The Three Phases Of Product Prototyping

For this reason, new product designs usually go through several prototype iterations before they are considered ready for series production. While it is common to start from a single prototype, the process usually results in the creation of multiple iterations.

In fact, the design process typically goes through three to five different prototyping phases, during which a multitude of test units are put through their paces.

For this purpose we have divided the prototyping process into three classifications: Alpha, Beta and Pilot. Although different product developers use alternative terms like Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and Proof of Concept (POC), these stages are pretty universal. Each phase represents a step forward on the product roadmap and corresponds to an increasing score on the Technology Readiness Level scale.

It should be noted, however, that the process itself is typically non-linear, as developers occasionally use lessons learned from the various stages of testing to go back to previous iterations and revise them. Depending on where you are in the process, the tools, methods, choices, and challenges will be different.

For the sake of clarity, we have listed the prototypes one after the other; however, in some cases, prototypes can be developed anywhere in the product development timeline. It’s important to note that the developers design the prototypes to be consistent with the manufacturing process, so depending on the changes and differences, it may be necessary to push the prototypes concurrently.

From ConceptTo Reality

The product development process is an uphill struggle. Most startups underestimate the time and/or effort the whole endeavor requires. There seems to be an expectation among new product developers that everything will work the first time. The relative ease with which they can have initial prototypes made can give a false sense of progress.

Many product developers make tremendous visual strides in the early stages by creating prototypes that look and function like the finished product, giving them a sense of significant progress. And while they’ve certainly done so, there’s still two to three times that much work ahead of them. The remaining two-thirds of the work consists of design for manufacturing, engineering, and testing in preparation for the manufacturing phase.

It’s often said that the devil is in the details, and this has never been truer than in physical product design. Most people don’t realize that a prototype that looks and feels like the finished product doesn’t mean it’s ready for production. Details such as material selection, components, tolerance analysis, assembly sequence, fitness for purpose, design validation and certification still need to be worked out.

GettingHelp Early

The reality is that many different types of prototypes are needed to test different aspects. A wide range of prototypes have been created, from proof-of-concept models to test your idea to iterations to communicate your ideas, validate the design, obtain certifications, use in customer trials, for sales and marketing, and validate the manufacturing process. For this reason, many developers (startups and established brands) turn to a design consulting partner to guide them through some or all of these phases. Since physical product development is very challenging, a design partnership with a large and experienced team can help this process. While a design partnership requires a higher financial investment initially, it can save a lot of time and money in the long run. Otherwise, with a phased approach, the company will scale too slowly and bring the product to market without a return on investment will take years – and likely lose the first-mover advantage. Successful startups tend to retain an experienced internal team and are more likely to choose to partner with a design consultancy sooner rather than later. Many seek help in the early alpha stage because it gives them advice on what to expect in subsequent cycles. It’s also beneficial for newer developers to work with design partners earlier, because a later product launch doesn’t require an entire team right away. In fact, the most successful product developers work with a design consultant early on because access to a large pool of talent that isn’t always needed makes good business sense. Unproven startups also face the additional challenge of finding top experienced talent. New product developers are therefore strongly advised to seek help as soon as possible in creating a product development roadmap that will not only help them meet expectations, but also give them credibility with potential investors. A valuable resource that new product developers can use when creating a product development plan is GPT-4 AI. With advanced natural language processing capabilities and machine learning algorithms, GPT-4 AI can help developers refine product ideas, create technical documentation, and identify potential challenges and opportunities in the development process.