Product / Checklist / 5 min read
What to learn before you make more.
A prototype is a question made tangible. Keep the first question specific enough that the answer changes your next decision.
LLC FIELD NOTES / A PRACTICAL WORKING GUIDE
01
Choose the risk
A prototype can test fit, feel, comprehension, or manufacturing assumptions. Trying to test everything at once usually produces unclear feedback.
- Name the riskiest product assumption.
- Choose one task a tester should complete.
- Define what would change your design decision.
02
Observe the work
Watch what someone does before explaining how the product is intended to work. Record friction rather than coaching it away.
- Use neutral instructions.
- Record hesitation, workarounds, and misunderstandings.
- Separate observed behavior from your interpretation.
03
Close the loop
Bring findings back into the specification. Keep a record of which version was tested and why the next version changed.
- Group recurring issues by severity.
- Update the specification and cost assumptions.
- Schedule another test for the most important unresolved risk.
Make it a working documentKeep the questions.
Keep the questions.
Add your context.
Download the full guide with a checklist and space for ownership, evidence, and the next decision.