Prototyping In a World of Vibe Coding

First, let me start with answering: what is Vibe Coding. Experimenting with it, I noticed that it is not just a development shortcut but a method of rapid, emotional, and sensory product exploration. It lives at the intersection of discovery and code, where early product ideas are turned into tactile, semi-functional, interactive prototypes that look, feel, and behave like actual products, even before full development begins. What is even more mindblowing is that I could do prototypes during interviews. What?!

Instead of lengthy documentation, high-fidelity mockups, or heavy handovers, Vibe Coding empowers creators (especially developer–designer hybrids) to build lightweight but expressive experiences that provoke user feedback based on real interaction, not imagination. “Don’t tell, show” - is what gives most value here.

This approach is especially powerful when:

• Speed of feedback is critical,
• Emotional or UX detail is essential,
• Product-market assumptions need early testing.

In short, Vibe Coding is coding, but instead of using, for example, React.js, you are using English. You read it right. This is coding where you fully express your intentions to the AI, focusing on idea expression rather than technical syntax. You simply tell what you want, and here comes magic. What is a trick here? You need to explain precisely what you want by crafting clear prompts to guide the AI.

How do you know what is “correct”? In my opinion, Product Discovery could jump here. So let us dive into some parts of it to understand why we create a Product.

While Vibe Coding is transformative, it is not a replacement for structured discovery. Instead, it amplifies discovery outcomes when embedded into a systematic process that de-risks product creation. Here's how a modern discovery journey should unfold:

Customer-Centric Approach

“There is no product without the problem behind it”. Great products start with great listening. This requires going beyond assumptions to immerse oneself in users’ lives. With Product Discovery, we want to find the root problem of the user, not just symptoms. How can you do that?

• Embed with real users.
• Ask open-ended, non-leading questions (cf. The Mom Test).
• Seek problems, not features.

Interviews & Field Research

Conduct structured qualitative interviews focused on:

• Pains and goals,
• Daily workflows,
• Emotional and social drivers.

Don't accept the first answer - dig for the "why beneath the why." We are doctors, looking for the root problems, not only focusing on symptoms. As a doctor, you cannot prescribe medication based on what symptoms you want to heal the person, not rather give him temporary relief.

Competitive and Market Analysis

Got the problem? Good. Let us check if someone has already invented this “wheel” or not. This is where competition analysis comes in handy. We would like to evaluate existing solutions to:

• Identify gaps,
• Benchmark usability,
• Avoid reinventing the wheel.

You can use tools like SWOT analysis, Google Trends, G2Crowd, and user reviews to map the competitive landscape.

Problem Statement Definition

As a fuel for further work, we need to have a Problem Statement. Craft a clear, testable, human-centered problem statement that expresses:

• Who is affected,
• What the problem is,
• Why it matters.

This becomes the foundation for every future decision. It needs to be right!

Product Strategy - Blue Ocean Framework

Once the Problem Statement is set, we can think about the Product Strategy. In my opinion, in the times of new products being born every day, we need to differentiate ourselves, so Blue Ocean Strategy works just right here. Differentiate by creating value in untapped spaces:

• Eliminate: What market norms can be removed?
• Reduce: What can be simplified or minimized?
• Raise: What should exceed user expectations?
• Create: What new value can be offered?

Now we can plan our work! Let's jump to Roadmapping.

Roadmapping

This process translates strategy into time-bound execution:

• Define Objectives and Key Results (OKRs).
• Group initiatives into value-based milestones.
• Identify the riskiest assumptions early for focused testing.

We got our Problem, a good Strategy, and a Plan. Let us start to ideate the solution.

Wireframing and User Flows

Before writing a line of code, we would like to support our imagination, and these actions will be helpful:

• Sketch interfaces (paper or digital) to visualize structure.
• Design user flows to uncover dead ends or complexity.
• Validate logic, navigation, and calls to action (CTAs).

Now is the time to do some prototypes, which we can show to the users who have the problem we found at the beginning, to validate if our assumptions were right.

