12 AI Hacks for Innovation – Part 3: Prototyping

Today's AI hack for innovation is about prototyping. Before you start, you should be well-prepared and have at least one good idea for a solution.

If you missed the beginning, here you can go back to part 1 and part 2.

Prototyping

Let's assume you have a great idea and now want to discover whether it will meet users' expectations and requirements. Then it makes sense to develop a prototype first. This is a cheap and effective way to get user feedback and perfect the solution before moving on to production. I always recommend starting with simple prototypes that can be created within an hour (based on paper and pencil, clay, Lego, or something similar). This way you can quickly proceed to user testing, and if the solution isn't perfect, you won't lose time or money.

Hack 5: Let AI create the prototype

Are you planning a digital solution? Then you should definitely play around a bit with AI. It can even be faster to get a fully coded prototype than to create a click dummy with traditional systems. ChatGPT, for example, is trained not only on text, but also on source code found on GitHub. That's why it can create functioning source code. Just describe what you need and wait for the response. You can find many examples on the Internet. But be aware that in most cases it will need some finishing touches.

IIt might look like a miracle, but it's not all that new. Computers were already being used to optimize aircraft wing profiles in the 1970s. And in 2019, Autodesk presented the first chair created entirely by AI.

Caveat: Don't take AI prototypes into production without further testing and quality checks. They may appear to work perfectly, but they probably do not. This is especially important regarding security related aspects. Remember that AI only recombines known things, including bugs and security issues.

This series will feature 7 more valuable hacks. The next article will look at 3 hacks on how AI can support user testing. One you've probably never heard of. Stay tuned!

Disclaimer: This article was NOT written by or with the help of AI, besides the header image which was created by DALL-E as an example. Furthermore, I would like to clarify that I have no business or financial relationship with any of the companies mentioned in this text. I also do not receive any form of compensation for mentioning them or writing about them.