Copy - Copy - Class 14- Concept Overview V3

Prototyping, its Types & Importance

Overview of Prototypes & MVP

Objective: Learns what it takes to create a solution to take to your customers

Minium Viable Product (MVP)

Benefits of MVP

Prototype vs. MVP

DELIVERABLE:Select a Format to Develop a Prototype

CONCEPT PRIMER

Understanding Prototyping

Prototype is a preliminary version or a model of a product, service, or process

Types of Prototyping

Pros of Prototyping

Cons of Prototyping

Common Low-Fidelity Prototypes

SKETCHES

PAPER

LEGO

WHY?

• Quickly create physical prototypes
• Versatile, easy to modify & dismantle
• Encourage experimentation and fun

WHY?

• Quickly create physical prototypes
• Versatile, easy to modify & dismantle
• Encourage experimentation and fun

WHY?

• Cheap and easy to create and modify
• Easy to get feedback on as the prototype looks rough and users don’t fear hurting your feelings.

When? Novel Solutions

When? New digital or physical product Solution ideas

When? Novel Solutions

How?

• LEGO bricks
• Cardboard mockups
• 3D printing - FreeCAD

How?

• Pen and paper
• Sketchup
• Smartdraw

How?

• Pen and paper

Output: 3 D object (product)

Output: Sketch Mock-ups

Output: Sketch Mockup

Click for ‘How to’ video

Click for video on ‘Prototyping games & App with Lego’

Click for Image-sketch prototype

Common Low-Fidelity Prototypes

STORYBOARD

DIGITAL

BLUEPRINTS

WHY?

• Extensive blueprint to simulate through a combination of staging, role play and blueprint a thorough outline of the user and other stakeholder experiences

WHY?

• Visual plan through a combination of staging, role play and blueprint a thorough outline of the user and other stakeholder experiences

WHY?

• Quickly create physical prototypes
• Versatile, easy to modify & dismantle
• Encourage experimentation and fun

When? Solution design for services

When? User journey

When? Novel Solutions

How?

• Sketch up
• Smartdraw, Planner 5D…

How?

• Sketch sequences.
• Sketchup

How?

• Figma
• Miro…

Output: Blueprint of the services workflow, user experience, backstage processes…

Output: Visual plan of user experiences/journey

Output: Wireframe / Mock-ups including clickable

Click to view a wireframe

Click to view a storyboard

Click for blueprint framework

What is the real value of Prototyping?

User Validation

Identifying Issues

Continuous Refinement

Visualizing Ideas

Improved Decision Making

Increased Adaptability

Cost & Time Efficiency

Alignment among Team

Understanding MVP

PURPOSE OF MVP

WHAT IS MVP?

Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is a basic functional version of the product built with minimum effort within a minimum amount of time to validate the idea and scale it up further.

Swiftly bring a product to market, allowing startups to gather valuable feedback and make informed decisions regarding future iterations.

Deeper dive into MVP

What are the Benefits of an MVP?

FASTER TIME-TO-MARKET

COST EFFICIENT DEVELOPMENT

USER VALIDATION

CUSTOMER DELIGHT

RISK MITIGATION

Minimum Viable Product

MINIMUM An unfinished product no customer needs or wants

VIABLE The final product that the startup wants to build

MVP

A product that is good enough to solve the core problem of the customer, and only has functions for that

Prototypes vs. MVP

SIMILARITIES

SAMPLES

DIFFERENCES

Role-Play

PAPER STORYBOARD

Your Deliverable – Select a Prototype Format for Your Solution

Venture Activity 5.1: Build your Prototype

PHYSICAL MOCK-UP

PAPER WIREFRAME

Faster Time-to-Market By focusing on the essential features required for a functional product, startups can develop and release their MVPs quickly.

User ValidationBy putting a product in the hands of users, startups can validate their assumptions, understand user preferences, and identify potential pain points.

Role Plays / Simulations

Acting out scenarios or using simulations to mimic service interactions or product usage

Image courtesy: Interaction Design Foundation – Interaction-design.org

Hand-drawn sketches depicting basic layouts, structures, and functionalities of products or interfaces.

Sketches

Service Design

Detailed live simulations or mock-ups of the service experience, involving realistic interactions between users and service providers.

Cost and Time Efficiency

Resource OptimizationCatching and resolving issues in early-stage prototypes is more cost-effective and less time-consuming than making changes in the final product.

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Paper Prototype

Physical prototypes using paper cutouts, enabling quick and interactive testing of user interfaces and workflows

Alignment Among Teams

Communication Tool Prototypes facilitate communication between cross-functional teams or stakeholders, aligning everyone towards a common vision.

Wireframes (detailed)

Detailed digital representations Shows actual user interface elements, interactive features, similar to the final solution

Identifying Risks

Risk Reduction Testing prototypes helps identify and address design flaws, usability issues, or functional problems early, reducing risks associated with the final product/service.​

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Application

Cons of Prototyping

• Takes Times
• Requires Iterations

Sketches

Hand-drawn sketches depicting basic layouts, structures, and functionalities of products or interfaces.

Visualizing Ideas

Conceptualization Aid: Prototypes offer a tangible representation of abstract ideas, helping stakeholders understand and visualize the end product/service.​

Customer DelightThis iterative approach ensures that subsequent versions are better aligned with user expectations, resulting in a more polished and market-ready product.

Storyboards/Scenarios

Visualizing user journeys or service interaction, capturing key steps and interactions

Continuous Refinement

Iterative Improvement Prototyping supports an iterative development process, allowing for constant refinement based on feedback, leading to a more polished end product.​

Blueprint

Detailed user journey showing the visual map of how the user will interact with the product

Framework and image courtesy NNGROUP.COM

Storyboards/Scenarios

Visualizing user journeys or service interaction, capturing key steps and interactions

Improved Decision-Making

Informed Choices Prototypes provide tangible evidence for decision-making, allowing stakeholders to make informed choices based on real experiences rather than assumptions.

Risk MitigationIf the MVP proves successful, the startup can confidently invest in further development. If not, the impact on resources and finances is limited, enabling the team to pivot or iterate based on the lessons learned.

Examples of MVP

The cloud storage giant began as a simple MVP – a video demonstrating the concept of file syncing. This video generated immense interest, allowing Dropbox to secure early adopters and attract investment. The founders of Airbnb initially launched a basic website with listings of their apartment, and a few others. This rudimentary version served as their MVP, enabling them to validate the demand for a platform connecting travelers with unique lodging options. In its early days, Zappos founder, Nick Swinmurn, launched a simple website with pictures of shoes taken from local shoe stores. When customers place an order, Swinmurn would purchase the shoes at retail stores and ship them to customers. This manual process served as the MVP, testing the viability of selling shoes online.

User-Centric Approach:

User Validation Prototypes enable early testing with users, allowing for feedback that shapes the final product/service according to user needs and preferences.

Cost-Efficient DevelopmentBy prioritizing core functionalities and avoiding unnecessary features, startups can allocate resources judiciously.

Wireframes (detailed)

Detailed digital representations Shows actual user interface elements, interactive features, similar to the final solution

Increased Adaptability

Ease of Modification Prototypes can be easily modified or discarded if they don't meet expectations, allowing for flexible changes without major repercussions.

Differences

PROTOTYPES

• Tested by the internal team
• Low-to-Medium fidelity
• Goal: Validate design

Vs

MVP

• Validated with target users
• High fidelity
• Goal: Product-Customer fit

Similarities

• Validate hypotheses before committing significant resources to full-scale development.
• Enable iterative development
• Minimize the initial investment in terms of time and money