What Is a Product Prototype? Prototyping Your New Product

What Is a Product Prototype?

Posted 3 years ago by Max Komonov

Prototypes are known to听be听a听crucial 补苍诲听indispensable part of听the听design process; they basically act as听a听green light when it听comes to听a听product鈥檚 production 补苍诲听success. When briefly described, prototypes are all about demonstration, authentication, confirmation, 补苍诲听validation. You can count on听them to听turn a听theoretical idea into a听more feasible working system that can be听easily tested or听evaluated.

If听you have a听new product idea, whether it听is听a听new hair styling tool, smartphone application, or听simply an听innovative kitchen appliance, no听matter what it听is, a听prototype will help you demonstrate to听investors 补苍诲听future buyers that your product is听worth their time 补苍诲听interest.

In听this article, we鈥檒l be听defining what exactly is听a听product prototype, what it听entails, 补苍诲听what it听doesn鈥檛, including common mistakes made by听new entrepreneurs when creating a听prototype model of听their products. Keep in听mind that learning about product prototypes 补苍诲听the听key factors to听keep in听mind when creating one is听the听first 补苍诲听perhaps most important step you can take before putting your product idea out there. This could without a听doubt set you up听for听success or, not so听desirable, failure.

Fortunately, you鈥檝e come to听the听right place. We鈥檙e here to听help you learn all about product prototypes so听you know exactly where to听start with your design. Stay until the听end for听a听few prototyping tips 补苍诲听an听offer you can鈥檛 deny.

What Is听a听Product Prototype?

A听prototype is听a听preview or听early sample of听a听product or听idea you plan to听invest in听补苍诲听eventually reproduce in听large quantities. Whenever there is听a听new investment opportunity, before jumping to听mass production 补苍诲听risking any听capital, you鈥檒l first need to听find a听way to听communicate your idea to听possible investors in听an听understandable, 补苍诲听many times, tangible way.

Prototypes form part of听almost any听industry you can think of, 补苍诲听they often set the听ground for听product testing 补苍诲听concept design validation. Architects, designers, engineers, filmmakers,听 app developers, 补苍诲听so听many more, rely on听prototypes to听simulate their products 补苍诲听attract investors.

Ultimately, at听its core, we听can define it听as听a听rapid replica of听an听original product or听idea that can be听used as听a听tool to听gain financing investment, enhance your crowdfunding campaign, or听simply set the听start of听the听design process. Once created, they can be听refined or听modified to听improve function or听accommodate the听audience鈥檚 demands.

The purpose of听a听prototype

As听we听define what a听prototype model is, we听can consider its main purpose to听be听providing a听real, working sample that can be听tested 补苍诲听evaluated for听errors 补苍诲听efficacy, unlike a听theoretical idea. A听prototype model aids designers when it听comes to听the听visualization 补苍诲听manufacturing of听the听real product.

What is听typically included in听a听product prototype?

As听a听crucial part of听the听early investment process, prototype models oftentimes include the听key aspects 补苍诲听features of听the听original idea. Given they鈥檙e often a听precursor of听the听manufacturing process, they can oftentimes include the听product鈥檚 specific color, packaging, online visuals, or听navigational elements if听it听happens to听be听a听website or听application for听example.

The key is听to听include anything that helps a听business or听potential investors make a听decision. This is听why it听is听important to听devote the听appropriate time 补苍诲听effort to听make it听a听workable 补苍诲听reliable sample. If听it听fails to听deliver, it听will also testify of听the听original product鈥檚 abilities.

Prototypes can be听quick 补苍诲听rough. A听prototype is听not usually intended to听look like the听final version. As听long as听it听can be听used in听the听early product evaluation 补苍诲听beginning of听the听design process, it听doesn鈥檛 need to听be听perfect.

Rapid Prototyping

In听fact, talking about prototypes being quick 补苍诲听rough, there is听actually a听term used to听describe a听specific type of听prototype creation known as听rapid prototyping. This field involves the听process of听rapidly creating a听functioning version of听a听product or听idea, one that can be听tested 补苍诲听evaluated. Its main purpose is听to听speed up听the听prototype 补苍诲听product development process so听it听can be听quickly launched 补苍诲听manufactured.

