On the use of directional and incremental prototyping in the development of high novelty products: Two case studies in the automotive industry

Physical prototypes have always been important in engineering design. However, little is known about the role that prototypes play in the development of complex physical products. This paper investigates the role of prototypes and prototyping in the development of two novel product innovations recently launched by an automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Through an exploratory case study, prototypes are found to provide the capability to aid learning and communication both within the development teams and across the organization. Actual prototype usage was found to encompass activities beyond merely the verification and validation purposes covered in traditional engineering design literature.