The distinction between a prototype and an MVP (minimal viable product) is discussed in this article along with the benefits of each. Contact a reputable custom software development company if you require expert assistance in developing a successful MVP or prototype. Their skilled advisors are prepared to walk you through each stage of the process and have years of experience in product development.
What is a Prototype?
The earliest software model built by a custom software development company that shows how the potential app will function is often referred to as a prototype. It is a straightforward visual depiction of your concept that enables you to gather input from the project’s end users or stakeholders and pinpoint areas in need of improvement.
There are many quality levels used while creating prototypes. High-fidelity prototypes are clickable and enable you experience the look and feel of the main software capabilities, but low-fidelity prototypes might be as basic as hand-drawn sketches or paper wireframes. Even the most advanced hi-fi prototypes created by a custom software development company occasionally use early coding.
Phases: How to Create a Product Prototype
For creating a product prototype, we have four main phases:
1. Initial Stage
All production procedures, whether or not they involve prototyping, must have a stage devoted to concept development and the first 2D sketch of the design. Without first working on the design, you cannot develop a model or the subsequent prototype and, as a result, you cannot take use of prototyping’s advantages. This design needs to be worked on in depth in order for the model and prototype to be reliable.
2. Design Improvement
The creation of the model follows the definition of the design. For a custom software development company, the major goal of this stage of the prototype process is to optimize the design by building the model. The model can be generated using a variety of methods, possibly even numerous. The initial design will get better and more developed as the process goes along until the team decides it is ready to go on to the next stage. Before creating a prototype, the car is modelled in clay to scale in the automobile industry. Such a model is scanned in order to use it later.
3. Assessment & Prototyping
The advantages of prototyping are the ability to test the design, gather general and specific feedback, and incorporate it into the prototype before producing the finished item. The necessity to create models that are not only useful but also distinctive for their accuracy stems from the aforementioned. You must test things like the adjusting of form and function, size, or ergonomics in them. together with additional factors like prospective production costs. The ability to modify a prototype is one of its advantages.
4. Validation & Confirmation
Before the final product is produced (in large quantities or not, depending on the industrial sector we are discussing), the prototype must be created and validated. The prototype is the one that undergoes the tests that were specifically created for it. Using the automotive industry as an example, crash tests are performed on the prototype rather than a vehicle that has already been constructed on an assembly line. It then advances to the final product’s development stage only if it behaves properly. This determines whether the design satisfies the requirements and delivers the results that the custom software development company and the customers want from the product.
Key Benefits of Prototyping
- Low Price: Because they don’t need as much development time, can have fewer features, and have lesser resolution, prototypes are often less expensive to construct.
- Rapid Response: Quick construction and testing of prototypes enables designers and developers to receive input and spot product defects early in the project.
- Simple to Modify: Prototypes are frequently straightforward and adaptable, making it simple to make changes in response to customer feedback or shifting market conditions to test out fresh concepts or contrast several possibilities side by side.
- Low Risk: Both financially and in terms of time required for development, prototypes are low-risk. They are therefore a fantastic choice for small and startup companies wishing to test fresh ideas for products before investing money in larger projects.
- Possibility to Raise Money: Prototypes give an idea a concrete representation that can be utilized to entice partners or investors.
What is an MVP?
A minimum viable product, often known as an MVP, is a condensed form of a future product. It is essentially bare-bones software built with only enough functionality to appease the first consumers. The main reason MVPs are created is so that the product may be live-tested with a larger audience and begin to show results quickly. If your MVP is a commercial success, you can gradually develop into a fully functional app by incorporating new features every few weeks.
The key distinction between an MVP and a prototype is that the latter is an app that is prepared for the market. It might not have all the features or be as polished as the finished product, but it still works. A prototype is merely a model of the finished application.
Key Benefits of MVP
- Concept Reassurance: MVPs offer a true picture of the finished product, enabling custom software development company’s expert developers and designers to test their theories or hypotheses and obtain useful information that prototypes might not be able to offer.
- Actual User Opinions: When compared to an MVP, which opens the door to thousands of unbiased users who will test it in real-world circumstances, a prototype can only be shown to a small group of project stakeholders or investors. The most often requested features, the most significant user pain spots, or the least intuitive UI aspects can all be found with the help of an MVP. Prioritizing development efforts and making essential modifications before the official launch can be done using this feedback.
- Acquisition of Users: Early adopters can be drawn in and buzz can be generated about the product using MVPs. Early on, this can help establish a devoted user base and spark interest in the product before it officially launches.
- Revenue: By delivering an MVP, you can begin to see results sooner, reducing project risks and supplying a new revenue source to complete the development.
Which Do You Need: An MVP or A Prototype?
The decision between a prototype and an MVP is mostly influenced by a custom software development company’s stage in SDLC, level of user understanding, and the resources the company has available. Choose a prototype if you are still honing your concept and testing early design ideas since you will get input from stakeholders, draw investors, and then move on to MVP development. An MVP is the ideal spot to begin software development if you are confident in your concept and have the resources and abilities to get started right away.