Rapid prototyping scheme. .

Rapid prototyping continues to听emerge as听a听favorable concept in听today鈥檚 business world, in听which companies are constantly bombarded with new opportunities 补苍诲听market changes. This helps them stay in听touch with the听public鈥檚 demands 补苍诲听competition as听they鈥檙e pushed to听develop new products to听remain relevant.

Although it听comes with an听array of听advantages 补苍诲听appealing timing, rapid prototyping can impact accuracy 补苍诲听can many times result just as听expensive or听costly as听regular prototyping.

Rapid prototyping tools

There are a听few rapid prototyping tools or听platforms out there often used by听many to听make the听process easier. Among some of听the听most popular ones, we听can find , , , 补苍诲听. Whether you鈥檙e a听developer, business owner, coder, or听merely someone with an听idea, you can likely take advantage of听one of听these to听make the听process less challenging.

Prototype Examples

A听regular or听rapid prototype model can be听digital, augmented reality, or听even made from craft paper to听bricks.

When planning your model, take into consideration how realistic it听is听to听make a听tangible or听physical version, the听cost of听production, or听even if听all you need to听show investors is听the听size 补苍诲听shape of听the听product. Moreover,听 prototypes can vary from a听simple piece of听wire or听wood shaped like your product, to听a听3顿听尘辞诲别濒 explaining every feature 补苍诲听product ability.

A听prototype can be听anything from:

A听sketch or听diagram
础听3顿听辫谤颈苍迟颈苍驳
础听奥颈谤别蹿谤补尘别
础听痴颈诲别辞
A听Virtual Simulation

A听prototype of听Douglas SB2D Destroyer in听a听wind tunnel for听testing. .

In听conclusion, even if听all you have is听a听piece of听paper, drawing your model can also be听useful when it听comes to听prototyping. However, most entrepreneurs or听professionals often seek modern alternatives like three-dimensional printing, digital diagrams or听layouts of听the听product, a听well collaborated physical model, or听as听stated above, a听video to听showcase an听animated version of听their idea.

How to听decide the听best prototype model for听you

As听we听briefly discussed above, when it听comes to听choosing a听prototype design, the听designer should take into consideration the听end goal or听outcome. Consider whether or听not the听finished model will be听displayed at听an听event or听business meeting, in听which case, you may want to听hire a听developer or听rely on听reliable prototyping software.

Always opt for听a听solid, testable, 补苍诲听functioning choice, unless the听prototype is听merely for听design purposes. Last, but not least, don鈥檛 make the听mistake of听putting safety aside. In听many cases, when creating a听physical model, perhaps due to听the听production speed that comes with prototyping, designers may bypass things like pointy edges, broken glass, or听even use old technology that is听prone to听flaming.

Common Prototyping Mistakes to听Avoid

Now that you have an听understanding of听what a听product prototype is, you may be听asking yourself: what can go听wrong when it听comes to听prototyping?

Although a听prototype design can be听anything you want, you might come across a听few common mistakes that can oftentimes distract you from your goal or听discourage your audience.

To听help you put out the听best early replica of听your product, here is听a听quick list of听common mistakes to听avoid:

Don鈥檛 Get Ahead of听Yourself. Many new entrepreneurs make the听common mistake of听prototyping too early in听the听game. They let the听urge 补苍诲听excitement get the听best of听them 补苍诲听create a听model that ends up听lacking most of听the听final product鈥檚 key features 补苍诲听characteristics. Take the听time to听analyze your idea, think through everything that makes it听appealing 补苍诲听innovative. Don鈥檛 forget prototyping is听never the听first step of听the听design process, you must first come up听with a听product idea 补苍诲听become familiar with it.

Don鈥檛 Spend Too Much Time. Although you want to听think through your product idea before you begin your template, you don鈥檛 want to听invest too much time in听the听prototyping process. Remember a听prototype design is听never the听final product 补苍诲听rearrangements can always be听made. Ideally, it听should only take you about a听month to听two at听most to听have a听finished prototype of听your original idea.

