8 min
The Unexpected Benefit of Interactive Prototypes in New Product Development Development Experience – OpLaunch » dx
-
- Technology
The greatest value of producing interactive prototypes can be the impact on the network developing new products. In some development environments, this value may not be communicated as a primary objective.
Sequential Development Processes
Some textbooks summarize the steps to new product development (NPD) as a sequential process:
Select one idea from a large list of possibilities
Scope the project. Develop a plan that includes estimates to transition from an idea to a complete new product
Craft a business case or business model
Develop the product. These development activities are typically done by individuals in roles such as scientist, engineer, coder, tester, marketer, subject matter expert, project manager, product manager, …)
Test the product internally
Produce high fidelity prototypes
Place prototypes with potential customers for external test
Craft a marketing communications package
Launch the product to the intended market
A phased-gate approach to new product development is characterized by a sequential process used to manage projects
Often, this approach is administered by:
A formal management process such as a Stage-Gate® process
A resource management process that includes a list of requirements for specific project roles
Other explicit processes, checklists, procedures, and practices
Often, when Agile or Lean concepts are introduced, the impact is limited to the day-to-day activities of development.
Common Uses of Prototypes in New Product Development
There are many kinds of prototypes associated with a sequential product development process.
Some prototypes are produced quickly. They are used to evaluate a few design parameters. Typically, these prototypes are discipline specific. Artists sketch. Electrical engineers breadboard. Designers wireframe. Marketers test messages with focus groups. Typically, these prototypes are produced early in the development effort. Often, the process of designing and building these prototypes enhances the capabilities of the functional specialists that produce them. The raw data from testing these prototypes remains within a small group of like-minded specialists. In many cases, an interpretation of the test results is summarized in reports that are distributed to other specialists and managers.
Other prototypes are produced in limited quantities near the end of the development process. The construction of these high-fidelity prototypes requires the integration of components from multiple functional disciplines. Since the prototypes are constructed prior to the market launch, the potential for changing the product is minimized. Often, the major reasons for the production of high fidelity prototypes are:
Test the integration of components developed by separate groups of specialists
Gather testimonials for use in the market launch
Use for compliance testing (such as electrical safety, crash testing, drop testing,…)
Forecast production problems
Other names for these prototypes include alpha-units or beta units.
Typical Benefits of Interactive Prototypes
Prototypes can be static or interactive. Typically, interactive prototypes can provide insights that a static prototypes can not. For example, instead of a designer producing static sketches of web pages, the prototype could be designed and developed in HTML and CSS. Instead of asking someone to evaluate the aesthetics of sketches, evaluators interact with dynamic prototypes to perform tasks and solve simulated problems.
Dynamic prototypes have the potential to provide valuable feedback. Since the feedback loop from the evaluator to the designer is faster, the potential for misinterpretation of the evaluator’s comment by the designer is minimized. The potential to detect mismatches (what the designer believed that the customer wanted and what the customer needs) is maximized.
When evaluators interact with prototypes, deficiencies are revealed. Individual contributors are presented with an opportunity to fix[...]
The greatest value of producing interactive prototypes can be the impact on the network developing new products. In some development environments, this value may not be communicated as a primary objective.
Sequential Development Processes
Some textbooks summarize the steps to new product development (NPD) as a sequential process:
Select one idea from a large list of possibilities
Scope the project. Develop a plan that includes estimates to transition from an idea to a complete new product
Craft a business case or business model
Develop the product. These development activities are typically done by individuals in roles such as scientist, engineer, coder, tester, marketer, subject matter expert, project manager, product manager, …)
Test the product internally
Produce high fidelity prototypes
Place prototypes with potential customers for external test
Craft a marketing communications package
Launch the product to the intended market
A phased-gate approach to new product development is characterized by a sequential process used to manage projects
Often, this approach is administered by:
A formal management process such as a Stage-Gate® process
A resource management process that includes a list of requirements for specific project roles
Other explicit processes, checklists, procedures, and practices
Often, when Agile or Lean concepts are introduced, the impact is limited to the day-to-day activities of development.
Common Uses of Prototypes in New Product Development
There are many kinds of prototypes associated with a sequential product development process.
Some prototypes are produced quickly. They are used to evaluate a few design parameters. Typically, these prototypes are discipline specific. Artists sketch. Electrical engineers breadboard. Designers wireframe. Marketers test messages with focus groups. Typically, these prototypes are produced early in the development effort. Often, the process of designing and building these prototypes enhances the capabilities of the functional specialists that produce them. The raw data from testing these prototypes remains within a small group of like-minded specialists. In many cases, an interpretation of the test results is summarized in reports that are distributed to other specialists and managers.
Other prototypes are produced in limited quantities near the end of the development process. The construction of these high-fidelity prototypes requires the integration of components from multiple functional disciplines. Since the prototypes are constructed prior to the market launch, the potential for changing the product is minimized. Often, the major reasons for the production of high fidelity prototypes are:
Test the integration of components developed by separate groups of specialists
Gather testimonials for use in the market launch
Use for compliance testing (such as electrical safety, crash testing, drop testing,…)
Forecast production problems
Other names for these prototypes include alpha-units or beta units.
Typical Benefits of Interactive Prototypes
Prototypes can be static or interactive. Typically, interactive prototypes can provide insights that a static prototypes can not. For example, instead of a designer producing static sketches of web pages, the prototype could be designed and developed in HTML and CSS. Instead of asking someone to evaluate the aesthetics of sketches, evaluators interact with dynamic prototypes to perform tasks and solve simulated problems.
Dynamic prototypes have the potential to provide valuable feedback. Since the feedback loop from the evaluator to the designer is faster, the potential for misinterpretation of the evaluator’s comment by the designer is minimized. The potential to detect mismatches (what the designer believed that the customer wanted and what the customer needs) is maximized.
When evaluators interact with prototypes, deficiencies are revealed. Individual contributors are presented with an opportunity to fix[...]
8 min