Follow a playful forest trail from a promising idea to a product sketch and a plan for testing it. This Sustainable Product Prototype Template helps you explore sustainable innovation, make an improvement tangible and decide what to investigate before committing resources.
Spend 20–30 minutes working through the idea and planning your test, then return afterwards to capture what you learned. Simple shapes, stick figures and rough models are welcome!
Who is this template for?
Product teams, designers, founders, educators and workshop facilitators who want an approachable way to explore sustainable product design. Use it independently or with a team—no drawing or prototyping experience is needed.
When should you use it?
Use it after brainstorming a product improvement, during an innovation workshop or before investing in further development. It’s particularly useful for exploring ideas such as longer product life, easier repair, reduced material use or more opportunities for reuse.
How to use this template
Start at the trailhead and follow five stops towards the clearing, where you’ll choose your next move.
Pick the improvement. Name your product, describe the problem and choose one idea to explore.
Sketch it. Draw the idea and label what changes, how someone uses it and what makes it different. Alternatively, build a rough model with materials you already have and add a photo.
Explain the possible benefit. Describe how the idea could help users and reduce resource use or waste. Note a possible downside or trade-off.
Plan a test. Identify the most important assumption to check. Choose a simple method, decide who will give feedback and record what you’ll look for. Assign an organiser and deadline.
Capture what you learn. After the test, return to the board to record what worked and what needs changing. Decide whether to develop the idea, adjust it or try another approach.
Tip: Keep your first prototype simple enough to change. Focus on making one important feature or assumption clear, rather than drawing a finished product.
What you’ll leave with
A product improvement idea made visible through a sketch or rough model.
An explanation of its potential benefits and trade-offs.
A focused plan to test one key assumption.
A space to capture learning and agree on the next move.
Concept testing can help you understand whether an idea is useful or easy to use. Environmental benefits may need separate measurements or evidence.
