The fidelity ladder

The fidelity ladderThe fidelity ladder: an interface track from sketch to coded prototype, a service track from concierge to live-data prototype, and the boundary where prototypes end and products beginInterface track: how real it looks and behavesSketchminutesWireframehoursClickableuser prototypeCodedAI-built orhand-builtService track: how real the work behind it isConciergehuman, visibleWizard of Ozhuman, hiddenHybridlive data, notrafficLive-datareal data andtrafficProductbuild toearnReliability,security,scale,complianceCost, time to build and attachment rise to the right.Choose the lowest rung that answers the risk question.

The fidelity ladder. Prototypes live left of the dashed line. Crossing it means meeting run-time demands that no prototype was built for, whatever tool produced it.