Method to select the most suitable software tool for the development of an HMI virtual prototype

This paper proposes a method which allows user interfaces practitioners to choose the most suitable software tool for the development of a Human Machine Interface (HMI) virtual prototype. In the design process of a User Interface (UI), the prototyping activity represents an important way to detect design errors since the beginning of the development process, saving time and money. The choice has to take care of the technical features, designers' requirements and prototyping characteristics of the tool. The methodology includes four steps: 1) research on the most diffused virtual prototyping software employed in the prototyping activity; 2) benchmark on the technical and virtual prototyping features of each selected tool; 3) creation of a method to asses and classify each prototyping tool considering their specific characteristics; 4) application of the method to a case study.