What term refers to simple paper versions used to test ideas cheaply?

• A. Wireframes
• B. Mock-up
• C. Paper prototypes
• D. Simulated models

Answer: (C)

Testing ideas with simple, paper-based versions lets you explore how a product might work without writing any code. Paper prototypes are basic sketches or hand‑drawn screens, often on index cards or sheets, that stand in for the interface. They let you arrange layout, labels, and the sequence of steps a user would take, and you can physically move cards to simulate navigation. Because they’re quick to create and easy to modify, you can try multiple ideas in just a short time and get real feedback from users or teammates, then adjust on the spot. This low-cost, hands-on approach is especially useful early in development when you’re still figuring out what the product should do and how it should feel.

Other terms describe representations too, but they aren’t as tightly tied to the hands-on, cheap, paper-based testing spirit. A wireframe usually points to structure and can be digital; a mock-up is typically more polished and closer to a final look; a simulated model is vague and less specific to early, low-fidelity testing.