PROTOTYPING

Introduction
Prototyping in systems development can be used in two ways:
Making models or trial versions on new or modified system areas for users to give feedback
System design by developing from models or simple demonstration versions.
Prototypes in formal systems analysis
Prototypes are much the same as prototypes in car manufacture. Users, or potential users, can have
a great deal of difficulty envisioning how a finished system will operate. This is particularly the case
when there is no existing system and the users have little or no experience of the use of systems.
This causes problems at all the stages of systems development, including the early stages of problem
definition and requirements capture.
One way of dealing with this is to produce models or mock-ups of what is available or proposed.
These may be simple working versions, or they may be only illustrative screens (for instance,
PowerPoint slides to simulate a series of menu screens, and dummy reports to indicate the sort of
output that can be obtained).
For some systems it is necessary to experiment to find out what is needed from the system, as
interviewing is not sufficient to establish the requirements. In these cases prototyping forms the basis
of the experiments. Here it can be done by:
Building the system while designing it
Illustrating components (as above)
Simulating interactive processes (story boarding)
Prototyping can encourage the users to participate actively in the project development. This applies
mainly to the user interfaces, and should ensure that they meet the needs of the users. This can
involve setting up teams to work together. It is important to involve a mixture of users, regular and
casual, experienced and novice (but remember that being involved in the process will make the
novices experienced!)
An additional benefit is that the users are more likely to be committed to a system where they have
been involved in the development.
Prototyping is also often used at the feasibility stage, where ideas are being tested. Although it is
important not to try to develop the whole system here, it may be beneficial to try out chosen
approaches, to evaluate their practicality in a full blown system.
Where working prototypes are developed, they may be incorporated into the final system.
Evolutionary design
While our normal view of systems design starts by defining the requirements and moves on to a
completed system, other approaches can be used. Evolutionary design approaches start with a
prototype that is evolved into a finished system. The system is handed over to the user gradually,
major functions being defined in conjunction with the user, and being accepted when they are usable.
The experience gained from this use is then fed back and used in further developing the system.

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