Prototyping in Action: Turning Ideas into Testable Concepts
Introduction
With creative ideas refined in the Work stage, it’s time to bring them to life. The Develop stage focuses on transforming concepts into tangible prototypes that can be tested, improved, and validated. This isn’t about perfection; it’s about learning through iteration and ensuring your solutions align with user needs.
What is the Develop Stage?
The Develop stage is where ideas become real. Teams create high-fidelity prototypes—simple, cost-effective representations of their concepts—to test their functionality and gather feedback. Prototyping helps teams identify what works, what doesn’t, and where improvements are needed.
Key activities in the Develop stage include:
- Building Prototypes: Using simple tools and materials to visualize concepts.
- User Feedback: Engaging stakeholders and end users to test prototypes and provide insights.
- Iterative Refinement: Updating and improving prototypes based on feedback.
- Scenario Testing: Exploring how the prototype performs in real-world or simulated conditions.
This stage is dynamic, encouraging teams to experiment, fail fast, and iterate quickly.
Why is the Develop Stage Important?
Prototyping bridges the gap between ideas and implementation. It allows teams to:
- Test concepts early, reducing risks and costs.
- Gather actionable feedback to refine solutions.
- Align stakeholders and build confidence in the solution.
By making ideas tangible, the Develop stage ensures that solutions are practical, user-centered, and ready for the next phase.
Example
Let’s return to the university recreation center example. After selecting the idea for modular workout spaces, the team develops a prototype:
- Sketching: They create a visual layout of the proposed space with modular equipment and movable partitions.
- Lo-Fi Prototype: Using cardboard and other basic materials, they build a scale model of the workout space.
- User Feedback: They invite students to interact with the model and share their thoughts. Feedback reveals a need for better signage and additional lighting.
- Iterative Refinement: The team incorporates these changes, adjusting the layout and adding mock-ups of lighting fixtures and signs.
This iterative process helps the team validate the concept and prepare for larger-scale testing.
How Develop Connects to Present
The Develop stage feeds directly into the Present phase by producing prototypes ready to showcase. These prototypes allow stakeholders to see, touch, and experience the solution, making it easier to gather support and feedback. For instance, the modular workout space prototype might be presented with a detailed explanation of its features, functionality, and anticipated benefits.
FAQs
Q1: Do prototypes need to be perfect?
A: Not at all! The goal is to test ideas quickly and learn. Simple, low-cost prototypes are often the most effective.
Q2: What if feedback suggests major changes to the idea?
A: That’s the point of prototyping! Use the feedback to refine and improve the concept before committing more resources.
Q3: How many iterations should we go through?
A: Iterate until you feel confident in the solution’s direction and alignment with user needs. Aim for progress, not perfection.
Learn More
Discover more about the Develop stage and other parts of the Innovation Funnel: