This document discusses the benefits and proper use of prototyping in web application development projects. Prototyping can improve product quality and return on investment by addressing uncertainties, activating user thinking to communicate needs visually, and finding usability issues early. There are different types of prototypes including horizontal versus vertical and low versus high fidelity. Prototypes should be used to start discussions, help users communicate needs, and reduce costs by implementing changes earlier. Prototyping can be useful regardless of the software development methodology used.

1. Prototyping in Web software
development
T-76.5650 Seminar in Software Engineering
Aalto University School of Science
Erkki Tapola <erkki.tapola@aalto.fi>
!
10.5.2012

2. Research questions
• What
• How
benefits do prototypes bring?
should I use prototyping in a web application
development project?

3. Importance
• Prototyping
can improve
product quality and increase
value if used in the right way
• Creating
a prototype is an
investment
• Return
on Investment
(ROI) for making the
prototype

4. ”A prototype is a working model
built to develop and test design ideas.”
!
-- M. Walker, L. Takayama, and J.A. Landay

5. About software projects
• There
is commonly a level
of uncertainty
• Users
may not be able to
voice all the business needs
without help
• There
are various types of
software development
processes

6. purpose of Prototyping
• Addresses
the uncertainties to prevent costs at a later time
• Activates
the users’ thinking and begins visual and conceptual
communication
• Provides
• Find
a basis for discussion about the business needs
the maximum number of real usability issues with- out
compromising cost and flexibility for designers

7. Horizontal vs.
vertical
horizontal prototype
implements all of the
different functions, but not
all of their functionality
•A
vertical prototype
implements a specific
function in more detail
•A

8. low fidelity vs.
high fidelity
• High
fidelity aims visually
close to the desired end
result
• Low
fidelity allows the user
to concentrate on the
intended functionality and
business requirements

9. Design vs.
Functional
design prototype
shows the visual aspects of
the intended product
•A
functional prototype
shows the intended
functionality
•A

10. about sw development
methodologies
• Agile
or no agile, a
prototype serves the
purpose of obtaining
knowledge and facilitating
discussion
• Prototyping
can be
embedded in many
types of software
development processes

11. Using a prototype
• To
start and facilitate
discussion
• To
help the user understand
and communicate the
business needs better
• To
reduce cost in places
where changes get more
expensive as time passes

12. Thank You