Many people try to understand and carry out low-fidelity prototypes themselves. This process brings significant benefits for your startup, and we want to explain the pros and cons of developing one here.
Usually, when a startup wants to create a solution for the market, it’s necessary to build a prototype. There are two methods for creating this: high-fidelity and low-fidelity prototypes. Let’s check the difference between the two.
What is a low-fidelity prototype?
A low-fidelity prototype or lo-fi prototype is the most basic model or example of a product that is going to be tested. Imagine you have an idea for a new app or hardware device that will control the doors of an office. You have the technology, but not the app. Then, you ask for a basic version of the app that can show how this will look through a storyboard, drawings, or sketches.
Another option for a low-fidelity prototype is to get an incomplete model of your product. Let’s say you want to hold the physical version of a robot that guides blind people. But since it is a low-fidelity version, it won’t have moving parts. You can create a low-fidelity prototype by yourself by using different rapid prototyping methods or hiring hardware design services.
What is a high-fidelity prototype?
On the other side, we have the high-fidelity prototype. This is a closer version of the final product that will be manufactured and sold.
If we go back to the example of the app we said before. The high-fidelity version will allow the startup to use the app on a single device, maybe a phone, tablet, or computer. It’s not the final version, and it may not be functional 100%, but it allows us to test its features and imagine what the final version would look like.
In this case, you would require a hardware software development firm. Such a company would be in charge of creating an app or software that can complement your prototype.
Now, if we talk about the robot that can guide blind people on the street, a hi-fi prototype may move back and forth and detect some small obstacles. But this doesn’t mean it is ready to be sold or tested on the street since it needs many iterations before the final version is complete.
Lo-fi prototype benefits
You already know its definition. Now is the time to understand its main benefits. Whether you are a startup or an inventor, you can try this process to start developing your solution until you decide to take the next step and produce a functional version.
1. Quick and cheap
You don’t need to buy expensive 3D machines or to get industrial instruments to see how your invention will perform. Most times, papers and markers will do the work.
So, instead of spending money on electronic components, you can evaluate your idea by simulating how it would work through different images or sketches.
If you don’t like what you see, you could just draw it again by making some changes. You repeat this process until you get a version you consider acceptable.
The low-fidelity prototype is easy to create, you save money and time. If you need to evaluate your idea, you can invite a friend or a potential client to interact with the sketches or the storyboard you made. That will help you get quick feedback on your idea.
2. Available to all companies
If you have the time and the team to do it, you could sit down for hours inside an office to create the low-fidelity prototype. Get paper, scissors, markers, and any other materials you need to visualize your product. Adjustments can be made by you or your partners.
However, if you consider you don’t have the right people to help you materialize a basic model of what you want. You may consider hiring a company that has experience creating hardware, or electronic products.
Since they have experience in that area, they could quickly adopt your proposal and design the sketches. On the other hand, if you want to see a physical basic version, you could get a 3D model delivered to you.
Low fidelity prototype cons
One of the disadvantages of this process is that the solution your startup wants to develop may lack realism. That is the sketches or basic model won’t come close to the real functionality you want to show to the public. This may cause people to lose interest in your project.
Since the usability can’t be tested in a real-life situation, the low-fidelity version won’t deliver the results you are waiting for. Some clients may interact with this version, but this will not be how the product will perform. In this case, it may be necessary to get a medium fidelity prototype or go to the next step with a high version.
High fidelity vs low fidelity prototype
By now, you should know that the two versions of prototyping are different. As an inventor, you may be at a preliminary stage of your project. This implies you need to test a quick version, evaluate its possible implications, and show it to a few people to confirm if your project has a future.
There are obvious advantages related to high-fidelity prototypes. Your startup will gain more accurate insights into how users will engage with your project or solution. You will also confirm whether your proposal can solve the needs of your potential niche. Of course, this is a more expensive process; it requires time and several iterations.
Whether or not you choose a low fidelity prototype to give life to your project. Keep in mind that prototyping is always an effective way of bringing ideas to life. If you are looking for reliable and professional prototype companies, get in contact with us by clicking on the button below.
