← DictionaryPrototype
also called clickable prototype
An interactive version used to test flow and behaviour before build.
A clickable version to test before building.
What It Is
Prototype belongs to Website, specifically the Process part of it. What it actually refers to is an interactive version used to test flow and behaviour before build.
It is a label with a settled working definition, so the value is in using it the same way every time. Used with that meaning, it stays a working tool rather than a talking point.
How It's Used
Most of the time Prototype is used in site builds, page structure and the technical decisions underneath them. In real work it sits close to Wireframe, Mockup and User Testing. The practical test is whether everyone in the room means the same thing by it.
Why It Matters
Ignoring Prototype rarely fails loudly — it fails slowly. When it is unclear, the site still launches — it just quietly underperforms. Deciding it deliberately costs one conversation. Leaving it undecided costs several.
It is the short word for a longer explanation. A clickable version to test before building.
Termshift™
How the meaning shifts depending on who is using it, and where.
Inside the industry, Prototype is used tightly and assumed to be understood: an interactive version used to test flow and behaviour before build.
Away from the jargon, it is a clickable version to test before building.
The Bottom Line
The practical takeaway on Prototype: a clickable version to test before building. Judge it by that, not by how it sounds.