It is easy to get lost in 3D CAD software, detailing features and assemblies before validating structural scale. This leads to design dead-ends where weeks of modeling are scrapped because a part is too bulky to hold.
Cardboard, foam, and hot glue allow designers to hold concepts in their hands within minutes. These rapid mock-ups reveal spatial and ergonomic realities CAD cannot show.
"Before locking yourself in front of a CAD workstation, build a quick, low-fidelity prototype to validate scale."
Cardboard Ergonomics
Mocking up a handheld device in foam allows you to test grip size, weight balance, and button reach instantly. It is much easier to carve away foam than to adjust complex parametric fillets in SolidWorks.
Fast Feedback Loops
Low-fidelity models are excellent communication tools. Placing a cardboard shell in a user's hand provides immediate feedback on usability, helping you lock down housing dimensions before writing a single line of CAD code.