Introduction to Prototyping

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Paper Prototype: The simplest form of prototype, which may be created either with sketching or by printing out wireframes or comps. They can be made interactive by manipulating them manually.
Photo Gallery Prototype: Viewing static design mockups on a screen is sometimes referred to as a “photo gallery” prototype. It is not interactive, but can provide a good idea of what the interfaces will look like in situ.
Clickable or Click-through Prototype: Click-through prototypes are typically created from static sketches or images but they are made partially interactive by putting clickable “hotspots” on them. Some examples of software that enables this are the POP app and InVision App.
Concierge MVP: The concierge MVP is a technique from the lean startup world that prototypes the business end of the product through manual means. For example, a concierge MVP of an e-commerce site may require the owner to purchase inventory after a user orders and deliver it by hand to the customer.
Functional Prototype: Functional prototypes are usually built with similar technology as the final version, but they are incomplete. These are useful in the later stages of prototyping or when more technology is required to test a design.