Prototype vs MVP — Which Do You Need First?
Prototype and MVP are two of the most misused terms in product development. Getting the distinction right — and the order right — can save you months of time and tens of thousands of pounds.
Prototype and MVP are two of the most misused terms in product development. Founders use them interchangeably. Agencies use them to mean whatever suits the conversation. The confusion is so widespread that most people building their first digital product don't realise they've mixed them up until they've already spent money on the wrong thing. Getting the distinction right — and getting the order right — can save you months of time and tens of thousands of pounds. What is a prototype? A prototype is a real, working version of your product built tightly around your core idea, designed to test whether your concept works before you commit to building the full thing. The word "prototype" has been muddied by the design industry, where it's often used to describe clickable mockups in tools like…