What a prototype is
- A prototype is a working model of a product, made to test and develop the design before full production.
- It may be made in the final material, or in cheaper modelling materials to test ideas.
Evaluating a prototype
- Does it satisfy the requirements of the brief and specification?
- Does it meet the client's and users' needs? Get feedback from them.
- Is it innovative, and would it be marketable (would people buy it at the planned price)?
- Can it be manufactured efficiently, and is it sustainable?
Modifying and improving
- Evaluation leads to changes, such as a new size, material or mechanism.
- Designers record each change and the reason for it, often with photos and annotated sketches.
- Several prototypes may be made (iterations) before the design is final.
Key terms
- Prototype
- A working model made to test a design before production.
- Evaluation
- Judging how well a product meets the brief and specification.
- Marketability
- How likely a product is to sell.
- Innovation
- A new idea or improvement.
- Modification
- A change made to improve a design.
- Client
- The person or organisation the product is designed for.