Prototype Fidelity Should Target the Question It Is Trying to Solve

Prototyping is an essential part of product development. The widely known mantra, “fail fast and fail often,” is often cited as the key to innovation, but perhaps a more fitting approach is to fail smartly along the way. To do this, teams should constantly ask two critical questions:

1. What are the risks?

2. How can I efficiently and quickly test those risks?

   
   

By framing your prototyping process around identifying and mitigating risks, you avoid the temptation to overbuild. Remember: you don’t need to construct the entire system to address a localized risk. The goal is to solve the right question at the right time, using the right fidelity of prototype.

The Many Forms of Prototyping

Prototyping doesn’t have to look one way. It can take many forms:

• A sketch on paper to quickly ideate concepts.

• Cardboard and pins to experiment with mechanical linkages.

• Raw components on a workbench to test functionality.

• A rough 3D-printed model for early physical validation.

• High-fidelity finished models to refine aesthetics and usability.

  
  

Prototypes can focus on specific areas (e.g., a single feature or mechanism) or capture an entire system to evaluate functionality holistically. The important part is to choose the prototype type and fidelity based on the specific question you want to solve.

Low-Fidelity Prototypes: Early Stages of Development

In the early stages of design, low-fidelity prototypes are invaluable for exploring mechanics, workflows, and concepts. These prototypes don’t have to be perfect — they’re about learning quickly and cheaply.

For instance, using paper and cardboard models, block sketches, or simple pinned mockups can help test mechanical linkages or design flows. While these prototypes are often made from inexpensive materials, it’s helpful to construct them with some level of cleanliness and precision so the team can confidently draw findings from each iteration.

Laser cutting is an excellent tool at this stage, offering a balance of speed and precision to test out early design ideas. Always ask yourself: What do I want to test? What is the quickest, most efficient way to test it?

Usability Prototypes: Gathering User Feedback

For testing usability, dedicated usability prototypes allow you to get devices in front of users quickly. These models are excellent for gathering formative feedback, demonstrating functionality, and guiding future design decisions.

Usability prototypes don’t need to capture every detail but should provide just enough fidelity to simulate the user’s experience. This can be as simple as a foam model for ergonomic testing or a basic interactive prototype for testing workflows.

MOVE SLC - Early stage mock up with Foam core and LED used for early validation of the bidirectional screen accesability and system alarm light implimentation.

Proof-of-Concept Prototypes: Mitigating Functional Risks

As the design matures, so should your prototyping approach. When integrating multiple systems together for the first time, you might be tempted to jump straight into a pre-production prototype. But skipping intermediate steps can lead to costly mistakes if critical components or features fail.

LOCALIZED PROTOTYPE LOOKING AT ILLIMINATION

Instead, consider developing a proof-of-concept prototype to mitigate these risks. Focus on usability, component placement, and mechanical functionality. Using stock materials, such as aluminum extrusions, waterjet-cut profiles, and 3D-printed components, you can assemble a prototype quickly and affordably.

These prototypes help uncover hidden issues, facilitate user feedback, and can often meet minimum safety requirements, enabling formal evaluations. However, remember: proof-of-concept prototypes are not the final design.

From Functional Prototype to Alpha Design

Achieving a working proof-of-concept is a significant milestone, but it’s not the end of prototyping. While functional prototypes often look like finished products, they lack the refinement needed for mass production.

A true Alpha prototype should refine and validate key aspects such as:

• Ease of assembly: Are parts easy to align, install, or integrate?

• Manufacturing methods: Are parts designed for the intended production process (e.g., injection molding, CNC machining)?

• Bill of Materials (BOM): Does the BOM balance performance, cost, and scalability?

Even though the alpha will be fabricated using prototyping methods, the design targets the intended manufacturing processes and enables you to validate the design before you invest in tooling.

The Role of Modern Prototyping Tools

Today’s landscape offers a wide range of fabrication methods, from laser cutting and 3D printing to advanced CNC machining. Choosing the right tools for each prototype can help you efficiently achieve your design objectives.

Working with companies like Gist Design, which focuses solely on developing easy-to-implement designs, can streamline this process. They bring expertise in aligning prototypes with development goals without bias toward specific manufacturing processes, ensuring better decisions and faster progress toward launch.

Conclusion

Prototyping isn’t about building a perfect replica of your final product from the start — it’s about targeting fidelity to answer specific questions. Start small and iterate, evolving your prototypes as your understanding of the design grows. By aligning your approach with the risks you’re trying to mitigate, you can fail smartly, learn efficiently, and ultimately build a better product.

Remember: "the right prototype is the one that solves the question at hand." Laura Karik