Exploring Possibilities Through Prototyping
The Creative Capacity Lab partnered with KUT/KUTX staff to explore prototyping methods, iterating on an Austin Audio Tour idea across four workshops.
The goal was not the Austin Audio Tour, but to explore the tour’s utility through the lens of this practice.
KUT and KUTX are Austin’s public radio stations, dedicated to serving the community through trusted journalism and music discovery. KUT delivers in-depth local news and storytelling, while KUTX champions Austin’s vibrant music culture by spotlighting both emerging and established artists. Together, they are recognized as cultural leaders and key voices in Austin’s identity.
Despite their strong presence, KUT and KUTX sought to explore innovative ways to reach audiences beyond traditional radio. An early idea, the “Austin Audio Tour,” presented an opportunity to extend their storytelling into new formats. The challenge was to test the concept’s feasibility and desirability, ensuring it aligned with the stations’ mission while offering a fresh, engaging experience for the community.
We did the work and talked about it
We split into teams where we created two rounds of low-fi prototypes, and tested them in the wild to collect “soft” data. Between prototype testings, we shared our findings, answered pointed questions, and refined our ideas. In addition, we outlined the user experience through journey maps.
