Some may see my startup advice as dangerous, but I believe it gives startups a huge tactical advantage. Rather than expensive interactive prototypes, full resolution paper versions allow teams to test concepts and iterate instantly. This enables pivoting on a dime, critical for startups still finding product-market fit.

Larger companies struggle to pivot quickly due to engrained processes. Startups must capitalize on their nimbleness. Paper prototyping maximizes flexibility in those early stages without burning through all their cash on engineering code that may end up getting thrown out. This allows frequent iteration without engineering bottlenecks. Founders can pivot anytime, exploring more ideas and honing product direction.

This rapid concept validation prevents wasted dev time on ultimately ill-fit features. Easy modifications mean exploring richer option spaces before committing code. The savings compound as each pivot would require throwing out work. This efficiency frees resources for crafting optimal user experiences.

While some see danger in delaying development, the flexibility and speed of full resolution paper prototyping is a strategic advantage for startups. Testing ideas out of code allows freely evolving strategic direction on a product that resonates before engineering debt accrues. The ability to pivot faster is the only competitive advantage startups have over tyrants like Amazon and we need to keep it that way.