prototyping.
Prototyping builds an interactive representation of a design to test behaviour before it is implemented — from paper sketches through clickable screens to coded prototypes with real data.
Where prototyping fits on a long engagement.
Fidelity should be chosen from the question, not from what looks impressive. Testing whether a concept makes sense is answered by a rough sketch, and a polished prototype at that stage draws feedback about colour and spacing instead of about the idea.
High fidelity has its place once the concept is settled and the question is about detail: whether the flow works, whether the labels are understood, whether the interaction feels right. Using it too early wastes effort and produces the wrong conversation.
What an assigned team does with prototyping.
The value of a prototype is in what it prevents. A flow that turns out to be confusing costs an afternoon to fix in a prototype and a sprint to fix after implementation, and the difference compounds across a roadmap.
Making prototyping routine rather than exceptional is a delivery practice, held within an agreed committed monthly capacity for design.
What we use prototyping for.
- Fidelity matched to the question Rough where the concept is being tested, detailed once it is settled.
- Flows tested before implementation Confusion found when fixing costs an afternoon rather than a sprint.
- Stakeholder decisions on something concrete Agreement reached against a working flow rather than a description.
How prototyping capacity is assigned.
Prototyping capacity is assigned inside design work, with fidelity chosen per question rather than defaulting to high.
Tell us what your roadmap needs prototyping for.
A service delivery manager replies with the disciplines we would assign, the monthly capacity and what the first month looks like.
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