At this phase, we create a first physical model along the product roadmap, to answer the question "will it work?", with resemblance to the final product. This functionally representative prototype takes advantage of readily accessible materials to simulate its physical form while employing off the shelf technology to create its constituent components. These materials can include:
Cardboard, tape, foam and wood to represent the physical attributes
Hardware such as pumps, motors, and heaters to simulate mechanical functionality
Programmables such as Arduino, Raspberry Pi, switches and OTS (Off-the-shelf) switches, sensors and graphic displays to control the product’s functions, to provide user input methods and output feedback
Ultimately, this prototype is suitable for validating the viability of the product’s functionality and for being tested in a variety of controlled settings. It’s a formative stage in the product development process where the product viability is quickly determined and a rapid succession of systematic testing occurs to check assumptions, flush out potential failures, and understand if there really is a market for the product also referred to as product/market fit.
