Prototyping Mindset: Learning Through Iteration

As I immersed myself in the theory and practice of design thinking, I appreciated the value of one of its core concepts:  prototype. What follows is an exploration of the concept of a prototyping mindset that I attempt to formulate in this post on the basis of my prototyping experiences and other historical figures who are exemplars of a prototyping mindset.

Before fleshing out this idea, let's start with the question: What is a mindset?

Broadly defined, a mindset is a collection of attitudes, beliefs, and assumptions that shape how we perceive and respond to situations, challenges, and opportunities. It serves as the viewpoint through which we interpret experiences, make decisions, and navigate life. In short, a mindset is an evolving synthesis of beliefs, values, experiences, attitudes and behaviors, knowledge and insights, which, I argue, can be continually cultivated and refined through iterative learning—a design terminology that emphasizes the process of testing an idea or product or a question by receiving feedback and then refine it by reiterating.

Design thinking specialists propose a distinct concept known as the designer mindset. This mindset is defined by key characteristics such as curiosity, a bias toward action, the ability to reframe problems, and a commitment to collaborative learning through feedback and iteration. Bill Burnett & Dave Evans’s New York Times bestseller, Designing Your Life, Tim Brown’s Change by Design, and David Kelley’s various interviews and writings, have noted that these dispositions equip designers to tackle wicked problems—those complex, multifaceted challenges that defy straightforward solutions. Therefore, adopting a designer mindset is an essential first step toward making prototypes or simply trying stuff.

My initial foray into design thinking began, as I mentioned in another post, with my training in Stanford's Designing Your Life curriculum. The program emboldened me to try new things and not shy away from challenges. It encouraged me to reframe seemingly intractable issues—such as unpleasant work situations, lack of growth opportunities, acquiring new skills—and thereby reconsider and modify my assumptions. After years of facilitating design thinking workshops and applying this framework to my own goals, I discovered that I persevered through prototypes. I fell in love with the act of prototyping, whether it involved experimenting with conversations, behaviors and attitudes, experiences, or creating models and visuals. With the constant reminder that these prototypes had to be rapid, easy, and inexpensive, I was able to take risks, stretch myself, and reflect to generate insights from my learnings. The more I practiced prototyping, the more ideas/insights I was able to generate. One valuable insight I gained was that I was, in fact, prototyping my mindset; in other words, I was prototyping my set of beliefs, values and assumptions and with each iteration I was changing my mindset. Of course, there were setbacks, disappointments, and losses; mistakes were made, tears were shed. But a prototyping mindset perseveres through aches and pains only because it evolves into an agile learner, and moves on to the next prototype.

Building on my design thinking learnings and all the ways in which I explored my understanding of prototypes, I propose the concept of a prototyping mindset—an approach that treats prototyping as an active practice of experimentation. It involves small, deliberate actions to try something new or revise something old. These actions are rooted in a set of attitudes, behaviors, values, and assumptions, with the key difference that this mindset remains open to changing its assumptions through self-assessment and feedback from others. Notably, a prototyping mindset thrives on imperfections, mistakes, and setbacks. It comes to life through regular practice. Since prototypes are, by nature, rapid, simple, and inexpensive, they can be easily integrated into daily routines. Prototyping mindsets are an expression of relentless learning.

Prototyping Mindset: Historical Examples

History offers numerous examples of inventors who took the idea of prototyping to different heights. James Dyson, the engineer behind the Dyson vacuum cleaner, narrates his fascinating journey in his book, Invention: A Life.. Frustrated with the inefficiency of bagged vacuums, Dyson set out to create a bagless version. His journey involved developing countless prototypes, each contributing to the refinement of his the earlier version. Dyson writes about his observations of cyclone dynamics and airflow, which became critical in engineering the motor for his revolutionary vacuum cleaner. He found inspiration in an unexpected place: a sawmill where he noticed that sawmills used industrial cyclonic separators to remove dust from the air without clogging. This, finally, sparked the idea of applying the same principle to vacuum cleaners, using centrifugal force to separate dust and dirt from the airflow without needing a bag. What followed was a long process of experimentation and prototyping. Dyson famously built 5,127 prototypes in about four years before he perfected the design. Each prototype represented a small, iterative improvement over the previous version, embodying a true prototyping mindset—constantly learning from failure and refining the design.

