What is a clickable prototype for?
A clickable prototype lets people click through the product before any production code exists, so you can test the flows with real users, agree the scope and get a more accurate estimate. It is the cheapest point to find out that a screen, a step or a whole feature is wrong.
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What it is good for
- 1Testing the main flows with users and fixing confusion before it is built.
- 2Getting stakeholders to agree on what will be built, using screens instead of documents.
- 3Pricing the build against something concrete.
- 4Showing investors, partners or a sales prospect what the product will do.
- 5Giving engineers a clear reference for the build.
What it is not
It is not working software. It has no real data, no backend and no edge cases, so it does not prove technical feasibility. If the risk is technical, such as whether an AI feature is accurate enough, pair the prototype with a small technical spike.
At OceanLab the clickable prototype is the first step before production on every build.
Check it for your case.
Common follow-up questions.
Wireframe, prototype or MVP?
A wireframe is a rough layout, a clickable prototype is a realistic, linked set of screens, and an MVP is real working software with the smallest useful scope.
Is the prototype thrown away?
The prototype file is not production code, but its designs and decisions carry into the build.
How detailed should it be?
Detailed enough that users can complete the key tasks and stakeholders can sign off. Not every screen state needs to exist.
Related questions and guides.
- How do I plan a discovery phase?Question
- How much does an MVP cost?Question
- How long does it take to build an app?Question
- AI agent vs workflow automationComparison
- RAG vs fine-tuningComparison
- GlossaryEvery term, in plain words.
- WireframeGlossary
- Proof of conceptGlossary
- Case studiesProduct builds by OceanLab, by industry.
- Talk to OceanLabTell us about the build and we reply by email.
