What is a prototype? Definition, types, and prototyping methods

In the rapidly evolving landscape of digital development, prototyping emerges as a crucial strategy for product managers to determine the most suitable technology and features for their products, while assessing user expectations. Prototyping serves as a cost-effective method to experiment with and refine product concepts, allowing teams to validate ideas without significant resource expenditure and to learn from failures quickly. The text discusses various prototyping methods, including feasibility, low-fidelity, high-fidelity, and live data prototypes, each serving different purposes such as testing technical feasibility, usability, and user interest. These prototypes enable teams to gain insights, validate customer needs, and guide development by creating interactive and realistic models of potential products or features. Additionally, the text emphasizes the importance of aligning prototypes with the product's lifecycle stage and the specific needs of the team, such as gaining stakeholder buy-in, improving product aesthetics, or setting a course for technical development. Ultimately, prototyping helps in maintaining speed and efficiency in product development, ensuring that the final product aligns with market demands and user expectations.