes is that it provides an opportunity to explore more ideas, and perhaps, most importantly, a more divergent set of ideas. Because prototypes are, by nature, disposable, it allows your team(s) to try out many concepts, without becoming too attached with a particular one too early.

### 04\. Allows You to Take Bigger Risks

In addition to exploring a broader landscape of possible solutions quickly, prototypes enable you to test out concepts that may feel like bigger swings or dark horses.

The cost of building a prototype is vastly cheaper than developing the actual product, and it’s faster to create. Therefore, you can test out riskier ideas that that you wouldn’t otherwise pursue if given only one shot. This allows you to take bigger swings at the bat and to test out unconventional thinking in pursuit of a product market fit. Sometimes the right solutions are found in unexpected places.

### 05\. **Derisks a Project**

Creating a product can carry a high initial investment, but the cost of bad design is even more expensive. [Studies](https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Cost-of-Design-Changes-in-relation-to-product-development-phase-traditional-development_fig2_264233193) have shown the cost of design changes once a product has shipped can be exponentially more expensive than if those changes were made during the design phase. Leveraging user feedback gathered from your prototype, you can identify issues sooner, such as poor usability or lack of desirability or learnability in your product. It’s always easier and cheaper to fix a problem during the design phase than when the product has already been coded.

### 06\. **Builds Stakeholder Buy-in**

Instead of asking people to imagine how your idea works, with a prototype you can actually show them. A prototype provides a tangible representation of your vision that people can touch and feel; it’s an artifact that you can demo to executives, stakeholders, potential investors, alike. And where ideas may be cheap and plentiful, the execution of an idea is everything, and a prototype helps bridge that gap from imagination to shareable vision.

Recipe Mobile App Prototype from Won You on Vimeo

![video thumbnail](https://i.vimeocdn.com/video/818483795-308fe495bf2f0d053891afb18e972c8a58174bb132670641ffd1e21e25c35a04-d?mw=80&q=85)



### 07\. **Provides Design Documentation**

Lastly, prototypes can serve as a powerful tool for sharing the vision of the product with developers. A functional prototype can highlight how the design is intended to move, function, and behave. It can illuminate elements such as microinteractions, and provide a common ground to engage in feasibility conversations with engineering.

## Conclusion

We’re living in the golden age of prototyping. There’s more tools than ever before to create and test ideas, whether it’s 3d printing or creating a digital facsimile of an app. It’s only a matter of building in the process of prototyping that is needed to take advantage of its many benefits.

## Other Articles

[![](https://wjystudios.com/images/image-20-1--2.jpg)\\
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**Designing Landing Pages for Conversion** \\
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7\\
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Nov\\
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2022\\
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3 min\\
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Visual Design\\
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Learn More](https://wjystudios.com/articles/designing-landing-pages-for-conversion.html)

[![](https://wjystudios.com/images/7ways.jpg)\\
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**7 Ways to Design for Everyone** \\
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14\\
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Nov\\
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2022\\
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7 min\\
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UX Design\\
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Learn More](https://wjystudios.com/articles/7-ways-to-design-for-everyone.html)

[Go to the Top](https://wjystudios.com/articles/power-of-rapid-prototyping.html#articles)

## The Problem

/01

### The Problem

Working with product and user research, we tackled some of Stash's top customer service support requests: money transfers and automation.

Users were often confused by:

01 / How to set up transfers, such as withdrawals

02 / Max transfer limits

03 / Funds availability and processing times.

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/stash-image-102.png)

## The Solution

/02

### The Solution

The previous transfer motif was centered around moving money between a source and a destination, which led to confusion. In our new approach, we focused on the jobs to be done:

‍

01 / Add money to an account, i.e. deposit

02 / Move money between accounts

03 / Withdraw money

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/transfer.gif)

## App Design

/02

### Auto-Stash

A core feature of Stash was the ability to easily automate deposits and investments. This feature allowed users to build a habit of investing without having to even think about it. So it was vital to not only educate users about the benefits but to have them participate in a frictionless and elegant way.

