2016

RAPID PROTOTYPING

MANDALAH SNAPSHOT

A prototype is simply an early version or model of any innovation. It is

possible to create prototypes for all types of innovations, including products,

services and business models. It is something tangible, and as such is

a key stage in the innovation development process. With a prototype

in hands, our ideas stop just being ideas and start to become real.

Rapid prototyping is a process by which new ideas are conceived and

improved continuously within an accelerated timeframe. It represents

a shift in how businesses innovate, moving away from drawn out and

expensive development cycles which, in the search for perfection,

often deplete resources and result in missed market timing.

Rapid prototyping has received widespread acclaim though Eric Ries’

literature in The Lean Startup. In his book, Ries makes the case for allowing a

minimum viable product (MVP) to drive a company’s innovation efforts, arguing

that feedback loops are optimised when a beta version of a product or service

has already gone to market and in the hands of end users. This technique has

proliferated in the startup community which is constantly challenged to yield

strong returns with limited resources and time to prove its business models.

February 2016Mandalah Doing a Lot with a Little: Rapid prototyping as a form of lean creativity

Rapid prototyping, a term once familiar only to the fields of

engineering and technology, is now commonplace across businesses

and core to activities connected with research, marketing,

innovation and strategic planning. An evolutionary response to

a world that is faster, more dynamic and more complex, rapid

prototyping is becoming the alternative of choice for companies

looking to become more resilient and proactive in the marketplace.

RAPID PROTOTYPING AS A FORM OF LEAN CREATIVITYLourenço Bustani // Founding Partner, Mandalah

Tom Moore // Managing Partner, Mandalah

DOING A LOT WITH A LITTLE:

DRIVERS FOR SUCCESSFUL PROTOTYPING

Mandalah Doing a Lot with a Little: Rapid prototyping as a form of lean creativity

WHAT IS THE GREATER context driving rapidPROTOTYPING?

In rapid prototyping, there is less time to get the product right. Make sure you have a diverse set of individuals, representing differents fields and disciplines, involved in ideation, development and

conception of ideas. This will ensure biases are neutralised

and a holistic vision of the product or service is the

basis for decision-making.

Working under tight time constraints, rapid prototyping

requires a group which is balanced among thinkers and

doers. There are moments for divergence, when many ideas can be considered

and drawn out, but there are equally important moments of convergence, where grounded

practicality reigns and ideas need to be materialised. Too

much of one in detriment of the other will hamstring

prototyping efforts.

Rapid prototyping is not for the weak or lazy.

The clock is often ticking and with mental fatigue

a factor, it is important to ensure individuals involved in prototyping efforts are

committed and persistent with the goal at hand.

Inflated egos are enemy number one in rapid

prototyping sessions, as they kill valuable time and corrupt

team dynamics otherwise centred on collaboration, consensus and empathy.

Very smart individuals who do not have their egos in check must be spared

from these sessions, no matter how notorious or reputable they may be.

It is crucial to ensure an environment conducive to inspiring and collaborative

teamwork for rapid prototyping to flourish.

Open spaces, equipped with adequate sound,

lighting and technology, offering comfortable seating and rest and

relaxation areas, preferably connected to nature, all

describe an ideal space for creativity and execution.

No different than in any other facet of life,

leadership is key for effective prototyping, especially in larger groups. Having one

gate-keeper attuned to timing, team dynamics,

business fundamentals, and consensus-building, is vital to ensure gridlocks are avoided.

Inspiration is the most visceral way to rally people around a common goal.

Rapid prototyping sessions should begin with content,

exchanges and experiences that make participants

own the challenge. Their hearts need to be in it no matter what.

Rapid prototyping is not a project, it’s a process. As

such, there always needs to be a plan in place for how a prototype one day ceases to be one. A roll-out plan, with next steps and clear KPIs, ensures that ideas do not die in beta mode.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY GROUPS THINKERS AND DOERS HARD WORKERS NO SPACE FOR EGO ENVIRONMENT LEADERSHIP INSPIRATION ROLL-OUT PLAN

While there may be a significant amount of capital fuelling new ideas in all sectors of the economy, demand for capital is increasingly more intense, with tighter controls imposed on how that capital is channelled to drive business value. Rapid prototyping represents a more cost-efficient way of deploying capital towards innovation, by reducing the amount of time, human resources and research and development dollars utilised.

