Prototypes
A well-designed prototype is the best way to make sure your software project starts moving in the right direction—before a single line of code is written. It saves time, money, and headaches.
Forget the guessing
A prototype is your secret weapon. It lets you gather valuable feedback, test different implementation options, and convince stakeholders of your idea’s potential. You can experiment, fail fast, and learn.
A prototype works perfectly as a pilot, a marketing aid, and a practical test of your idea. It helps you collect improvement ideas and makes sure the final product delivers exactly what your customers expect.
A prototype turns ideas into reality
From the outset, a prototype clarifies the direction of an idea. You can test various approaches in practice, gather feedback from real users, and prove the idea’s viability to stakeholders. It’s an ideal tool for piloting, supporting marketing, and setting development guidelines.
At the same time, it lets you try things quickly, learn, and iterate—so the final solution truly meets customer expectations and delivers real value.
Prototypes can be created at different levels of readiness:
Wireframe
- A wireframe—the very first step—lets you map out the software’s basic building blocks and where they sit on the screen. It’s a simple yet powerful way to kick-start a project. A well-crafted wireframe makes the later design stages clear and straightforward.
- The model is created at the very start of product development. The better the wireframe, the easier it is to choose the right implementation solutions.
Mock-up
- When creating software, it’s important to test the visuals, too. This is done by building a mock-up of the final product—but without any functionality. A mock-up isn’t just a picture; it’s a visual blueprint that brings your idea to life.
- With a mock-up you can test the color palette, fonts, and other details, ensuring your software looks exactly the way it should. This is the point where the visual style meets your brand and your users’ expectations.
Prototype
- A prototype—also called a proof-of-concept or, informally, a first version—is a draft of the software used to test both functionality and visual appeal. It’s the first practical test of how your software actually works.
- This is the most cost-effective way to get a feel for the product before you go all in. Test, tweak, and polish—the prototype gives you the information you need to make decisions with confidence.
MVP (Minimum Viable Product)
- An MVP is the leanest possible implementation of the final product—a minimal yet functional version that can be taken to market. An MVP may even be suitable for immediate release and can help identify, for example, additional features users want.
- With an MVP you can test the product’s core functionality and gather feedback directly from users. It’s a way to reach the market quickly and improve the product based on real user feedback—meaning an MVP especially streamlines product development.
“We’ve been working together for about 2.5 years now. Over time our relationship has evolved from customer-supplier to a real partnership. The project manager and development team are truly dedicated to our work.”
Henrik Asplund
Business Director, Finspection Oy
Want to see what we’ve already built? Check out our work to see the results and hear the stories of satisfied clients.
Turning your idea into something tangible
In prototyping we focus on transforming your idea into a model you can see and test.
Our approach is practical, blending creativity with technical expertise.
From the first sketch, our goal is to build a prototype that gives you a clear picture of how the final product will work and look.
A prototype pays for itself
With a prototype you can dive into development safely, knowing potential issues have already been ironed out on the drawing board.
We always provide a custom quote for prototypes, taking into account project size, schedule, duration, team requirements, and the best project method—because every project is unique.
An SME may also be eligible for design funding from the ELY Centre.
AI boosts efficiency
Imagine bringing us your idea—whether it’s a rough sketch on paper or just a thought in your mind. With AI we can generate functional prototypes in the very first discussions, quickly and visually illustrating your idea.
That shared vision makes it easier to choose a direction. When the concept is tangible right away, we can focus sooner on refining it into a workable model that can be iterated agilely
Building a prototype
A prototype helps you solidify your idea and evaluate its feasibility before full development. The process moves forward in close collaboration, ensuring the solution meets both business goals and user needs.
Steps in the prototyping process:
Kickoff
We start by discussing the project’s goals, target audiences, and desired outcome. We identify the key needs and define what the prototype should test or validate.
Design
We create the architecture and interaction logic from the users’ perspective while aligning with your business objectives. Next, we build a visual, functional prototype—whether a clickable mock-up, a simulated interface, or a Figma model—that shows how the finished service could look and feel. The prototype’s level of fidelity is tailored to your needs.
Testing
The client or a user group tests the prototype independently. This gathers valuable feedback on how the solution works in practice and what areas for improvement it may reveal.
Next steps
Based on the test results, we decide on the direction for further development. The prototype can serve as the direct starting point for development or as a tool—for instance, in communications with investors.
Making sure your idea works
We design visually and functionally clear prototypes that help you bring your idea to life, test it in practice, and collect feedback before full development.
When you know what works and what needs tweaking, jumping into development is much safer—without wasting resources.
Get in touch, and let’s turn your idea into a prototype that can anchor truly impactful software.
Digital service design
