What is a common purpose of testing a prototype?

The primary purpose of testing a prototype is to verify that the design meets the specification requirements. This process involves evaluating various aspects of the prototype, such as functionality, durability, safety, and usability, to ensure that it aligns with the defined criteria set forth at the beginning of the design process. By conducting this testing, designers can identify whether the product performs as intended and meets the needs it was designed to address.

This step is critical in the product development cycle since it allows for necessary adjustments and improvements to be made before moving forward to mass production. The validation through testing helps ensure that the final product will not only be effective in its intended use but also satisfy any regulatory or industry standards that may apply.

While aspects like determining final pricing, increasing production speed, or forecasting customer preferences are important in the broader context of product development, they are not the primary focus during the prototype testing phase. The main intent at this stage is to ensure design fidelity to specifications.