Leverage Prototypes for Better Product Development
Illumination technology constantly evolves. As you consider new approaches for your products and light guide design, a lighting prototype gives you a way to test a physical model against your goals and requirements. You can also discover the potential product’s impact on the customer experience.
What Are the Perks of Lighting Prototypes?
As an experienced B2B light guide manufacturer, here are five reasons we recommend you add prototyping to your design process.
1. Gain confidence in your vision
Some light guide design ideas fail. It isn’t because they are flawed, but because they aren’t implemented properly. For planning purposes, it’s great to write your lighting system idea down or mockup a digital image, but prototyping delivers something more robust. A prototype is a working model that allows you to test and refine until the product or light guide design aligns with your vision.
2. Reduce development time
You can go from concept to working model prototype in four to six weeks. Prototype development is a relatively quick process and minimizes your final timeline because it acts like a working draft before you go to production.
3. Improve the feedback loop
Input from stakeholders late in the game can halt progress. This often adds time and cost to an already expensive endeavor when you’re designing your light guide system. Plus, it can create conflict between team members.
Prototypes eliminate this friction. They act as a tool to clearly demonstrate the potential end-game early in the process before any final decisions are made. Then, your team can give feedback before there are significant impacts on time, cost and resources.
4. Measure light guide performance
Achieve uniformity, efficiency and brightness targets in your light guide design with a physical representation of your product. If the prototype doesn’t hit your desired metrics, it’s easy to identify solutions and make adjustments before you move to the next step.
5. Enhance the user experience
A lighting prototype creates better products for your customers. Achieve the best possible light guide system and wow your customers when you nail the design the first time. A physical model can fine-tune the design so it meets your lighting targets and, ultimately, your customers’ expectations.
Power-up your process with lighting prototypes
As software and tools become more mainstream, prototyping gives you a quick, cost-effective and powerful way to develop new illumination systems and products.
As a custom B2B light guide manufacturer, we believe in the power of the prototype. We offer a variety of in-house prototyping capabilities and technology like lasers for optical patterning and light guide shaping, a 3D printer for light guide housing, a CNC machine for housings and circuit boards and more.
Do you have an upcoming lighting project and need the support of a B2B light guide manufacturer? Connect with a GLT lighting expert today!