Prototype introduction

What is the Prototype phase?

• The primary objective of the Prototype phase is to answer the question: How can your team best meet the user needs you identified in Research and Discovery?

• The primary outcome of the Prototype phase is a clear definition of your Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and a solid plan for how you’ll build it.

  The MVP is the first working version of your service, which you'll build in the next phase — Build and Test.
  
  Your MVP will be the smallest set of working functionality you can build that provides value to your users by meeting basic user needs.
  
  The Prototype phase is about figuring out what those basic user needs are, and how you'll meet them.

During the Prototype phase, you’ll iteratively design and test potential solutions. You’ll build prototypes quickly and test them with users. You’ll then use the feedback and testing results to improve the next prototype.

You’ll repeat this process until the prototype meets your users’ needs and your team is confident they know what the MVP will be and how to build it.

Planning

• Different services will spend different amounts of time in the Prototype phase, depending on the complexity of what the team needs to prototype and test. In general, plan to spend
  • 2 to 4 weeks for a new feature
  • 6 to 8 weeks for a new service
• Schedule the Prototype Checkpoint at least a week in advance.

Resources and help

• Learn how to prepare for the Prototype Checkpoint .

• Guides and resources:

  • User research guide
  • Design guide
  • Content guide
  • Technical guide
  • Agile guide
  • More resources

• If you have a question about something in the Handbook, contact the DSVA team.