Physical Prototyping, MVP and Fabrication

Physical Prototyping, MVP and Fabrication

Summary

Physical prototyping in the course is about creating a tangible, evaluable representation of the whole product vision, not only isolated technical parts. A smartphone-only solution is insufficient when the brief requires physical or tangible components.

An MVP is the minimum viable product: a version with just enough features to be usable and evaluable by early users. It should test the core problem-solution fit and act as a baseline for iteration.

MoSCoW prioritization separates features into Must have, Should have, Could have, and Will not have. Prioritization should be justified through personas, scenarios, contextual design, impact analysis, free features first, and pessimistic time estimates.

Prototype sprints of 24-72 hours can test the feasibility of crucial features. Each sprint should end with a decision: continue, rescope, or scrap. Prototype evaluation should validate the concept, assess user appropriation, and collect feedback for iteration.

Digital fabrication includes additive manufacturing such as 3D printing and subtractive manufacturing such as CNC milling. Arduino and ESP32 are common prototyping platforms; ESP32 is especially useful for IoT because it includes WiFi, Bluetooth, low-power modes, and more I/O options.

Key Terminology

  • MVP: minimum coherent product version that can test core value or problem-solution fit.
  • MoSCoW: prioritization method: Must, Should, Could, Will not have.
  • Impact analysis: judging which features create the most positive impact for users and context.
  • Free features first: prioritizing features that add user value with little technical rework.
  • Prototype sprint: short feasibility sprint focused on a crucial feature.
  • Wizard of Oz: human simulation of system functionality hidden from users.
  • Additive manufacturing: making objects by adding material layer by layer.
  • Subtractive manufacturing: making objects by removing material from a block or sheet.
  • Rapid prototyping: quickly making tangible artifacts to test and iterate.
  • ESP32: microcontroller platform with WiFi, Bluetooth, low-power modes, and many I/O options.