what is prototype in design thinking

In design thinking, a prototype is an early sample or model of a product that is built to test a concept or process. Prototyping is a crucial part of the design process and is practiced widely across design disciplines. The purpose of a prototype is to refine ideas and get closer to the desired solution. Prototyping allows designers to test their designs before investing in the final product, and it is a way to evaluate the accuracy of assumptions made by the designers in the design process. Prototyping can help designers to gain first-hand insights into how users will interact with and react to the product being designed, make informed design decisions, and iterate, refine, rework, and make improvements until they have a market-ready product. Prototyping is an iterative process that allows designers to fail early and cheaply, which can save time and costs. Prototyping can be used as an ideation method, as it allows designers and users to explore alternative solutions. Prototyping is an extremely valuable step in the design thinking process, and it is a way to put the user at the heart of the process.