Low Fidelity Prototypes
Low fidelity prototypes are simple, often hand-drawn or basic digital representations of a product's design, used early in the development process to explore ideas and gather feedback without investing significant time or resources. They focus on core functionality, layout, and user flow rather than visual details, making them quick to create and iterate upon. This approach helps teams validate concepts, identify usability issues, and align stakeholders before moving to more detailed designs.
Developers should learn and use low fidelity prototypes when starting a new project or feature to quickly test assumptions, reduce rework, and ensure user needs are met before coding begins. They are particularly valuable in agile environments for sprint planning, in user-centered design processes for early usability testing, and in collaborative settings to facilitate communication between designers, developers, and stakeholders. By catching problems early, they save time and resources compared to fixing issues in high-fidelity or production stages.