Conference Agenda

This study examines how novice designers justify prototype concept choices before and after parallel stakeholder testing in early-stage product development. Drawing on 99 survey responses collected across two checkpoints in a 16-week interdisciplinary design studio, we used an inductive-deductive coding approach to map emergent themes to innovation frames of desirability, feasibility, and viability. Six themes emerged: desirability (primarily perceived play value) dominated pre- and post-test reasoning, while feasibility (simplicity/modularity) and viability (production cost, market potential) shaped secondary trade-offs. Parallel testing prompted revisions when stakeholder engagement or client cues contradicted expectations; many students retained choices when testing validated initial impressions or when novelty and social validation reinforced commitment. Quantitatively, 67% (35/52) revised at least one choice in checkpoint 1, and 19% (9/47) in checkpoint 2. Findings show how novices interpret limited evidence under uncertainty and how testing redistributes attention, further informing our understanding of design practices of prototype testing and decision-making.