Are you looking to build the world’s next great tech gadget? If so, you’re going to need a prototype first. A prototype is an initial version of a product, where you can test out different ideas and see what works. But how does someone go about building their initial prototype? Below are some steps you can follow to create your new tech prototype.
Start with the Basics
Before you can build your prototype, you need to have an idea. Think about what sort of product you want to make and who you’re trying to make this product for. You’ll then want to conduct some basic research into that market to ensure there’s a demand for your product idea. After all, it wouldn’t make sense to develop a prototype for a product that nobody wants. Once you research the market space a little bit, you can then start brainstorming some more specifics about your product. For example, what kind of features you want to include or how the product will work.
Draw a Design
Once you have some ideas for your product, the next step is to make a design of it. There are two primary ways you can go about this. The first is to simply grab a pencil and some paper, then start sketching. If you’re a competent artist, you can draw some basic sketches for your product. The other option is to create your design using software. There are plenty of tools that can help you design a new product or you can try to sketch the design using some basic image editing software. This might require that you learn some new software or graphic design skills.
Try to create a few different sketches, using different ideas for your product, until you find one that you like. Play around with different dimensions, shapes, and features, all while thinking about potential roadblocks as you design. Also, consider not only the outward-facing appearance of the product but how all the internal components will fit inside as well. The more detail you can add to your designs, the better, as this will serve as your roadmap for creating your prototype.
Create a Proof of Concept
The next step is to develop a proof of concept. A proof of concept is different from a prototype. With a proof of concept, you’re working to determine if your idea is a feasible one. Using your designs, you’ll want to study whether your product would actually work as intended. With a proof of concept, you’re not trying to figure out whether your customers would use your product but rather how they would use it.
Creating a proof of concept may involve building a basic model with parts you have around your home. It might also include talking with investors to see if you can generate enough income to build your product. Essentially, you’re checking to make sure you have a good idea before you go ahead and start building your prototype.
Assemble the Parts
After you have a reliable design, it’s now time to start assembling the parts. How you go about this will depend on the type of parts you need for your prototype. For example, if your product requires a circuit board, you may want to work with an electronics manufacturing company. If you need a custom shell for your product, you could look at renting a 3D printer or finding a CNC service in your area. Make a list of each component for your prototype, then research how you can go about acquiring those parts. As you go along, you may discover that it’s hard or impossible to get certain parts, which will require that you go back to your designs and think of something new.
Build Your Prototype
With all your parts assembled, it’s now time to build your prototype. Put everything together based on the designs you made. If you planned out everything well, you should have an easier time assembling all the pieces. However, no matter how well you plan, there’s always the possibility of a problem coming up. For example, maybe you didn’t consider the thickness of a piece of material and now it doesn’t fit inside your casing. It’s not uncommon for builders to need to go back to their designs and make adjustments, before ordering replacement parts and attempting to build their prototype again.
Test and Improve Your New Prototype
Finally, with your prototype built, you can begin testing it out. Does it work as you intended? Are there any other features you can add or improvements you can make? Test out your prototype as many ways as you can, then ask others to test it as well. After you run tests, design improvements, then implement them into new prototypes. Keep doing this until you have a final product that you’re ready to sell.