Prototyping

Now you can produce clickable or animated mockups (Figma, InVision) to simulate key features:

• Navigation transitions,
• Data interaction,
• Microinteractions (e.g., haptic feedback, hover states),
• Reactions to user input.

…or jump straight into Vibe Coding. “Don’t tell, show!”

So, what exactly is Vibe Coding? Imagine writing that you are telling to a developer what you would like to build, and he creates it instantly. This is Vibe Coding - using normal speech to create and not code itself. 

Vibe Coding is the art of prototyping through intuition - jumping into code to feel the solution before fully defining it. It’s about capturing the essence of an idea quickly, testing emotions and interactions without waiting for full specs or designs. I’ve used it to translate user interviews into interactive mockups on the fly, and while it creates a strong “wow” effect, it can risk skipping deeper discovery. 

Vibe coding tools like Replit, Lovable, or Cursor support this mindset, but remember: Vibe Coding is not validation - it’s exploration. It’s not about perfect features, but about sparking the right product conversation. There are plenty of tools that support this move.

Because I recently was “vibing” with Replit, I will focus on this tool. That doesn’t mean it's the best (or is it?). Replit is a cloud-based IDE enabling real-time, multi-language development in a collaborative environment. It eliminates barriers like local setup, DevOps pipelines, and dependency conflicts. Sounds fun, right?

Why Replit excels for Vibe Coding:

• Instant Feedback Loop: See changes as you type.
• Rapid UX Experiments: Build animations, logic, and UI reactions.
• Collaboration: Use "multiplayer mode" to co-create live with stakeholders or designers.
• Real Data Simulation: Mock APIs, create fake endpoints, or even embed LLMs (like GPT) for prototype realism.

This makes Replit a powerful tool not just for engineers but for product discovery squads that want to test an idea before fully committing to it. I personally experimented with it by using it in conducting interviews with users. I asked questions about their problem and translated it into a useful prototype to show them at the end for further discussion. The result was - “wow! effect”. 

I still do not know if that is a good approach, because there is a risk of misinterpretation without a thoughtful ideation process, but still, I could discuss potential solutions right away, which could be a foundation for UI/UX people to build on that.

“Wow! Effect” sounds good, but there is a dark side to it. Users can be overexcited about what they see, and this excitement could potentially blur the main topic of the discussion - the root problem. Remember, as “product doctors,” we are not tricksters; we want to find the right medicine.

Remember, there are multiple other tools that you could experiment with, for example, Lovable, Bubble, Cursor, etc. Each of these tools serves the core intent of Vibe Coding: test the feeling and functionality of an idea through partial, interactive implementation.

While experimenting with Vibe Coding, I asked myself a question: “Are more products the only way to have good products?”. Something similar to what David Kelly (founder of IDEO) said about ideas.

At face value, this suggests that volume leads to quality - that the act of building more inherently teaches teams to build better. While there is some truth in iterative momentum and quantity-driven creativity, the statement requires nuance. As Product specialists, we need to find the balance between more and right. My opinion is that the discovery process will stay with us, but it will be more informative to all sides. We need to figure out the way to use Vibe Coding correctly.

More ≠ Better, Unless Informed by Discovery

So, what are the bad sides of creating more without thought or deep understanding of the problem behind it? Shipping more products without structured discovery often results in:

• Feature bloat,
• User confusion,
• Resource waste,
• Poor product-market fit.

In contrast, products born from discovery, validated through real user needs, strategic insight, and iterative feedback, have exponentially higher chances of success.

Vibe Coding doesn't solve this alone. It only thrives when anchored in a strong discovery foundation:

• Build based on evidence, not intuition.
• Test assumptions interactively, not just hypothetically.
• Let users experience before you scale.

A perfect combination would be to take the best of what Discovery offers and “copy and paste” the results into the Vibe Coding tool. Then, refine the design and code to create a ready-to-use prototype, or even an MVP.