Prototypenphase

Prototypenphase refers to the phase in product development dedicated to creating and evaluating prototypes of a product or system to test concepts, form, function, and usability before committing to full-scale production. It is part of many development methodologies, including stage-gate and the V-model, and can occur in hardware, software, or hybrid projects. It is often preceded by concept development and followed by verification, validation, and production planning.

The main objectives are to validate requirements, explore feasible designs, assess manufacturability and cost, identify risks, and collect feedback from stakeholders and potential users. The phase is typically iterative, employing rapid prototyping to test ideas quickly and refine them based on test results and user input.

Common activities include defining prototypes' fidelity levels, creating physical or software models (low-fidelity sketches, mid-fidelity mockups, high-fidelity functional prototypes), performing mechanical, electrical, or usability testing, running simulations, material and manufacturing feasibility studies, and updating specifications and risk registers.

Outputs include prototype artifacts, test reports, revised requirements, design decisions, updated bill of materials, and readiness assessments for production. The phase helps de-risk the project by surfacing issues early and informing the decision to proceed, iterate, or abandon.

Variants include hardware prototypes, software prototypes, and hybrid builds; terms like proof-of-concept, feasibility prototype, and functional prototype reflect different goals. Challenges include balancing fidelity, time, and cost, managing scope, and ensuring traceability to requirements.