Chapter 3 - Prototyping

I believe there are many different steps to take when you have an idea and want to turn it into a business. In my case, I decided to create some prototypes myself and test them on my baby. I didn't spend a lot of money on these prototypes—I bought some existing bodysuits to modify, snap buttons, and Velcro straps. The rest, like a sewing machine, threads, and other necessary tools, I already had at home.

I made two different prototypes: one where the top and bottom parts of the bodysuit attach with snap buttons and another where they connect using straps. The snap button version was clearly the better solution—it was easier to use and, after washing, remained in good condition, whereas the strap version became wrinkled and misshapen. But the main point here is to materialize your idea and test it to see if it's functional. You may need several iterations before finalizing your initial prototype.

Once I had the prototype I wanted, I started looking for a manufacturer. My goal was to understand the production costs. I won't go into detail about manufacturers in this post—that will come later when I explain everything I have done (and am still doing) to find the right one.

For this prototype, I found a manufacturer in Portugal willing to create a sample and provide a production cost estimate. I paid €170 for the prototype, including delivery. It was a great investment because it gave me a professional version of the product, which allowed me to take pictures, experiment with different colors to see which ones would work best for the final production, and start posting them on Instagram (I'll share more about Instagram and the website in another post).

The manufacturer also provided me with production cost estimates:

• €16 for a full bodysuit

• €8 for just the bottom part

Doing a quick calculation, my pack (one full bodysuit + one extra bottom part) would cost me €24. If I applied a 2.5x markup (to cover costs like delivery, marketing, and some profit, because, well, I have to make a living), that would bring the selling price to €60.

That was the first moment I wanted to quit. I thought (and still think) that no one would spend that much on a bodysuit that lasts only three months. But after the initial shock, I told myself that I wasn't going to give up so soon and that I needed more time to find the right manufacturer. As I said, I'll go into more detail about that in the next chapter.

In a conversation with a brand consultant who helps businesses with marketing and visual branding, she told me that I needed to test the product with babies I didn't know to see if parents would actually be interested in it. For me, it was a great idea, but maybe not for others. I also realized it's important not to ask friends for feedback—they love you and don't want to hurt your feelings. Strangers, on the other hand, have no emotional attachment, so their feedback is more honest.

I found test moms and babies through friends or friends of friends. I also asked the midwife who assisted me with my baby and directly reached out to a mom from a WhatsApp group I was in (even though I didn't know her personally). You don't need a huge number of testers—I made 9 prototypes and have tested them with 5 babies so far.

Of course, I'm not an expert in this field, and the more you test, the more accurate your feedback will be. While researching online, I came across something called "The 5-User Rule" by Jakob Nielsen, a researcher and founder of NN Group. In his article Why You Only Need to Test with 5 Users (2000), he argued that 5 user testers can uncover 85% of usability problems. This was based on studies he conducted with Thomas K. Landauer in 1993.

To collect data, I prepared a questionnaire using SurveyMonkey or JotForm. At this stage, my main goal was to see if the product was useful and if it solved a real problem for parents. I also wanted to know if they would choose it over existing options and if they had suggestions for improvements.

Here are the questions I asked:

1. What's your name?

2. How many children do you have?

3. How old is your baby?

4. How many times did your baby have leaks this week?

5. Was the detachable bodysuit useful?

6. Was it easy to dress/undress your baby?

7. Did you like the product? What did you like about it?

8. Would you suggest any improvements?

9. Would you buy this product instead of a traditional bodysuit?

I received positive feedback, and some of the suggested improvements were really interesting. This validated my idea and gave me hope to continue with the project.

I do wonder what I would have done if I had received negative feedback. I think I would have tried with a few more moms first, and if the feedback remained the same, I would have asked them what they actually needed and pivoted to a different product. In fact, I could have asked that question from the start:

"Is there a product for your baby that you wish existed but can't find on the market?"

That might be a question for my next product!

Until the next chapter—sending you love,

The mom behind wearfunbaby