149: How to Professionally Prototype your Invention Idea
Mike Morton, former Senior Principal Industrial Designer at Dell, HP, and Sunbeam, explains the critical role of prototyping in product development. He details the progression from rough mock prototypes to refined mechanical and pre-production samples, emphasizing that early, iterative testing prevents costly errors in tooling and manufacturing. Morton advises startups to involve manufacturers early in the design process to ensure designs are manufacturable and to use short pilot runs to validate the production line before full-scale launch.