Do We Still Need Design Prototypes? Here’s Why the Answer Is Yes!

_{Author: Subaru is a design lead passionate about crafting impactful solutions through product design and research. Her versatile background spans visual, product, and branding design, with hands-on experience in eCommerce, logistics, and healthcare. Since joining Moon, she has embraced her curiosity and commitment to innovation to create designs that improve lives. Subaru’s professional interests center on design, product innovation, and aligning business strategy with creative solutions.}

I recently had a conversation with other designers about the evolving role of design tools. As we talked, we noticed a growing trend—some teams are moving away from traditional design prototypes and opting instead for rapid coding to build their prototypes. This got me thinking: Do we still need design prototypes?

After debating this in my head, my answer is a firm yes! You might be wondering why, especially since jumping straight into a technical prototype seems faster. But speed isn’t the only factor that matters. Let me explain why design prototypes still play a crucial role in the creative process.

From Sketch to Code: The Key Differences Between Design and Technical Prototypes

First, let’s clarify the difference between a design prototype and a technical prototype.

• A design prototype includes wireframes, mockups, and clickable prototypes. It can be created quickly using tools like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD, or even papers requiring minimal resources.
• A technical prototype is a coded, functional version of the product. It takes longer to develop and requires engineering resources.

Each has its own advantages and trade-offs. A technical prototype provides a fully functional demonstration, allowing teams to test ideas with greater accuracy, assess feasibility, and uncover potential technical challenges. However, a design prototype enables rapid iteration based on user feedback, refining the concept before any coding begins. This flexibility helps teams adapt quickly and ensures they are well-prepared when development starts.

For example, imagine you're in the early stages of designing a communication app. After several rounds of user testing, you decide to modify the chat screen layout to enhance the user experience. With a design prototype, you can make adjustments in minutes. Now, consider if you had jumped straight into a technical prototype—making such changes would be significantly more complex and could slow down the process.

By starting with a design prototype, teams can iterate quickly, explore different ideas, and reduce the risk of costly rework later in development.

Reclaim Your Focus: Innovate the Experience

One of the biggest advantages of using a design prototype in the early stages is the freedom to explore new user experiences without being constrained by technical limitations. Without the immediate need for engineering support, teams can focus entirely on crafting innovative interactions and intuitive designs rather than worrying too much about how to implement them.

A design prototype also allows test participants to concentrate on the experience itself rather than getting distracted by technical details. This creates a more authentic and unbiased response, leading to unexpected insights and organic innovation.

By prioritizing the user experience first, teams can push creative boundaries and refine their vision before diving into development—ensuring that when it’s time to build, they’re working toward something truly impactful.

Wait! What About Technical Prototypes?

With all the praise for design prototypes, you might be wondering, what about technical prototypes? Are they still necessary? The answer is, absolutely! But the key is knowing when to use each type.

What we need is… hybrid!

Before jumping into prototyping, it’s essential to clarify your objective:

• What stage are we in?
• Why do we need a prototype?
• What are we trying to test or validate?

By answering these questions, we can strategically choose the right type of prototype. Generally, we can break it down into two key scenarios:

• Use a design prototype → for early-stage ideation, user validation, and stakeholder alignment.
• Use a technical prototype → for testing real-world functionality, system performance, and technical feasibility.

A design prototype helps teams minimize risks, refine the user experience, and ensure that development resources are used efficiently on well-validated ideas. Meanwhile, a technical prototype is crucial for analyzing feasibility and performance factors, such as loading times, response time, frame rate (FPS), rendering speed, and overall responsiveness.

Stay Agile and Adopt a Hybrid Mindset

The best teams don’t limit themselves to just one approach—they adapt. Be flexible. Stay hybrid. Always ask yourself: What is the purpose of this prototype? Let that answer guide your process to success.