Notes on iterative prototyping

Iterative prototyping rewards short feedback loops. Start with the smallest version that runs end to end, then measure where it actually breaks rather than where you guessed it might. Each pass should change one variable so the signal stays clean. Keep a plain log of what you tried and what happened; memory is a poor substitute for notes. Resist the urge to generalize before the second real example arrives, because premature abstraction hides more than it saves. When a step feels tedious, that tedium is usually a hint that the process wants a small tool. Ship the rough cut, watch it in use, and let observation drive the next edit.