Another moving story is that of the Wright brothers, who approached the problem of flight by seeking to understand the mechanics of aerodynamics. Devastated by the death of Otto Lilienthal, a German pioneer in engineering gliders, and drawing upon aeronautical research published by the Smithsonian Institution, the Wright brothers developed a series of wide-ranging prototypes, including kites, gliders, and wings. Through these experiments, they realized that a more effective system of aeronautical controls was needed.

In contrast to their contemporary experts who prioritized stronger engines, the Wright brothers focused on control system. Drawing their inspiration from bird and they adjustments they made in angles of their wings to roll left and right, the Wright brothers theorized that a flying machine could turn in a similar way—by "leaning" into a turn. Both brothers had also developed deep familiarity with the mechanics of bicycles while working in their bike workshop. By bringing these diverse sets of information in view, they were able to address and resolve the issue of lateral imbalances caused by wind. Their breakthrough came when Wilbur Wright, while idly twisting a long inner-tube box in their bicycle shop, discovered the principle of wing-warping—a concept they applied to control the wings of their aircraft, much like curling the wings of a paper airplane. Thus from paper planes, birds, bikes, tubes, gliders, observation and research, the Wright brothers succeeded in developing aerodynamic structures of airplanes.

Both these examples show a relentless prototyping mindset, continuously building and testing, learning from each failure, and adjusting their designs. This iterative process reflects a forward looking mindset, learning through tangible experimentation and real-world feedback. Such a method of learning is surprisingly not only easy to learn, but deeply satisfying.

I will now briefly outline the different types of prototypes one may try and a framework to practice the act of prototyping.

Types of Prototypes

Designers and engineers often assert that 'Anything can be prototyped!' To some, this claim might seem absurd. Having immersed myself in design thinking over the years, I've come to see that prototyping is indeed possible in any context because it's fundamentally about fostering a learning mindset that is able to weather obstacles and failures. The challenge is not in the ability of prototyping but in cultivating the mindset that keeps at it.

Below, you'll find two sets of guidelines: the types of prototypes and a framework for creating and executing them. The possibilities are endless, but the key principle remains—prototypes are tools for learning quickly, simply, and cheaply. They allow us to cast questions into action and gather insights for future iterations. After several rounds of prototyping, typically around the 4th or 5th iteration, we start to uncover meaningful insights.

This learning process is twofold: we learn from the prototype itself by uncovering new information or questioning our assumptions, and we learn about ourselves by noting how we respond to challenges, adapt to situations, engage frustrations, and how well work with others or not. It is through this iterative process that the prototyping mindset begins to take shape.

Prototyping Framework

Let’s begin with a straightforward framework consisting of four key stages:

1. Posing a Question: Start by formulating a question you want to explore through prototyping. For example, 'How might I become a writer?' or 'How might I design my math tutoring website?' This question sets the stage for your prototyping journey.

2. Prototyping the Question: Break the question into smaller, manageable pieces. For instance, 'How might I become a writer?' could involve:

   • Prototyping a conversation with a published writer.

   • Prototyping a presentation at a conference or bookstore.

   • Prototyping writing (e.g., 500 words a day) and gathering feedback.

   • Prototyping by reading your favorite writer and emulating their style.

3. Perspective Development: After prototyping your question in 4-5 different ways, a perspective or point of view begins to emerge. This perspective offers a tangible framework for acting and testing the potential of a prototyping mindset.

4. Prototype & Persevere: These initial steps prepare you to embrace prototyping as a habit and persevere until you achieve your desired goal. Keep in mind the examples of Dyson and the Wright brothers—they exemplify the persistence and learning that prototyping entails.

Adopting a prototyping mindset is about embracing a journey of continuous learning and experimentation. This framework is not a one-size-fits-all solution but a guide to help you begin exploring and creating your own path. The real power of prototyping lies in its ability to transform abstract ideas into tangible actions, allowing you to test, learn, and iterate.

As you pose questions, break them down into prototypes, develop perspectives, and persevere, you'll start to see the world—and your place in it—in new ways. Remember, every prototype, no matter how small, is a step toward deeper understanding and growth. So, take that first step, champion the mindset, and let the process of prototyping lead you to new possibilities.