If you are starting a business, you need to prototype your idea before developing it. Knowing what a prototype is and its significance will allow you to make the right decisions. Most entrepreneurs eager to start a tech company tend to avoid creating a prototype or roadmap. Not doing so will mean being unclear on the path to choosing, subsequently increasing your overhead expenses. Hence, if the plan is to create an app, then prototyping is crucial.
Solid reasons for creating a prototype
1. Validate Quickly Your Ideas:
Getting investments for your app from stakeholders is not an easy task. To achieve this objective, your concept is to be market-validated. The prototype allows you to reach this goal quickly as using it, you can test the market demand effectively. You can either outsource a team or use an authentic prototype tool to develop a prototype. Select app metrics like app engagement and usage to determine market demand. This can help save precious money and time.
2. Gain clarity:
Not understanding the concept clearly will mean your app will not meet market expectations. Without proper concepts and visuals like a prototype, your concept will not be clearly understood. It is your roadmap that defines your concept. This is achieved by mapping the customer’s journey. Use this information to evaluate competition as well as to determine the features to have to attract target customers. The app should be designed to address specific users’ needs and offer value.
3. Consistent UX:
Besides knowing what is a prototype, you should also focus on enhancing the user experience. Studies conducted have revealed that 21% of people use the app once after downloading it. Hence, focus more on the steps to retain users as well as to understand their changing behaviors. This prototype can help you better observe how your apps are being used. User behavior can be understood early during the development process. Accordingly, adjustments can be introduced to the app to enhance user experiences.
4. Curtail expenses:
Developing an app requires a good amount of money which may even run into millions. This depends on the maintenance requirements and customization. Maintenance expenses may take about 15% to 20% of app development costs. Therefore, creating a prototype allows you to reduce unwanted expenses that are otherwise involved in app maintenance. With the prototype, you can identify vulnerabilities and bugs. Once satisfied, you can proceed with the app’s final development. Since there is no need to rebuild the app, money can also be saved here.
5. Improve the concept by making some adjustments to the prototype:
By introducing a prototype, you can explore new ideas, thereby improving your concept further. Creating a prototype allows you to know the problems that users may experience with the app in advance. You can also identify potential errors and weak spots, thus rectifying them immediately. Bugs present in mobile apps are thought to result in 13% of users deleting their downloaded apps. So test your app thoroughly for bugs before introducing it in the market.
Document user interactions, including errors present and versions updated. Thus, you can come up with an app that will be loved by your target audience. Also, instill features like polls or surveys to derive feedback from users about your app. Direct feedback can help you to customize the app to meet user demands.
It is for all the above reasons you should know what is a prototype. The reasons above are sufficient enough for you to consider developing a prototype immediately.
