Idea to Reality: How to Create a Product Prototype?

In the late 1990s, the PalmPilot was the most popular device on the planet. Every business person used it because it freed them from their desktop computers. 

That device started with an idea, which creator Jeff Hawkins famously turned into a wooden prototype. He would carry the prototype in his pocket to see how people would interact with the device.

The rest is computing history. If you have an idea for a product, you’ll need to know how to create a product prototype before you release it to the market.

Read on to discover the steps to make it happen.

What Is a Prototype?

A prototype is an early model of your ideal. A prototype can also be used to develop a process, such as a software process or a manufacturing process.

When you develop a prototype for a product, you get to see and experience the product for yourself before you release it to the public.

You can test the idea from the user’s perspective. You can test different types of materials to get a durable product. That makes it much easier to sell the benefits of the product when you launch it.

How to Create a Product Prototype

There are a number of ways to create a product prototype. You can start the same way that Jeff Hawkins did with his prototype. Make a simple product prototype and start to use it in real-life situations.

You’ll note some ideas to make your product better. You can take the next step and use product design software to improve the product design.

You can make another handmade model and go through the process again. In the next round of improvements, use different materials to refine the idea further.

The next step is to bring on designers and engineers to make your product a reality. They’ll go through the product development cycle to find ways to mass-produce your new product.

You should begin to learn more about the product development cycle. These are the steps that you need to take got get your idea to market.

Food Product Prototypes

For those making a food product, be prepared to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Make a lot of small batches of your creation at home first.

Once you have the initial recipe down, then figure out the additional ingredients necessary to give the product shelf life and maintain quality. You’ll then work with a food manufacturer to produce the product.

Build Your Product Prototype

A product prototype is an important step in taking your concept of a product and bringing it to market. How to create a product prototype starts with your idea.

You can then take that idea and flesh it out with a handmade product. You can tweak the design using software and make another prototype. It’s a development cycle of constant testing and improving the original idea.

At the end of the product development cycle, you’ll need to market your product. Head over to the Digital Marketing section of this site for tips to market and sell your product.