PoC vs Prototype: Your Project’s Destiny

Building a new digital product is a brave mission that carries many risks in addition to pleasure. Statistics reveal that 90% of startups fail for many reasons. But what if you still have the desire and courage to take responsibility and contribute to the digital world with your quality product? There are some solutions to that. Before you learn about them, it is crucial to remember that even if you have the greatest idea, it has to be tested as the real market and demand might be different from your vision.

Before the development phase, teams and stakeholders gather to validate the idea, estimate the effort, and analyze the current market. This process is executed through different methods. However, startups with little experience in software creation might understand these techniques differently or even combine them into one group.

So, we want to present you with two approaches for viability check: through prototype and proof of concept (PoC). You can learn how they differ and what they have in common below.

What Is a Prototype?

A prototype is a product sample used to demonstrate the idea and gather feedback from designers, developers, marketers, stakeholders, and, most importantly, users. It is created in the beginning stages of the development process, which allows for the easy implementation of changes.

Prototypes are not required to show the final product with little detail. Their primary mission is to build a bridge between idea discussion and realizing it in a digital world. Also, this method helps enhance team communication as every department should participate in prototype estimation.

Prototype Types

Prototyping presents numerous ways of executing samples. The main types are divided into low-fidelity and high-fidelity groups.

Low-fidelity prototypes are simple, take little time to create, and don’t require a lot of finances. They exist in such types:

• Paper prototypes. If you have ever tried drawing a program on paper, you can count it as an experience of creating paper product samples. They are hand-drawn and contain the main structural elements: lines and basic flows.

• Wireframes. These are more detailed sketches that can either be hand-drawn or created in a digital version. They present a user interface with the main features.

• Clickable mockups. As the name suggests, clickable mockups allow essential interaction between a user and a product sample.

High-fidelity samples are more advanced and thus require more time to execute. They closely resemble the final product version and are applied at the final development stages. Their types are the following:

• Interactive prototypes. These samples allow users to complete complex actions and fully interact with the user interface.
• Almost-finished models. In a nearly-finished model, users can operate the product with detailed design elements, accurate data, and full-fledged functionality.

When to Use Them?

The first moment to apply prototypes is during user testing. By providing end customers with sketches, even though they might be primitive, you can observe the logic and typical flows people follow.

Another application of prototypes is during design validation. Wireframes and mockups can show how the idea looks in reality. This helps to estimate if the concept aligns with the final goal and business needs.

Also, prototypes are great to use during the iterative design process. The latter refers to building the design based on user feedback. Prototypes can be helpful instruments for idea testing and validation.

What Is a Proof of Concept?

Proof of concept is a small internal project used to assess a particular idea, technology, assumption, hypothesis, or methodology in terms of feasibility. Compared with prototypes, the PoC process doesn’t focus on design and estimation of user experience. It aims to address the concept’s technical viability and align it with the desired goals.

The proof of concept approach aims to evaluate the idea before teams reach its realization. Even though this is a small-scale process, it offers such valuable benefits:

• Risk minimization. When considering an idea, it is difficult to predict all the limitations and needed resources. That is why companies can face significant losses. However, the PoC process reduces that “unlucky chance”.
• Improved decision-making. Communication with stakeholders is built on solid facts and proof. Proof of concept results can serve as reliable evidence streamlining and speeding up decision-making.
• Saved costs. Budget is a serious consideration for companies only starting their way to success. However, if you conduct thorough PoC research, you can be sure of the funding side of your project.

Proof of Concept Components

The proof of concept procedure consists of the following elements:

• Core functionality. PoC is called small-scale because it focuses only on essential features. It doesn’t take into account unnecessary details and functionalities and thus is executed quickly.

• Technical feasibility. The heart of the proof of concept approach is the ability to assess technical challenges. It estimates whether the desired technology can provide the desired results.

• Business viability. With PoC implemented into the development stage, you won’t have to worry about the project’s relevance to the market and value proposition. This method helps to identify whether the idea will meet all business needs.

