Prototyping
Prototyping is creating a simplified version of a solution to quickly test assumptions before full implementation.
Definition
Prototyping allows you to learn by testing quickly instead of long abstract planning. It may concern a product, a process, a text, a daily ritual or a method of communication. A good draft doesn't have to be beautiful; it must give information whether the direction makes sense.
Key ideas
- Draft
- Test of assumptions
- Learning through contact with reality
Practice and life
Instead of designing the perfect system, create its simplest version for 7 days. After a week, assess what works, what bothers you and what needs to be removed.
Common misconceptions
It is a mistake to treat a prototype as a final product. It often takes too long to refine something that should be checked first.
> A prototype turns a guess into something you can collide with.
> — Guru Element
Questions for self-reflection
- What hypothesis is the prototype supposed to test?
- What is the simplest version of the test?
- What data will show whether to move forward?