Prototyping

Using Rapid Prototyping to Test New Products

  • Posted by Dienamics
  • October 8, 2013

With improvements in technology and new options such as 3D printing, rapid prototyping is becoming more common. For businesses and product designers, rapid prototyping can be the perfect way to test a new product concept or invention. It offers a cheap option for reviewing and fine-tuning products before committing to mass production.

The importance of testing products

Heather Andrus, a design and innovation consultant, said that it is vital to test products with consumers even if the inventor believes that the design is perfect. This is because other people could have different takes on the product. The prototyping stage allows designers to hear feedback about the product and possibly discover hidden needs of consumers.

Identifying the right market

Rapid prototyping allows the creator to test the value proposition of the product to find out if the target market will truly want it. Demonstrate the product to the market and find out whether the users are obtaining sufficient value from it.

Refining the product

Rapid prototyping can also play an important part in the fine-tuning and product refining stage. It allows the designers to add or remove features and functionalities. According to Andrus, each feature should be tested separately for best results.

Source:http://altimeter-blog.altitudeinc.com/bid/70712/4-Keys-to-Testing-Your-Product-With-Rapid-Prototyping