From prototype to product: how R&D work is run

1. Write the question and the hypothesis

Good R&D starts with a question: "Is it possible to make this forecast with this data?", "Can this architecture carry this load?". Turn the question into a hypothesis that can be confirmed or refuted, and write down up front what result will make you say "it worked".

2. Build the smallest working example

The goal is not a pretty demo but learning. Reduce the scope to the smallest piece that will answer the question. Getting a result in a short time (days or a few weeks) prevents long progress in the wrong direction.

3. Pick the right kind of experiment

• Short spike: a quick answer to a single technical question.
• Prototype: seeing how an idea feels to a user.
• Proof of concept (PoC): showing that it is technically possible.
• Pilot: trying with real users and data for a limited time and scope.

4. Measure and document the result

Whether it succeeds or fails, record the result together with the data and conditions used. A negative result is valuable information that prevents repeating the same attempt.

5. Turning a prototype into a product is a separate job

Because a prototype is written fast, it may fall short on tests, security, scalability and maintenance. When carrying a successful idea into a product, rewriting it with a clean architecture is usually cheaper in the long run.

Common mistakes

• Starting an experiment without writing the question.
• Mistaking a prototype for a product.
• Setting no success criterion.
• Keeping the scope too wide.
• Not recording negative results.

Conclusion

VeriSet A.Ş. researches new technologies, tests them with prototypes and builds solutions that can be used in the future. For more, see our R&D area page.