Prototyping is one of the most exciting stages in the process of developing a new concept. It is the culmination of the designer's work and coincides with the start of the assignment entrusted to us by our client. And between these two key phases, the transition must be flawless. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for plans to require multiple adjustments before the unanimous go-ahead is received.
Before putting forth a prototype, Visotec collects and submits for client and designer approval a set of samples of materials, LEDs, steel structures and other constituent elements of the future set-up. Visotec is first and foremost an integrator, and most of our technical know-how lies in our ability to harmoniously blend extremely diverse components that must coexist in order to yield the desired visual effect. This sampling paves the way for the next “prototyping” phase.
A prototype is a product that is most often made manually, but has all the characteristics of the industrial product that must be mass manufactured.
First of all, it enables the client and the designer to validate the idea that often existed only as an abstraction at the start. This is the first time the concrete object can be held in hand, before being reproduced, sometimes in several thousand copies around the world. This prototype is also intended to be handled or even tested by future users: clients, installers, maintenance providers, etc. The objective of these “in-situation” tests is to confirm all product functionalities, and if necessary to correct any potential contingencies.
To conclude, a complete version of the prototype is most often installed “in real-life conditions” on a so-called “pilot” site. This step enables the client and designer to assess and measure the expected effect on the public, the end client or the consumer. A pilot site will thus be composed of all the products prototyped in the factory, set in their future actual context.
