Journey Of Design - Prototype - Part 4

According to a book written by Karl T. Ulrich and Steven D. Eppinger, Although the dictionary defines a prototype as a noun only in product development practice the word is used as a noun or adjective. for example, 

• industrial designer produce prototypes for their concepts 

• engineers prototype a design 

• software developers' right prototype program 

we define property type as “an approximation of the product along one or more dimensions of interest under the definition any entity exhibiting at least one aspect of the product that is of interest to the development team can be viewed as a prototype.

Types of Prototypes

• Prototype can be usefully classified along to dimensions the first dimension is the degree to which a product is physical as opposed to analytical. 

Physical types are tangible artefacts created to approximate the product system aspects of the product of interest to the development team are built into an artefact or testing and experimentation system examples of physical proof types include models that look and feel like the product, Concept prototypes used to test Idea quickly and experiment will hardware used to validity the functionality of a product.

• The second dimension is the degree to which a prototype is comprehensive as opposed to focus. 

A comprehensive prototype implements most if not all of the attributes of the product. Accountancy proto type corresponds closely to the everyday use of the word prototype in that it is a scale of the frictional version of the product and an example of comprehensive prostate is one given to customers to identify any remaining designs before committing to production.

What are Prototypes used for?

Within a product development project prototypes are used for four purposes learning communication integration and milestones.

• Learning:

 Prototypes are often used to answer two types of questions:

• Will it work? and 

• How well does it meet the customer's needs?

when used to answer such questions as a learning tool.

• Communication

Prototypes enrich communication with top management, vendors, partners, extended team members, customers and inverters. This is particularly true of physical prototypes:  of visual practice three-dimensional representation of a product is much easier to understand than a verbal description or even a sketch of the product.

• Integration

Prototypes are used to ensure that components and subsistence of the product work together as expected comprehensive physical Prototypes are most effective as integration tools in a product development project because they require the assembly and Physical interconnection of all the parts and subassembly that make up a product.

• Milestones

Particularly in the leader stage of product development prototypes are used to demonstrate that the product has achieved a desired level of functionality. Milestone prototypes provide tangible goals, demonstrate progress, and serve to enforce the schedule.

Principles of Prototyping

Several principles are useful in guiding the decisions during the prototyping stage here are a few of those examples 

1. Types are more flexible and efficient compared to Physical prototype

2. Physical prototypes are required to detect anticipated problems during the production process

3. Prototype mainly reduces the risk of constant titrations in order to eliminate defects

4. A prototype will pass the other development steps in the product

5. Prototype may be structure task dependency 

 Prototyping techniques

1.  3D computer modelling:

• Since 1990 3D computer modelling has dominated an industry that used drawing often alphabeting techniques 

• Sure the models are represented as a collection of 3D entities constructed from geometrics such as cube cuboid cylinders, cones etc. 

2.  freeform fabrication:

• In 198,  the first commercial free-form fabrication system was introduced by 3D systems it was called stereo lithography and it didn't of computing technology which followed it to create physical objects to prototype design.

Product development almost always requires the building and testing of prototypes Types can be usefully classified into two dimensions one is the degree to which they are physical apos to analytical and two is the degree to which they are comprehensive as the post focus they are several principles that guy to the decision about prototypes during the product development stage 3D computer Modelling and free form fabrication Technology has reduced the relative cost of prototyping.

Conclusion

As we arrive at the final destination of our design thinking blog series, it's worth reflecting on the incredible journey we've undertaken through each stage of this transformative process. From empathizing with users' needs to defining problem statements, ideating innovative solutions, and crafting tangible prototypes, we've navigated the intricate terrain of design thinking. Each stage, meticulously explored in our series, has played a pivotal role in fostering creativity, collaboration, and user-centred problem-solving. As we conclude, we encourage you to revisit the wealth of insights and practical approaches shared throughout this series. Design thinking is not just a methodology; it's a mindset that fosters continuous improvement and a commitment to creating meaningful, human-centric solutions. Armed with this newfound knowledge, we hope you embark on your own design thinking endeavours, equipped to tackle challenges, spark innovation, and make a positive impact in your endeavours. Thank you for joining us on this enriching exploration of design thinking. Here's to the exciting journeys of innovation that lie ahead!