Advanced Prototype

An Advanced Prototype also known as High-fidelity prototype is a realistic and complete model which represents a current product or system in the development phase. Low fidelity prototypes are generally utilised in the initial stages of the design process to brainstorm and generate concepts while high fidelity prototypes are very similar to the actual product in terms of the interface, structure and features. The above are mainly produced in the later stages of the product development life cycle and are very important in improving the product before it is launched to the market.

Characteristics of Advanced Prototypes

High-fidelity prototypes are characterized by the following features:

• Detailed Interface: An advanced prototype is very much detailed to the extent that it can hardly be distinguished from a real product. All the graphical components, like buttons, menus, and layouts, in their final form are also included here.
• Functional Features: While basic prototypes may only have limited functionality or may contain only static screens, advanced prototypes are usually functional. It enables the users to engage with the product in the same way as they would do with the actual product and this includes navigating through the interface, using the features and testing the workflows.
• Close to Final Structure: An advanced prototype has the same structure as the final product that is going to be launched in the market. This includes the system architecture, the user journey and the overall design of different components of the system that helps in giving a sneak peek of how the final product is likely to look like.

Importance in the Development Life Cycle

The advanced prototypes are commonly made in the last stage of the product development life cycle. The main goal is to be an accurate simulation of the product’s use and interaction with stakeholders. These prototypes are almost a final version of the product, that is why they help the developers and designers get better and more informative feedback.

Benefits of Using Advanced Prototypes

• Realistic User Testing: This is because the advanced prototypes are capable of replicating the actual use of the system by the end users. This makes them suitable in user testing whereby one can simulate real life situations to see how users will respond to the product. Such feedback is usually more valuable and practical because users interact with the product prototype that is almost ready for release.
• Stakeholder Engagement: It is also important to mention that high-fidelity prototypes are also useful in involving the stakeholders. This is because when a product is presented to the stakeholders in what looks like the final version, then they are in a better position to offer their input that can be useful. This can assist in ensuring that the vision that the development team has is in line with the perception of the clients or other stakeholders, thus limiting possibilities of misunderstandings and or unmet demands.
• Refining the Product: When using an advanced prototype in user testing, the feedback that is derived from the test can be very detailed to show areas that need to be changed or correcting before the final product is launched in the market. This iterative process helps in identifying any problem early in the development process thus delivering a better and more user-friendly product in the end.
• Validation of Design and Functionality: High fidelity prototypes are used to check the design and working of the product in almost finished form of the product. This is important for the identification of problems or shortcomings in the design that might have not met the user’s needs, thus giving a chance to make corrections before the final production or release of the product.

Conclusion

An Advanced Prototype is the last but one stage in the development of a product where the design and structure of the product is almost similar to the final product along with the features of the final product. These prototypes are created in the later stage of the product development life cycle; they are useful in user testing, stakeholder interaction, and product refinement. Since advanced prototypes simulate the real product, they assist in guaranteeing that the final product is as expected by the consumers and functions effectively, thus positively impacting the product’s performance in the market.