Prototype

An early, simplified version of a product used to test concepts, visualise ideas, gather feedback, and identify problems before full development. Prototypes range from sketches and wireframes to functional but incomplete working versions. The goal is learning quickly and cheaply rather than building complete features. Prototyping enables testing assumptions, demonstrating concepts to stakeholders, securing funding, and preventing costly mistakes by revealing issues early. Modern prototyping tools (Figma, Bubble, and a growing crop of AI app builders) enable creating sophisticated interactive prototypes rapidly. For digital products, prototypes often evolve into MVPs. Effective prototyping balances fidelity with speed, creating sufficient detail to generate useful feedback without over-investment.

Why it matters

Prototyping dramatically reduces development risk and cost by validating concepts before major investment. Spending days prototyping can prevent months building products that miss market needs or contain fundamental flaws.