A prototype is a live, data-driven model that is capable of evolving through user interaction with system designers. Prototyping is used when requirements cannot be fully specified up front, such as with historical data or emerging technologies, as users can state goals and objectives but are unclear on how to accomplish them. Prototyping incorporates a learning process into system design, resulting in improved quality, higher user satisfaction, and shorter development times compared to the classical waterfall methodology. It allows creating preliminary models to drive evolutionary development, though project control is critical to avoid endless projects from non-essential requirements.

1. Prototyping and the Prototype
Project Life Cycle
By AL Radau – AER IT
What is a Prototype:
• A Prototype is a live Data Driven Model
• It is Capable of Evolution through continuous interaction between Users and
Systems Designers.
Why Prototyping:
Prototyping is used when Pre-Specification is not always possible, examples
would be historical data that may or may not exist, integration with emerging
technologies. Users tend to be very good a at stating the System;
• Goals
• Objectives
• General Direction they wish to move in
BUT
Users are often unclear and undecided in exactly how they would like their goals
and objectives accomplished.
When doing hardware design, engineers experiment with PROTOTYPES, after a
number of iterations the final product is produced. In contrast to Classical Systems
Development, there is usually only one iteration since there is no model to work with. In
the classical approach to systems development known as the Waterfall Methodology, it is
a serial process, first we interview the user and define the system requirements, then we
create a design that best meets the requirements. Here all requirements must be given in
detail and must be firmly established. In contrast Prototyping incorporates a learning
process into System Design resulting in improved quality, higher user satisfaction as well
as shorter development time. In the classical approach we first create a complete paper
model of the system design and then after user sign-off we begin the task of creation. In

2. Prototyping and the Prototype
Project Life Cycle
By AL Radau – AER IT
prototyping we can actually create pre-specification models and utilize these to drive the
development of the system in an evolutionary approach, here we must be careful, it is
easy for developers to get carried away with non-functional requirements thus creating
the endless project, project control becomes a critical component.