Prototypes: make it rough, test it early

A prototype is an early version of a design made to test an idea. Your first one should be fast and cheap, because its job is to teach you something, not to be perfect.

A good plan today

Have you ever been in a group where everyone has ideas but nothing gets made? That's called analysis paralysis. A good plan today is better than a perfect plan next week, because the sooner you build something, the sooner you find out what's wrong with it.

Roles that get teams moving

Rotate the roles each task so everyone gets a turn to lead. If you choose a 'wrong' path quickly, you still have time to fix it. If you spend the whole hour deciding, you have no time to fix anything.

Learning from failure

In 1993 James Dyson released a vacuum cleaner with no bag. It used spinning air (cyclonic separation) to pull dust out, so suction didn't drop as it filled up. He has said he built more than 5,000 prototypes on the way. Each one that failed taught him something the next one used.

Ideas from noticing

In 1941 the Swiss engineer George de Mestral came home from a walk and found burrs stuck in his dog's fur. Looking closely, he saw tiny hooks catching on loops of hair. Years of testing later, he had hook-and-loop fastening, which we call Velcro. Careful observation, not a lucky guess, started the idea.

Test with the real person

Hand your prototype to your user and stay quiet. Watch where they hesitate. Every stumble is information. Then change one thing and test again. This loop of build, test and improve is called iteration.