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/stash-image-042.jpg)

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/stash-app.jpg)

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/stash-image-012.jpg)

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/stash-image-022.jpg)

/ 01

### Auto-Stash Simplified

01 / Organized the tabs by investments and deposits

02 / Stacked action tiles display key insights and tips

03 / Overview visualized auto-deposits and investments

04 / Active strategies show current automatications

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/stash-image-062.jpg)

/ 02

### Auto Investments

01 / Tile shows active recurring investments

02 / Graph shows projected growth to keep users motivated

03 / Callout tiles promote additional ways to invest with the platform.

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/stash-image-052.jpg)

[**previous project**  **Photobucket Rebrand**\\
\\
![](https://wjystudios.com/images/photobucket-next.jpg)](https://wjystudios.com/projects/photobucket.html) [**next project**  **Slice Mobile App**\\
\\
![](https://wjystudios.com/images/slice_img-042.jpg)](https://wjystudios.com/projects/slice.html)

## Photobucket Branding Redesign
## Photobucket is an image and video hosting provider committed to preserving people’s memories

### Client

Photobucket

### Project Type

Branding, Web, Social

Photobucket is a popular online photo sharing and storage platform that was founded in 2003. Over the years, the platform has gone through several changes and updates, but the branding remained unchanged for a long time.

With the increased competition in the market, Photobucket realized that it needed a new and fresh look to appeal to a younger demographic and differentiate itself from other photo-sharing platforms.

[Visit Website](https://wjystudios.com/projects/photobucket.html#)

overview

## Our Solution

/01

### Our Solution

After doing in-depth discovery and research, we developed a new brand strategy that would differentiate Photobucket from its competitors while also appealing to a younger demographic. The new brand identity was designed to be more modern, playful, and visually appealing. We created a new logo that incorporated a camera lens with a clean font that contemporized the brand.

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/Frame-40581.webp)

## Branding

/02

/ 01

### Logo

For the new brand identity, we wanted to move away from relying on a physical representation of a camera, and instead do a nod to the idea of a camera lens but also, create a visual that pulled the viewer in. The vortex effect connoted the idea of centralization and keeping images all in one place.

‍

For the wordmark, we chose to use a geometric sans-serif typeface called Outfit to give a modern and clean feel to the brand.

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/Logos-1.webp)

Photobucket Logo Redesign from Won You on Vimeo

![video thumbnail](https://i.vimeocdn.com/video/1571423936-e72f079e22cbf00686f95beb7e28daee1391a55914e3e31393d7aee58b1fa935-d?mw=80&q=85)

Playing in picture-in-picture

More options

Like

Share

Play

Show controls

SettingsPicture-in-PictureFullscreen

QualityAuto

/ 02

### Brand Colors

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/Color.png)![](https://wjystudios.com/images/Color-1.png)![](https://wjystudios.com/images/Color-2.png)

## Style Guide

/03

/ 01

### Brand Guide

As part of the rebranding project for Photobucket, we developed new brand guidelines to ensure consistency across all touchpoints. These guidelines included detailed instructions on the use of the new logo, color scheme, typography, imagery, and tone of voice.

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/image-4.webp)

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/image-1.webp)![](https://wjystudios.com/images/image-3.webp)

## Website design

/04

/ 01

### Web design

The new website design featured a clean layout with bold typography and bright, eye-catching colors from the new brand color palette.

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/image-2.png)

/ 02

### Splash Screen

The new branding ensured consistency across all touchpoints including Photobucket's mobile app experience.

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/Splash.png)

[**previous project**  **Stash Mobile Banking**\\
\\
![](https://wjystudios.com/images/other_case-022.jpg)](https://wjystudios.com/projects/stash.html) [**next project**  **Giftly Website Redesign**\\
\\
![](https://wjystudios.com/images/huggies-other-case-022.jpg)](https://wjystudios.com/projects/giftly.html)



## Inclusive Design Strategies
[Articles](https://wjystudios.com/articles)

featured

14

Nov

2022

UX Design

# 7 Ways to Design for Everyone

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/7ways.jpg)

Designing for everyone doesn't mean that you have to include every individual demographic. It simply means that as you are creating your designs, you should consider the needs of all users. There are so many ways that design can be inclusive. Whether it's colour or data, there are uses for inclusivity that are simple to follow. In this article, we'll be taking you through some practical ways to make your designs more inclusive.

## 01\. Conduct user research and prioritize inclusion.

Inclusive design starts with understanding the needs and abilities of your diverse user base. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person, whether it be a single person or an entire group. When you can empathize with others, you'll be able to create products that are more appealing to them and therefore make people happier overall.

