Software Development
Proof of concept vs prototype
Businesses are always in competition with one another, and the first mover’s advantage is always something they are looking to enjoy. However, not every new business idea is viable, and not every viable business idea is something that the market needs.
How do you determine which idea works and which workable idea is actually in demand? That’s where proof of concept and prototype come into play.
There’s a lot of debate on proof of concept vs prototype. Coding Crafts is here to help you understand what they are and how to make their use when you’re trying to launch something new.
What is PoC?
A PoC or a prototype is basically a product model that answers a single question: Will this concept work in the practical world?
The basic goal of opting for a proof of concept is to see whether the idea can be implemented technically and if the assumptions made will actually work or not. In a nutshell, you are testing the viability of an idea when you are asking for proof of concept.
PoC is used to determine whether an idea or a product needs to be pursued further. It can help you from investing in a concept that might look good on paper but doesn’t perform as intended once it has been completed. Think of it as a prerequisite for taking on any new project.
If the PoC fails, you will either go back to the drawing board or discard the idea altogether. On the other hand, if the proof of concept is successful, you can now pursue the idea with all of your resources and time.
The proof of concept approach helps you quickly evaluate if a concept needs to be invested in or not.
Why do you need to use a PoC?
90% of startups fail, and most of them fail in the early stages. However, here’s the most interesting part: 34% of them fail because their product wasn’t the right market fit. Something that could have been avoided had a proof-of-concept approach been employed before working on the product.
What follows are some of the reasons why you should consider using PoC:
Stakeholder Confidence
In any business, trust is pivotal. It becomes even more crucial when you’re talking about internal and external stakeholders. A successful proof-of-concept showcases that the idea has merit and isn’t just a dart in the dark.
In addition, it also helps any business ensure that stakeholders’ trust isn’t lost by following up on a failure-prone idea and investing time and resources in it.
Risk Reduction
Startups thrive in uncertainty, however, that doesn’t imply that you should take unnecessary risks. A PoC can help you ascertain any potential issues before they compound and lead to a catastrophic failure.
When you are able to identify problems at a smaller scale, you can easily fix them without incurring additional costs and leading to wasted man-hours.
Validation
How do you know if a concept is feasible? Do you go all out on an idea without testing it? The proof-of-concept can help provide you with evidence that you’re on the right path. This validation (or lack thereof) can help you ensure that you are leading the project towards success.
Cost-Effective
Imagine spending months and massive resources on the development of an idea only to find out that it had an inherent flaw, and you have to start from scratch again. Frustrating, right? A PoC can help you identify which ideas are worth spending money on and which aren’t.
Examples of PoC
The proof of concept examples can vary from project to project. It could be you trying to come up with a new mobile payment method for your application. It could also be you trying to see if a particular feature can be integrated into your existing software architecture. For instance, what if your users could come onto your website and create accounts to earn loyalty points?
What is a Prototype?
The prototype is a working model of your product that helps you test the UI/UX design and functionality concept of a product.
You will implement some features of the final product and get a feel of how it will look. You can use this approach to figure out any difficulties the user might experience and to get a handle on the user’s behavior while interacting with the product.
Think of this way, the prototype is what you’d invest in if the proof-of-concept were a success. It is the next stage in product development. A good way of differentiating between the two is to remember that PoC helps you assess the viability of an idea, whereas the prototype helps you refine the UI and UX of the idea.
Why do you need to use a Prototype?
A prototype can help you map the market demand and understand if your idea of a product actually has a demand or not. A prototype is your safety net, allowing you to make any tweaks before you go into full-throttle production.
Some of the reasons why you might want to invest in a prototype are given below:
User Feedback
A prototype is a good way of determining how your actual product will be received. Imagine launching a product only to realize that your target audience wanted something different.
Something that you could have easily pivoted to if you had this knowledge in the early stages of development. A prototype will help you do exactly that.
Design & Development Clarity
When a prototype is in place, any ambiguity goes away. How does that help you? Your design and development team would be on the same page and avoid any costly mistakes down the road.
Visualization
Your stakeholders will have something tangible to experience and interact with. It helps you to bring that idea to life without investing a lot of time and resources.
Examples of a Prototype
A prototype can take many forms, ranging from 3D prints to paper sketches to digital products. Some of the examples could include an application running on a local server that you can pitch to the shareholders. It could also be a scale model of a health device that you’re trying to build.
Proof of Concept vs Prototype, major differences:
Prototype and proof-of-concept are two completely different approaches, each with its own purposes. Let’s take a look at some of the differences between them:
Difference In Purpose
A prototype is a test of the system’s functionality. You will be assessing the design and user experience via a prototype. It helps you determine what the final product will look and feel like and how it will perform.
The proof of concept helps you assess the feasibility of an idea. Their purpose is to help validate if an idea can work or not.
Difference Of Scope
The prototype has more features incorporated into it. It can also have various design and user interaction elements added to it. On the other hand, the PoC caters to a single component of the core concept.
Difference In Fidelity
The prototype generally comes with high fidelity since it is supposed to convey how the final product will look and operate. However, the POCs have a low fidelity since they are meant to test ideas as quickly as possible.
Difference In Stage Of Development
The prototyping begins in the later stages of development, once a proof of concept has been successful. The POC, on the other hand, is executed at the earliest stages of development to determine whether an idea should even be pursued in the first place.
Difference In Testing
The prototype is meant to test how the product will be received in the market. It comes packed with design and functionality (as close as is possible) of the final product and helps collect user feedback. The proof of concept is only meant to assess whether a particular technology can be used to carry out a specific task.
Proof of Concept vs Prototype, which one should you choose?
Choosing between proof of concept and prototype depends on the requirements and goals of the project. If you are starting a project, investing in a proof of concept is the right approach. If your idea’s feasibility has already been cleared, then you should consider opting prototype.
A good way of deciding between the two is to determine which question you’re trying to answer. Will this idea work? You need to opt for proof of concept. What will this look and act like? Opt for the prototype.
Proof of concept and prototype are generally used in a sequence. You’d start off with the proof of concept and then move on to the prototype. The next stage of development will have you work on the MVP – minimum viable product. An MVP is your product, but with only the bare minimum functionalities required for it to function. How does it help? You can launch an MVP into the market and continue building on it!
We hope this settles the debate of proof of concept vs prototype vs MVP for you. If you still have any questions, feel free to reach out to Coding Crafts. We can help you do proof of concept, prototype, build an MVP, and even develop a complete custom solution.