Early prototype is critical to save time and money and be sure you are on track. Remember, innovation is iterative, messy, and non-linear. It's a few steps forward, then often a few steps back.
This is why I encourage teams to create prototypes on a minimal scale with limited investment, with the expectation that they will fail—and to see it as a learning opportunity.
Simple materials like Play-Doh, pipe cleaners, or aluminum foil can be enough for physical ideas. Storyboards, flowcharts, or even short skits can vividly portray the envisioned customer experience for experiential concepts and services. By doing so, you invite invaluable feedback.
In the corporate world, we are always looking for perfection. However, I learned that showing imperfect, raw prototypes makes people feel more comfortable offering feedback, leading to more insightful suggestions.
Early prototypes provide feedback quickly and cheaply, allowing you to modify and retest rather than spending the cost of a team over a long period, only to discover much later that your idea has critical flaws.
Everything can be prototyped: an idea, a service, and an experience.
If you cannot figure out how to prototype something, please let me know, and I will gladly suggest options.
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