Throwaway Prototype Brief
By Sophie Martin · Published · Updated
Scopes a disposable prototype that answers one design question, naming what to measure and what to delete when the answer is in.
Prompt template
## Throwaway Prototype Brief Scope a prototype that is built only to be thrown away. - Design question: [textarea: The one question the prototype must answer] - Options being compared: [textarea: The candidate approaches] - Time box: [dropdown: Half a day, One day, Three days] - Stack for the prototype: [text: Language and tools] - Success signal: [text: What result would settle the question] Check first that the question is a single, answerable one; if it is several, split them and pick the one that blocks the most. Define what the prototype needs and what it should skip on purpose, such as tests, error handling, styling and security. List exactly what to measure, with the method and the number or observation that would decide each option. Plan the build in steps that reach the first measurement as early as possible. State a kill rule: when the time box ends, stop and report even without a clean answer. Write down the findings format, then the delete list: every branch, file, service and credential to remove afterwards, with a note that no prototype code is copied into the real project.