Don鈥檛 Prototype Without a听Plan. Without a听plan in听place, it听is听easy to听get distracted from the听main goal or听key features of听your product. You鈥檒l want to听have a听detailed plan that tells you exactly where to听go听from point A听to听point B.听You want to听make sure your model is听cohesive 补苍诲听easy to听understand. Avoid complex 补苍诲听unfinished features.

Don鈥檛 Forget About Your Interaction Guide. Once your idea is听ready, you want to听make sure it听is听easy for听your audience to听try 补苍诲听test itt. Yes, you鈥檒l know everything about your model, how it听works, where to听click to听get a听specific reaction, etc.

However, your audience has no听clue about what makes your product special, or听how it听works, 补苍诲听perhaps pressing the听wrong thing could result in听unwanted product outcomes. Keep user experience in听mind when creating your prototype 补苍诲听provide a听simple, solid guide on听how to听interact with your model.

The list can go听补苍诲听on听when it听comes to听common prototyping mistakes. The main takeaway remains to听think through your idea 补苍诲听focus on听what your audience is听expecting to听receive.

When Is听a听Product Prototype Ready?

Before a听prototype is听ready, it鈥檒l need to听go听through a听set of听different phases 补苍诲听production stages. This is听with each stage offering its unique set of听critical elements necessary for听the听success of听the听finished product.

The process usually starts with the听foundation 补苍诲听basis of听the听original product idea, as听a听plan is听elaborated to听to听take it听from a听theoretical idea to听a听more feasible one. Developers then proceed to听identify weaknesses 补苍诲听where improvement might be听necessary. Once the听model is听tested 补苍诲听fully equipped, then it听can be听considered ready.

Notice we听didn鈥檛 state 聯once the听model looks exactly like the听finished product.聰 The key is听to听come up听with a听fully optimized 补苍诲听functioning product that resembles the听necessary materials 补苍诲听design aspects of听the听original one.

Tips for听Prototyping Your Product

As听we听get close to听the听end of听this quick product prototype review, why don鈥檛 we听take the听last few minutes of听your attention to听fortify what we鈥檝e learned today 补苍诲听go听over some quick prototyping tips?

Here we听go!

Research 补苍诲听more research. Get to听know your market audience, competition 补苍诲听how your product can be听an听industry game-changer.
Understand your budget 补苍诲听manufacturing cost. Before you invest time on听a听specific idea, make sure you have enough funds 补苍诲听resources to听get the听prototype ready. Don鈥檛 forget about future manufacturing costs.
Choose something you enjoy 补苍诲听make it听the听best you can. As听you decide what your product idea is, go听with something you feel represents you 补苍诲听your interests. And once you鈥檝e made your choice, make sure to听respect each stage of听the听process 补苍诲听give it听the听best you can.

Having a听Product Prototype Is听Being One Step Closer

Ultimately, having a听prototype model will bring you closer to听the听end goal which is听to听officially launch your product idea on听the听market. Once your product idea is听approved 补苍诲听deemed successful via your finished prototype, you can get ready to听begin the听next phase 补苍诲听create your ecommerce site for听customers to听purchase 补苍诲听learn more about your finished product.

You can check out our ultimate guide for听creating an听online website 补苍诲听sign up听with 黑料门 to听create one for听free. You鈥檒l have access to听a听library of听readily available themes 补苍诲听features designed to听help you throughout the听whole process.

Don鈥檛 forget your prototype doesn鈥檛 need to听be听perfect but simply good enough to听provide your audience with the听necessary information to听learn about your original product 补苍诲听get you to听the听next 补苍诲听final step which is听launching your own business. The good news is听that coming up听with a听product idea 补苍诲听design is听the听most challenging part of听this whole process .听We听encourage you to听measure, design, refine, start all over again if听necessary, but most importantly have fun!

听

About The Author

Max has been working in the ecommerce industry for the last six years helping brands to establish and level-up content marketing and SEO. Despite that, he has experience with entrepreneurship. He is a fiction writer in his free time.

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