In manufacturing and design, a mockup, or mock-up, is a scale or full-size model of a design or device, used for teaching, demonstration, design evaluation, promotion, and other purposes.
A mockup is a prototype if it provides at least part of the functionality of a system and enables testing of a design. Mock-ups are used by designers mainly to acquire feedback from users. Mock-ups address the idea captured in a popular engineering one-liner: You can fix it now on the drafting board with an eraser or you can fix it later on the construction site with a sledge hammer.
- Mockups are used in the automotive device industry
- Mockups, wireframes and prototypes are not so cleanly distinguished
- Mockups are an integral part of the military acquisition process
In the words of Jan Tschichold, book design, “though largely forgotten today, methods and rules upon which it is impossible to improve, have been developed over centuries. To produce perfect books, these rules have to be brought back to life and applied.” Richard Hendel describes book design as “an arcane subject”, and refers to the need for a context to understand what that means.
Mockups are used as design tools virtually everywhere a new product is designed. Mockups are commonly required by designers, architects
The intention is often to produce a full-sized replica, using inexpensive materials in order to verify a design.