There are several ways to develop a product in small steps. The terms Prototype, MVP, Spike, and Proof of Concept are often used interchangeably, but there are certainly differences. Download our handy overview with the differences.
Practicing with prototyping
A fun exercise to get acquainted with prototyping (and the principles of design thinking such as ‘thinking with your hands’) is the Marshmallow challenge from the sleeve of Tom Wujek. Below is the instruction.
Tip: conclude with the conclusions of Tom Wujek in his TED talk.
Min specs
A nice Liberating structure to start the prototyping process with is the ‘Min Specs’. The instruction is below. This exercise is based on a scrum team with a Product Owner (PO). The BO is the Business Owner.
Improv prototyping
Go crazy. Don’t make your prototype, act it . You can find the instructions for this liberating structure here .
Keep your prototype ‘clean’. If you add something, take something away. So KISS. Or, as Nicola Tesla puts it beautifully: “The best machine is the one with the fewest parts.”