“Doing is the best kind of thinking.” – Tom Chi
Prototyping allows exploring problems and spotting areas for improvement or innovation. Because most design problems are complex, we can’t always see the consequences of our design choices ahead of time.
As we explore potential solutions, we encounter lots of questions. It starts with basic questions: desirability, usability, feasibility, and viability. And quickly balloons into detailed questions like:
Will it spend time in the sun?
Will it be dropped?
Does it need to be transparent?
How will it be cleaned?
Does it move?
How is it powered?
Do we need to consider green aspects?
Good product teams use prototypes to get fast answers to those questions. Drawings, models, and prototypes help us generate more ideas and refine those ideas. It enables determining possibilities and allows future planning. Fail fast before the project cost ALOT more to correct.
Prototypes Answer Questions
If we can't specify what question we are looking to answer, we are not ready to prototype.
Prototypes allow answering the question the cheapest/fastest way possible. Sketches, models, and prototypes allows us to turn a vision into something tangible. The first question is what question are we trying to answer. The second question is how can we answer it with minimal effort and time? Maybe someone has already answered it and we can simply read about it.
Rapid sketching of concepts to share with the team is extremely useful for defining what questions to ask OR concepts to prove. Typically, they offer ideas that need substantiation physically IF they show promise. We like to start with the riskiest items to nail down solutions or find roadblocks early when the strategy can be adjusted without large expense.
Rapid sketching of concepts
Prototyping can help us answer most critical questions FAST.
Prototyping Helps Us Communicate
While most of us know it's better to show than tell, prototypes encourage us to simulate the experience. We can ask a potential customer what they think of an idea and they will most likely tell us what they think we want to hear. This can be very misleading since it is often not based on experience and a true need.
Mini models
People love to interact with prototypes. Models give something tangible to show the team, investors, and buyers for feedback and improvement.
The mockup doesn’t have to ‘work’. A non-working prototype enables us to investigate the shape and size of the product idea. It can be made from foam, cardboard, tape, paperclips, glue, aluminum foil, or like our mini models they can be 3D printed. It will give us a better understanding of how the product would look and work in real life.
We Can Help Answer Development Questions
Contact us if we can help answer initial development questions on costs and schedules. In addition, we can give honest advice about manufacturability and product feasibility.
Image source: https://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/Bimbimkha007
