DeveloperWeek 2023

Andrew Greenstein, CEO and Head of Product, SF AppWorks

Rapid Prototyping is an approach to software development that emphasizes quick, iterative development cycles and minimal feature sets. The goal in rapid prototyping is not to develop a product. The goal is to, as quickly as possible, build something that utilizes a technology or platform to the point that you can understand the strengths and weaknesses of that technology or platform.
This is where Rapid Prototyping is most valuable. Rather than picking one platform to heavily invest in, perhaps for years to come, Rapid Prototyping allows you to integrate a proof of concept on each platform to see exactly how they perform in different scenarios. You may spend a sprint or two upfront doing that work, but you may save months switching platforms down the road.
Rapid Prototyping is the best way to develop digital products for your business. I'll walk you through a real-world case study, a concrete example from our time working with the Innovation team at West Elm.