Well of course this very much depends on the size and complexity of your idea. But it’s not just about how many components you need to build your idea, the amount of novel and new ideas you plan on implementing also weight heavy on the prototyping costs.
Enough of being vague let’s dive in to try and answer the question.
Prototyping takes place throughout the design process and the finish and type of prototype (the fidelity) will affect the price.
Think of fidelity as a screen like a TV or monitor.
The original Nintendo Gameboy was launched with a screen resolution of 160×144 pixels. The graphics are blocky and slow, but it’s perfectly functional. Low fidelity prototypes are simple yet effective models to test ideas. The cost of low fidelity prototyping is very low, simple paper models, static mock ups in image editing software through to existing parts you have lying around. The idea is to keep things simple and fast, proving out ideas the moto here is fail fast.
Typical cost is £0 – £500
The iPhone launched with a screen resolution of 480×320 pixels. This bought full colour, smoother graphics and even video. Mid fidelity prototypes offer a more polished finish, offering improved functionality, user interaction and a look which resembles the finished product. A mid fidelity prototype builds on the learning from the low fidelity prototypes and packages them in a form factor closer to the finished product. It is normal for this stage to prove out design for manufacture and assembly. These prototypes may require 3D printed or custom-made parts, bespoke PCB’s and programming.
Typical costs range from £500 to £5000 depending on the complexity.
The latest 8K TV’s have a 7680×4320 pixel resolution. The high density of pixels gives unparalleled sharpness and image detail. High fidelity prototypes are as close to the finished production product as possible. These are often finished by hand and may require tooling to be able to build them.
Typical costs range from £2500 to £10000
At mouse we recommend that everyone uses low fidelity prototypes. The learning vs the cost / time to carry out these simple prototypes make them a no brainer.
As your idea develops and the product comes together, mid fidelity prototypes form a natural bridge from concept to manufacture. They enable you to test the product with users and iron out any potential production issues. Whilst not an essential stage the time and money spent at this stage pay dividends later in the process where mistakes are costly.
High fidelity prototypes are seldom used. Moving directly to production is often chosen over the time delays and expense of hand finishing prototypes. However, there are some key scenarios why you would choose this route. If you need buy in to produce your idea (secure next step funding or gain orders from clients) then a pre-productions prototype can be invaluable. Similarly, if your idea is so novel that it changes the way in which people interact with a product then a realistic sample can be crucial to gain real world feedback.
Whilst cost saving is difficult, bringing in experts, can help you to use prototypes more effectively. Leveraging their knowledge will not only reduce the number of prototypes required but optimise each one to gain maximum gains.
Our prototyping experts can guide you to the most cost-effective path. Contact us today for a consultation!
