What is the purpose of a mock-up in product design?

The purpose of a mock-up in product design is to visualize and test the concept through a scaled or full-size model. This process allows designers to examine the aesthetics, proportions, and functionality of a product before moving on to more advanced stages like creating a functional prototype. A mock-up aids in identifying potential design flaws and gathering feedback from stakeholders or users, making it an invaluable tool in the early stages of product development.

In contrast, while creating a prototype for mass production is an important step, it typically comes after the mock-up stage. Testing marketing strategies is distinct from the primary function of a mock-up and usually involves different methods of analysis and focus groups. Establishing pricing and cost efficiency relates more to business aspects that come after the design phase has been well-defined and is not the main goal of a mock-up.