Prototypivaiheet

Prototypivaiheet refers to a sequence of prototyping stages used in product development and design to create and evaluate representations of a product or system. The term is used in Finnish design and technology contexts and reflects the iterative nature of prototyping, moving from simple to more refined representations as understanding grows.

In practice, prototypivaiheet guide teams through a staged approach: ideation and low-fidelity prototypes to explore concepts cheaply; mid-fidelity prototypes that demonstrate interaction and core functionality; and high-fidelity prototypes that resemble the final product and enable user testing and technical assessment. The stages may be linked to different purposes, such as validating user needs, testing usability, verifying technical feasibility, and communicating design decisions to stakeholders. Prototypivaiheet often employ rapid prototyping methods to shorten feedback cycles, using paper models, wireframes, interactive software simulations, or functional hardware as appropriate.

Benefits include reduced risk, clearer requirements, faster feedback, and better alignment among team members and stakeholders. Challenges can include managing scope, allocating resources for early prototypes, and choosing the appropriate fidelity for each phase to avoid wasted effort.

Applications span software, hardware, service design, and cross-disciplinary product development, where iterative validation is valued. While the exact number and naming of stages vary by team, the concept of prototypivaiheet remains a practical framework for structured exploration and learning during development.