Name: Jecca Cervero

Section: O0C

            Book: Systems Analysis And Design /Fifth Edition

            Author: Kenneth E. Kendall, Julie E. Kendall

            Reference No.: QA 76.9 S88 K45 2002

Chapter:  Chapter 8

Quote:   Prototyping is a complex technique that requires knowledge of the entire systems development life cycle before it is successfully accomplished.

Review:

            Prototyping is an information-gathering technique useful for supplementing the traditional systems development life cycle. Systems analysts use prototyping, when they are seeking for user reactions, suggestions, innovations, and revision plans to enhance the prototype and thereby modify system plans with a minimum of expense and distraction.

Kinds of Prototypes

·        Patched-up prototype- it has to do with constructing a system that works but is patched up or patched together.

·        Nonoperational prototype- it is use to test certain features of the design.

·        First-of-a-series prototype- it is fully operational. This kind of prototype is useful when many installations of the same information system are planned.

·        Selected features prototype- it has some of, but not all, essential system features. It uses self-continued modules as building blocks so that if prototyped features are successful, they can be kept and incorporated into the larger, finished system.

The four major guidelines for developing a prototype are to:

1.     Work in manageable modules

2.     Build the prototype rapidly

3.     Modify the prototype

4.     Stress the user interface

Disadvantages of prototype

·        Managing the prototyping process is difficult because of the rapidity of the process and its much iteration.

·        Disadvantage is that an incomplete prototype may be pressed into service as if it were a complete system.

Although prototyping is not always necessary or desirable, it should be noted that there are three main, interrelated advantages to using it:

1.     The potential for changing the system early in its development

2.     The opportunity to stop development on a system that I not working

3.     The possibility of developing a system that more closely address users’ needs and expectations.

Users have a distinct role to play in the prototyping process. Their main concern must be to interact with the prototype through experimentation. Systems analysts must work systematically to elicit and evaluate users’ reactions to the prototype. Sometimes reactions can be sought by mounting the prototype on an interactive Web site that permits users to see limited functionality and to enter comments for the systems team. Analysts then work to incorporate worthwhile user suggestions and innovations into subsequent modifications.

One particular use of prototyping is rapid application development, or RAD. It is an object-oriented approach with three phases: requirements planning, RAD design workshop, and implementation.