If you have a business idea for a particular product, a prototype is the next phase from turning your vision into a reality. A prototype is an early sample or model of a product built to evaluate it and/or enhance it.
Developing the prototype can be a critical moment in the life of a business and the approach to doing so should be thoughtful and deliberate. Here are three considerations and steps to take when developing your prototype.
1. Determine the Number of Prototype Rounds
Before you develop your first prototype, consider the number of product iterations you want to test. Depending on your needs, you might have to test several.
2. Create a Budget
Prototypes can be expensive. Before you begin manufacturing, evaluate your development cost for the prototypes you want to create, or the number of iterations required. Be mindful of the possibility that you may have to go back to the drawing board if there are issues with your first prototype.
3. Set Goals for Each Prototype
Every prototype you make should have clear goals that you’re looking to accomplish and show your product progressing to its final state. Whether it’s the first and you’re testing customer satisfaction, or the tenth and you’re trying to fix defaults in previous versions, each prototype should get you one step closer to hitting the market.
Once you have built your prototype and turned it into a final product, start off by selling on a small scale. This allows you to get an accurate account of what your revenue stream and costs will look like before you start producing on a larger scale.
Read the full article here