When to Use Them?

PoC methodology can be applied to different development stages. Firstly, it is used to test new technologies. Whenever your team decides on the updates, you can quickly check their relevance with proof of concept.

Secondly, when you need expert advice on meeting technical requirements, you can also use the PoC method. For instance, you plan to add an integration with a third-party service but are unsure about a smooth setup. Proof of concept will help you with that.

Thirdly, PoC results can influence stakeholders’ position on funding. This is tangible proof that can lean business owners towards investment in product development.

Key Difference Between Proof of Concept and Prototype

These two definitions share the same final goal: to confirm or refute the idea, thereby preventing many risks and resource losses. However, they are different in procedural methods, as prototyping is more user-oriented, while PoC is about estimating whether the goal can be technically achieved.

Here are the key differences:

1. Functionality. Prototypes focus on the aesthetic side of the product. They aim to deliver a visual presentation of the idea with details and interactive elements. Prototypes often show user flows, layouts, user interfaces, and other system parts. For the PoC method, appealing looks is not the priority. It instead focuses on the core functionality.
2. Fidelity. As mentioned above, prototypes are divided based on the fidelity level. These instruments mimic the final product version and care about the level of detail. Proof of concept, on the contrary, follows a minimalistic approach. It puts functionality first and confirms if the technology is feasible.
3. Goal. Prototyping pursues the goal of validating design solutions through testing and gathering user feedback. For instance, the result can be whether the menu contains the necessary buttons to transfer customers to relevant sections. The PoC approach addresses the technical side. As an example, the outcome of the process can be an answer to whether the system can withstand extensive data processing.

Prototype and Proof of Concept: Real-Life Examples

Are you struggling to locate the situations when you saw prototyping or proof of concept methods in action? Let’s see where they can happen in real life!

Proof of Concept Examples

Let’s suppose you have an idea of creating a food delivery application. Before submitting it for full-scale development, you must assess how your design idea will appeal to users. So, with the help of prototypes, you can craft the main interfaces with functions such as choosing restaurants, viewing menus, selecting delivery options, and contacting the support team.

After testing your mockups with real users, you will understand whether the logic of the workflows is intuitive, whether the color scheme reflects the food delivery idea, and many other insights.

Prototype Examples

Let’s imagine working on a blockchain-based supply chain tracking system to understand the proof of concept method. The task here is to see if the new functionality will be able to address all the processes during the journey.

PoC will assess how data about products is created, how it transfers, and whether it is of high quality. The results will reflect the ability of a blockchain app to handle necessary amounts of information and integrate with existing programs.

When Use a Prototype and When Use a PoC?

To understand which method to apply in your situation, learn when to use prototyping and when proof of concept.

Use a prototype:

• To validate user experience needs. Prototypes are the best tools to see how users interact with the platform and its features.
• To gather feedback on design. Visual representation of the product helps to quickly gather feedback on the design idea from teams, stakeholders, and users.
• When quick design iterations are needed. Due to their flexible nature, prototypes can be easily adjusted if improvements are required.

Use a PoC:

• To prove technical feasibility. PoC methods are the best for identifying if the idea can meet technical requirements and if there are enough resources for that.
• To evaluate business impact. Results of PoCs can show how the new implementation can influence the business picture, contributing to quicker decision-making.
• To provide tangible proof for funding. If there is a question of whether the function or a concept is worth funding, PoC outcomes can advocate for them.

Conclusion

Prototype and proof of concept pursue similar goals but are executed differently. Mockups and wireframes focus on user experience. The samples help to build design ideas quickly, show them to end customers, and gain valuable feedback.

PoCs don’t aim to research users’ acceptance. This methodology addresses the technical abilities of the platform by providing a transparent look at new ideas integration and their impact on the business.

If you are at the beginning of a software development journey, you must ask yourself: “What goal do I want to achieve with the instruments?” And then, based on the answer, choose the appropriate method.

You can also always turn to a professional UI/UX agency for consultation, and we will research your case specifically and provide you with custom solutions!