Some elements of your model should be tested during the design phase (e.g. need and purpose, values). Others may not be able to be tested until the implementation phase (e.g. approvals, hardware & software specifications, operating model). Nevertheless, an assessment of the basic assumptions underpinning your business and its feasibility (whether the model will work, technically and economically. As well as giving you an indication of whether you are in a position to go ahead with your project, it will help you to identify and respond to risks and requirements and may be an essential part of bringing partners and contributors on board.

In fact, the design and test phases should be iterative, as you return to your model design with information from testing. This iterative work to get your model right requires time, but is critical to your project. If you identify problems before you start spending on implementation, it will save time and money in the long run. It’s a case of measure twice, cut once.