Yes, it is true, Palm Pilot was known for its UX targeted at corporate executives btw.

The designer, a chief product engineer named Jeff Hawkins used low fidelity mockup scratched onto a wooden block to test his idea. Very interesting reads.

Here are the references I found:

• Palm provides a case study in user experience strategy
• The Palm Pilot Story
• [PDF] The Making of the Palm Pilot – Reflections on a Minimal Information Appliance

Yes, it is true, Palm Pilot (the product were in truth referencing above), was developed using modern UX methods such as mockups.

The designer, a chief product engineer named Jeff Hawkins, used a low fidelity mockup scratched onto a wooden block to test his idea. Very interesting reads.

Here are the references I found:

• Palm provides a case study in user experience strategy
• The Palm Pilot Story
• [PDF] The Making of the Palm Pilot – Reflections on a Minimal Information Appliance