# 149: How to Professionally Prototype your Invention Idea

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2022-11-09
- Length: 25m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-11-09-149-how-to-professionally-prototype-your-invention-idea
- Listen: https://productstartup.com/

## Summary

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.

## Chapters

- [0:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-11-09-149-how-to-professionally-prototype-your-invention-idea#t=47) Introduction: Mike Morton and the Importance of Prototyping
- [2:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-11-09-149-how-to-professionally-prototype-your-invention-idea#t=138) Mike Morton's Career: Dell, HP, and Global Manufacturing Exposure
- [6:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-11-09-149-how-to-professionally-prototype-your-invention-idea#t=380) The Four Stages of Prototyping: Rough, Mechanical, Refined, Pre-Production
- [9:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-11-09-149-how-to-professionally-prototype-your-invention-idea#t=553) Experimental vs. Routine Design: Side Projects and Iteration
- [11:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-11-09-149-how-to-professionally-prototype-your-invention-idea#t=691) The Value of Rough Prototypes: Breaking Things to Find Opportunities
- [16:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-11-09-149-how-to-professionally-prototype-your-invention-idea#t=973) Mechanical Prototypes and the Cost of Early Errors
- [19:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-11-09-149-how-to-professionally-prototype-your-invention-idea#t=1141) Short Run Production as a Final Prototype and Validation Step
- [21:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-11-09-149-how-to-professionally-prototype-your-invention-idea#t=1290) Integrating Manufacturers Early to Avoid Tooling Mistakes

## Topics

- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Dell (company)
- HP (company)
- Sunbeam (company)
- Capital Factory (other)
- Techstars (other)
- Mako Design + Invent (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [IDology #2 - Prototyping in product development](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/idology/2022-11-15-idology-2-prototyping-in-product-development) (IDology)
- [IDology #8 - Dos and Don’ts of product development](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/idology/2023-02-15-idology-8-dos-and-donts-of-product-development) (IDology)
- [#027 - Rapid prototyping - a platform and its essential tools, with Finbarr Watterson of Fictiv, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-05-24-027-rapid-prototyping-a-platform-and-its-essential-tools-with-finbarr-watterson) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [#461: Why Manufacturing is Part of Product Development with Mike Dolphin](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2026-06-22-461-why-manufacturing-is-part-of-product-development-with-mike-dolphin) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [DeepDive 1-on-1 Series: MAPPING THE ROUTE - Path to the Summit (20m32s)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/npi-sherpa/2026-02-25-deepdive-1-on-1-series-mapping-the-route-path-to-the-summit-20m32s) (NPI Sherpa)

## Citing this page

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