Prototyping Glossary

Browse 11 prototyping terms defined in plain English, from the cultural dictionary of computing.

11 Prototyping Terms

AI Demo
A demonstration of an AI system's capabilities, often built to show a specific workflow, product concept, or technical proof of value. AI demos can be...
Code Napkin
A rough initial sketch of code or architecture, analogous to a back-of-the-napkin idea. In engineering slang, code napkins are useful for thinking quickly as...
Hack It Till You Make It
A playful variation on 'fake it till you make it' that celebrates scrappy prototyping, rough implementation, and sheer momentum while a product or project is...
Hack Together
To assemble something quickly from available parts without much polish. In engineering slang, hacking something together is often fine for a prototype and...
Paper Prototype
A low-fidelity prototype made with sketches or printed screens to test interface ideas, flows, or user reactions before investing in full implementation. It is...
Playground
An interactive, sandboxed environment — typically browser-based — where developers can write, run, and experiment with code without setting up a local...
Prototype
Prototype is a preliminary version of a product, system, or feature built to test concepts, validate assumptions, and gather feedback before investing in full...
Rapid Prototype
A quickly built early version of something meant to validate an idea, workflow, or technical assumption rather than serve as the final system. It prioritizes...
Sketch
A digital design tool widely used for interface and product design, especially before Figma became dominant. In design and product teams, 'Sketch' can also...
Wireframe
A low-fidelity, skeletal outline of a web page or app screen that maps out structure, layout, and content hierarchy without visual polish — no colors, real...
Wizard of Oz
A setup where the apparent automation or capability is secretly powered by manual work behind the scenes. In engineering slang, wizard-of-oz demos are useful...

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