This post originally appeared on the LA New Product Development Team website.
Rarely in life is anything perfect on the first attempt. Writers write drafts that are proofed and edited (including this article). Musicians practice over and over, and athletes practice years to perfect their skills before becoming pros. So, it only makes sense that a product developer would develop a prototype before manufacturing their products.
But why? Why can’t a perfectly designed product go straight from CAD to production? In reality, making a product that is worth further investing in, one that customers will want to buy, requires several prototypes, sometimes tens of prototypes to prove the concept and perfect your idea. Success comes through practice, just like with the musicians and the athletes.
What is a Prototype?
The word prototype derives from the Greek word meaning, “primitive form”. It’s an early sample or model of a product built to test a concept or process. Understanding that a prototype, by definition, is an early form of your final product, know that there is often a compromise between your prototype and the final product design. Differences in materials, manufacturing processes and design may create a slightly different look and feel of your prototype.
The word prototype derives from the Greek word meaning, “primitive form”. It’s an early sample or model of a product built to test a concept or process. Understanding that a prototype, by definition, is an early form of your final product, know that there is often a compromise between your prototype and the final product design. Differences in materials, manufacturing processes and design may create a slightly different look and feel of your prototype.
So then, why prototype? A full design build is expensive, and it can be time-consuming. First, you build, then you look for any flaws and problems, figure out the solution, then rebuild with the updates. The process may repeat multiple times. Instead, rapid prototyping can be used for your initial prototype. This allows you to inexpensively build and test the parts of the design that are most likely to be flawed, solving issues on the front end, before you make the full product.
This necessary step is needed to progress with your product development and take you further toward the commercialization and marketing of your product.