Resource scarcity01

Particularly since the Great Recession of 2008/09, many large corporations in all sectors are coming to terms with obsolete business models, often conceived through long, painstaking planning and development efforts. In essence, a lot of time and money has been put into these models, but they have not withstood the test of time. This has strengthened the case for rapid prototyping, which takes on a larger margin for error but offsets this risk with much quicker, more numerous and more effective feedback loops in order to get the product or service right.

The speed of technological innovation has introduced a degree of dynamism that large, capital-intensive corporations struggle to keep up with. Many of these companies, once market leaders, are losing value by the day, with smaller, more nimble and creative organisations quickly taking their place. For these new companies, rapid prototyping is a survival tool that allows them to anticipate and influence market trends proactively, in harmony with the more structural changes taking place in society and in the marketplace.

Obsolescence

Lag time

02

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It was once thought that a product or service can only go to market when comprehensive research, forecasting and scientific testing was conducted, premised on a (disillusioned) perception that this would leave little or no margin for error once it goes live. Empirically speaking, even this false sense of reassurance does not guarantee positive results. The market’s global flop rate, described as the percentage of products and services that do not withstand the first year in market, is said to be at approximately 90%, despite all the research, development and testing that takes place. Clearly, arduous planning is not a guaranteed recipe for success and something more organic is missing. A new paradigm is now taking shape, one that recognises that a product or service can be improved once in the hands of end users, even if in a prototyped or “beta” form. In this line of thinking, the sooner a user can experiment with something new, the better that product or service will be over time. Less planning, less obsession with getting it right from the start, and a deeper appreciation for natural and continuous development cycles.

The rise of user experience04February 2016

Mandalah Doing a Lot with a Little: Rapid prototyping as a form of lean creativity

Combating Child Inactivity with Kobe BryantIn partnership with Mesa and FLAG, Mandalah conducted a rapid prototyping session with Los Angeles Lakers basketball player Kobe Bryant, focused on developing a solution to combat child inactivity in Brazil. The workshop brought together 12 creatives from different fields and was held at Facebook’s headquarters in California over the course of 96 hours. Outputs included a fully operational website and mobile app, market sizing and financial modelling, conceptual frameworks and an inspirational video.

Making of

Presentation in Doha

MANDALAHcase studies

At a time when businesses are facing unprecedented

challenges linked to a depleted environment, new

manufacturing processes, increased labour costs, diminishing

profit margins, radical changes in consumption habits,

unparalleled technological innovation and the end of

advertising as we knew it, rapid prototyping becomes an

important method for any business to innovate effectively. As

well as the efficiency gains from quick feedback loops, rapid

prototyping requires an organisation to reconfigure its internal

and external relationships. When an organisation recognises

customers and other stakeholders as integral components in

the innovation process, and truly becomes dedicated to quick

learning cycles leading to practical action, it establishes the

ideal conditions for generating innovation that positively

transforms people’s lives. Rapid prototyping helps

an organisation to build its agility, creativity

and fluidity - vital capabilities to survive

and thrive in an unknown, emergent future.

February 2016

The Trews Creative Sessions with Russell BrandMandalah conducted a rapid prototyping session with British comedian and activist Russell Brand, focused on transforming his YouTube channel, The Trews, into a global platform for participatory activism. The workshop took place over the course of five days in New York City, with the participation of over 20 professionals, and resulted in a prototyped online portal, mobile app, conceptual frameworks, financial modelling and an inspirational video.

Making of

Kimberly-Clark & Public Sanitation in BrazilMandalah engaged with Kimberly-Clark Brazil to prototype a social mission for its market-leading toilet paper brand, Neve. Over the course of three sessions, and with the participation of Kimberly-Clark professionals as well as outside experts and creatives, we prototyped three different solutions to address the public sanitation gap in Brazil. These solutions were critiqued, improved and evaluated before deciding on the winning prototype, selected for further development and implementation.

Project Case

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