No one buys ideas. Executives license and investors put money into concepts that have been proven. Just as mere shape determines whether iron floats or sinks, ideas must be well formed to survive. Before you take your idea out on the road, you should have a prototype. This prototype will go through many hands and creative—and not-so-creative—minds.

A new product is a fragile thing, and it doesn’t take much to kill even a superior idea. It can be knocked out of contention by a yawn. It can be butchered by a quip. It can be nitpicked to death by someone who suffers from the Not Invented Here Syndrome. You need to put magic in front of your audience. And this starts with a looks-like, works-like prototype that delivers a strong first impression and withstands scrutiny. Part 2 covers various prototyping and model-making choices and discusses their characteristics. Here we take a look at a typical timeline for product development and manufacturing. I take you step by step through the process. This is followed by a set of guidelines for finding and managing a factory to produce your dream.

Pay particular attention to Part 2.