When designing products for your audience (or any audience), designers should take time out of their day-to-day routines so they can actually connect with people who may be affected by their work in some way or another—and this doesn't just mean having conversations with coworkers or friends!

This means conducting user research that includes individuals with disabilities and other marginalized groups. It’s also important to **_prioritize inclusion at every stage of the design process_**.

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/image-20-1-.png)

## 02\. Design for flexibility and adaptability.

One key principle of inclusive design is the concept of flexibility and adaptability. This means designing products, services, and environments that can be customized and adapted to meet the needs of different users. For example, a website should be designed in a way that allows users to adjust the font size, contrast, and layout to suit their needs.

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/diversity.jpg)

Photo by [Keira Burton](https://www.pexels.com/@keira-burton/) on Pexels

## 03\. Provide clear and simple navigation.

Good navigation is crucial for all users, but it’s especially important for individuals with cognitive and visual impairments. Make sure your design includes clear and simple navigation options, such as easy-to-use menus and buttons, as well as clear and concise labeling.

Also, it's vital to ensure that there's a way to "skip to main content" hidden above your navigation to allow users to utilize screen readers to navigate directly to the main content.

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/image-3.jpg)

## 04\. Make use of color and contrast wisely.

The use of color and contrast can greatly impact the accessibility of your design. For example, using high-contrast color schemes can make text and other interface elements easier to read for users with visual impairments. You can use tools like [WebAIM](https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/) or [Coolors](https://coolors.co/contrast-checker/112a46-acc8e5) to check your color contrast.

It’s also important to **_avoid using color as the only means of conveying information_**, as this can make it inaccessible to users who are colorblind.

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/colors.jpg)

## 05\. Include accessible features and controls.

Accessible features and controls, such as closed captions and audio descriptions, can make your design more usable for individuals with disabilities. These features should be easy to find and use, and should be integrated seamlessly into the overall design.

[Accessibility](https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/) is a huge part of designing for everyone. It’s something you should always be thinking about and researching because it impacts the way your site looks and feels for people with different needs.

- Patterns that are accessible: These are patterns that have been tested by accessibility experts to ensure they work well for the widest audience possible. They include things like using colour contrast ratios, padding around buttons and images, making sure text sizes aren’t too small to read easily across devices (mobile first!), etc.
- Patterns that are responsive: These are patterns designed specifically for mobile devices so they look good when viewed on smaller screens without sacrificing functionality—like website pages without collapsing panels or massive images being shown as thumbnails instead of full-size pictures scaled down from desktop resolution (which makes them harder to view). A lot of these days we're seeing more sites redesigned this way since more people now rely on their phones than desktops/laptops when browsing online.

In addition, conducting accessibility testing, a process of validating that the accessibility of your product meets the [WCAG 2.1 guidelines](https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/). is an important step in the development process because it helps you catch accessibility issues early on and prevent them from becoming much worse later on down the line.

## 06\. Test your design with diverse users.

Inclusive design is not just about following best practices – it’s also about testing your design with a diverse group of users to ensure that it meets their needs and is usable by as many people as possible. This can be done through user testing, focus groups, and other research methods. User testing is an important part of any design process. It's a way to get user feedback early in the design process, and it can also be used throughout the full development cycle.

User testing can be done in many different ways, including surveys, interviews and focus groups. You could even ask people to test your product on their own time! In all cases, you need to find people who represent a broad cross-section of users—not just customers but also those who aren't actively using your product yet (like potential new users).

‍

![](https://wjystudios.com/images/girlsworking.jpg)

## 07\. Continuously improve and update your design.

Inclusive design is an **_ongoing process, not a one-time task_**. Make sure to continuously gather feedback from diverse users and incorporate their insights into your design. This will help ensure that your design remains accessible and usable for everyone over time..

‍

## Conclusion

In conclusion, inclusive design is essential for creating products, services, and environments that are accessible and usable by everyone. By conducting user research, designing for flexibility and adaptability, providing clear navigation, using color and contrast wisely, including accessible features and controls, testing with diverse users, and continuously improving and updating your design, you can create inclusive designs that meet the needs of all users.


# Timestamp
Last-Updated: 2025-06-06