What role does a prototype serve in the design process?

A prototype serves as a crucial tool in the design process by being a preliminary version of a product. It allows designers and engineers to test and validate design concepts before final production. Prototypes are instrumental in identifying potential issues, exploring ideas in a tangible form, and gathering feedback from users and stakeholders. This hands-on testing provides valuable insights that can lead to improvements and refinements in the design, ensuring that the final product better meets the intended requirements and functionalities.

By creating a prototype, design teams can make informed decisions based on real-world interactions with the model, rather than solely relying on theoretical models or visual representations. This iterative process of testing and modifying prototypes ultimately leads to a more successful and user-centered final product. Prototypes are never meant to be a final version ready for manufacturing; rather, they are a vital step in reaching that point through thorough evaluation and enhancement of the design concepts.