8 reasons why you need to prototype to be innovative

This week we asked you whether you had a creative toolbox.

Today we will show you the benefits of having one for prototpying.

1. Prototyping works for products, services and business processes.
   You can prototype just about anything via the different ways described under point 2.
   1. Physical models: building the actual future product
   2. Roleplay: creating a scenario of the service you are going to offer
   3. Storyboards: what is the story behind your idea?
   4. Sketches / Diagrams: showing the process or project flow

    

2. There is a prototype for each of us:

    

3. Prototyping brings solutions to light more quickly and cheaply:
   As you prototype at the beginning of the process, it immediately shows all the possibilities and directions you can go which allows you to move your project faster.

    

4. Prototyping also shows the problems or defects more quickly.
   You can then repair, adapt, improve more cheaply.

    

5. Prototypes communicate your vision more viscerally.
   Something one can see and/or touch speaks to people in more ways than just a powerpoint presentation.

    

6. Prototypes bring disagreements to a decision point.
   All the pros and cons are being tested here to see what does or does not work and who was right.

    

7. Creating a prototype gets stakeholders involved in the development process.
   When you secretly develop something you might not get the ‘wow’ reaction when you present the end results. Involve different internal departments, customers etc in the development phase and the result will be much more positive

    

8. Prototyping allows us all to explore what we could do, agree what we should do, plan what we will do.
   It puts us all on the same map with the same directions. And often enough the same level of excitement.