Three words often used interchangeably

MVP. Prototype. Experiment. In casual conversation, these get used as if they mean the same thing — “let’s build a small version of this.”

They don’t. They’re three different tools, with three different goals, suited to three different moments. Using one when you should be using another is a quiet waste of effort. The label looks fine on the outside, but the work doesn’t do what you needed.

Once you can tell them apart, your choices about what to build, in what order, get much sharper.

Prototypes: low-cost ways to test ideas

A prototype is a rough version of something built to test a specific design or concept idea.

It might be a sketch on paper. A clickable wireframe. A working demo of a single feature. Whatever it is, it’s not meant to be released t...

MVP vs prototype vs experiment (when to use each)