Prototyping During Disruption

At See What I Mean, we believe that prototyping plays an integral role in how we think about moving forward with any strategy. However, we also find that the skill of prototyping is one we have to do over and over again in order to engrain it into our standard practices. 

The idea of prototyping comes from the manufacturing industry. Before actually constructing a product, they make a physical or digital model. For our purposes, prototyping is all about action-based learning. When prototyping, the focus is not on creating a perfect plan, but rather on making progress. It is also not just about the test itself, but about the reaction of the stakeholder to the test. It is not a prototype if you don’t give the stakeholders an opportunity to reflect on the change that was made. 

We find that we often jump over prototyping or small scale tests straight to piloting or all out implementation. The practice of prototyping can save us from getting too far down the road with a pilot that it feels impossible to stop even if the results are not exactly what we were looking for. Prototypes allow us to fail fast and fail small so that we can be successful when it is really time to pilot or implement. 

““It isn’t a prototype if the stakeholders don’t have a chance to reflect on the change in order for you to have the feedback you need for the next prototype.””

So, what does this have to do with the moment we are in right now? How can you prototype when you are in a moment of reacting to the disruption all around you? Well, we think you are likely prototyping every day. We know that the clients we are working with definitely are. They are making rapid changes to serve their stakeholders better. They are seeing what works and what doesn’t, and trying to shift on the fly. They are rapid prototyping. 

However, remember what I said before, it isn’t a prototype if the stakeholders don’t have a chance to reflect on the change in order for you to have the feedback you need for the next prototype. For that reason, we have put together some basic tools for our clients to use when they are prototyping during disruption. An example is included at the link below that we think you can tweak to meet your organization’s needs. This tool is one that you can send out after a prototype to anyone who was involved. They can take 15-20 minutes to put in their thoughts, and you can utilize the form to continue to improve in the future. 

If you need help, let us know. We would love to work with you to understand how the changes you make today can be seen as prototypes during disruption that will lead to positive shifts in the future. 

Author: Jordan Vernoy