Prototyping is the process of building a model of a system. In terms of an information system, prototypes are employed to help system designers build an information system that are intuitive and easy to manipulate for end users. Prototyping is an iterative process that is part of the analysis phase of the systems development life cycle.
Prototyping
Prototyping is the process of building a model
of a system. In terms of an information system, prototypes are employed to help
system designers build an information system that are intuitive and easy to
manipulate for end users. Prototyping is an iterative process that is part of
the analysis phase of the systems development life cycle.
During the requirements determination portion
of the systems analysis phase, system analysts gather information about the
organization’s current procedures and business processes that are related to
the proposed information system. In addition, they study the current
information system, if there is one, and conduct user interviews and collect
documentation. This helps the analysts develop an initial set of system
requirements.
Prototyping can augment this process because it
converts these basic, yet sometimes intangible, specifications into a tangible
but limited working model of the desired information system. The user feedback
gained from developing a physical system that the users can touch and see
facilitates an evaluative response that the analyst can employ to modify
existing requirements as well as developing new ones.
Prototyping comes in many forms - from low tech
sketches or paper screens (Pictive) from which users and developers can paste
controls and objects, to high tech operational systems using CASE
(computer-aided software engineering) or fourth generation languages and
everywhere in between.
Many organizations use multiple prototyping
tools. For example, some will use paper in the initial analysis to facilitate
concrete user feedback and then later develop an operational prototype using
fourth generation languages, such as Visual Basic, during the design stage.
Some Advantages of Prototyping
Reduces Development Time.
Reduces Development Costs.
Requires User Involvement.
Developers receive Quantifiable User Feedback.
Facilitates System Implementation since users
know what to expect.
Results in Higher User Satisfaction.
Exposes Developers to Potential Future System
Enhancements.
Some Disadvantages of Prototyping
Can lead to insufficient analysis.
Users expect the performance of the ultimate
system to be the same as the prototype.
Developers can become too attached to their
prototypes
Can cause systems to be left unfinished and/or
implemented before they are ready.
Sometimes leads to incomplete documentation.