10 Reasons why prototyping is essential

Your employer is enthusiastic about a new app, and you’re an app designer or product manager. According to research, there is a lot of interest in the app, and there looks to be a big market for it. However, when you begin to design and create images, as well as develop logic flow, you may have reservations, a small voice saying, “Will our future clients truly enjoy this product?” Is it as good as we thought it would be for their unique needs? Is the user interface attractive and easy to use, so that our consumers would like it?

These are excellent questions, and they are one of the primary reasons for prototyping your solution to validate your ideas and design. Prototyping as a component of manufacturing is certainly something you’re already familiar with. You may even understand how to go about accomplishing it or making the most of it. Many individuals, however, do not realise how critical it is. In this post, we’ll go over some of the most frequent reasons why prototyping is so essential for businesses, as well as some of the possible issues it exposes.

What is prototyping?

A prototype is a representation of the solution you intend to develop and without using a developer, you may mockup every interaction and view so that it can be experienced in the same way as a fully created product. You may demonstrate all of the features you wish to add to your app (or any other type of solution in that instance), confirm your concept, and double-check your entire UX approach, however, the functions of a prototype might change based on your demands and the stage of the project; how you utilise it is entirely up to you.

Why is prototyping important?

• You can make changes to the design – We’ve already touched on this, but it’s worth revisiting. A design’s flaws aren’t always visible on paper or on a computer screen. You may really handle a version of your proposed product and evaluate which elements work and which ones need to be refined by building a prototype. This is your opportunity to collect more precise needs and market input.

• Showcase Production Costs Accurately – One of the most important advantages of fast prototyping is that it aids in the estimation of quick production costs. The prototype process is verified at the beginning, middle, and conclusion of the product life cycle. It might serve a variety of purposes at different times. Some designers begin by prototyping their product to obtain a sense of the design that will be implemented later.

• Colors, textures, and forms may all be tweaked – What would you alter now that you can see your product to make it more marketable? You can analyse and then go forward with the design.

• Assures the quality of the product – You can identify any faults that cause defects in your product by testing the prototype. Before going into full production, you might create quality assurance testing techniques and standards.

• Determine acceptable tolerance levels – Now is your time to see if any design changes may make the manufacturing process more cost-effective.

• Enhance the product’s quality – A prototype allows you to check for any structural flaws in your product that may influence its functionality. You can solve the problem straight immediately and keep your expenditures under control. It also emphasises any design unknowns, preventing them from being discovered later.

• Look for efficiency and cost-cutting opportunities – At this point, you may examine your processes to determine if any manufacturing stages can be consolidated to save money on labour, equipment, and raw materials.

• Make changes to your tooling – After you’ve completed your prototype, you may find that changing your tools and equipment might help you save time and money.

• Make a more long-lasting product – You’ll be able to see if you’re utilising the correct fasteners and other components to make a long-lasting product.

• Resolve disagreements – Prototyping helps your engineers to see which aspects function best and why if they dispute about the product’s design. As a consequence, the design is optimised, providing you the greatest possible product.

Summing up

Are you ready to start working on your interactive prototype? Check out Protomock to improve your product’s user experience and create a UI for your mobile app. When you’re ready to present your prototype to a larger audience, don’t forget to check out our advice on how to prepare for and perform user testing! Contact Protomock today and solve all your prototyping needs!