What role does prototyping play in product design?

Prototyping is a critical step in the product design process as it allows designers and developers to create tangible representations of their concepts. This hands-on approach enables thorough testing of ideas and functionalities before moving to mass production. By building a prototype, designers can examine how a product performs in real-world conditions, identify any flaws or areas for improvement, and gather feedback from users or stakeholders. This iterative process helps in refining the product, ensuring that it meets the intended design goals and user needs effectively.

The other options, while they relate to aspects of product development, do not capture the primary function of prototyping. Determining pricing strategy involves market analysis and cost considerations rather than prototyping itself. Using prototypes as promotional tools is secondary to their main purpose of testing and refinement. Lastly, sourcing materials from suppliers focuses on the procurement phase rather than the development phase that prototyping addresses.