Prototype

How it is used

You build, design, test or show a prototype. It can be a clickable design in Figma, a 3D-printed part or a simple demo. A prototype is mainly for learning; an MVP is something real customers can actually use.

Example sentences

1. We showed a clickable prototype to ten clinics before writing a single line of code.

2. The hardware prototype overheated, so we changed the battery supplier.

Common collocations

• build a prototype
• clickable prototype
• working prototype
• test the prototype

Related terms

• MVPMinimum viable product: the simplest version of a product that real customers can use, built quickly to test whether the idea solves their problem.
• iterateTo improve a product in repeated short cycles: build a version, test it with users, learn from the results and make the next version better.
• validateTo check with real evidence, such as customer interviews, sign-ups or pre-orders, that an idea, a problem or a business assumption is true.
• customer discoveryThe early process of talking directly to possible customers to understand their problems and test whether your idea is worth building.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

• prototype · Software Engineering
• prototype · Game Development
• prototype · UX/UI Design
• prototype · Product Management
• prototype · Mechanical Engineering
• prototype · Military & Defence

More terms: MVP & Product-Market Fit

• product-market fit
• early adopter
• lean startup