Systems Prototype Approach
This chapter describes prototype as a tool for information systems development. After introducing the application prototype development along with its characteristics, concept of prototype is discussed in detail by giving its steps in pictorial manner. Th
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Systems Prototype Approach
Design
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Testing
Abstract This chapter describes prototype as a tool for information systems development. After introducing the application prototype development along with its characteristics, concept of prototype is discussed in detail by giving its steps in pictorial manner. The chapter also highlights other uses and advantages of the prototyping such as feasibility analysis and requirements collection besides the systems development. To develop prototype, various strategies are employed by the developers. The chapter discusses these strategies in detail. Misconception regarding prototype is also discussed in this chapter. The chapter also highlights possible applications and situations where prototype is really helpful. Tools that can be used to develop prototype through various strategies are also discussed in this chapter. At the end, chapter presents practice questions and objective questions with answers.
4.1 Application Prototype Development Prototype is described as a preliminary working version of a system or an entity. It is an early model of system showing design and working of the system. Prototype of a system can be in any form; it may be on paper (conceptual prototype) or working model (physical prototype) of the system. Conceptual prototypes are illustrative in nature; whereas the physical prototypes are considered as either functional or simulated prototypes. Many authors consider prototype as a throwaway (disposable) models of system created as an experiment, which will be used to view and test the system, orient the users toward the use of system, and encourage sharing © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2017 P.S. Sajja, Essence of Systems Analysis and Design, DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-5128-9_4
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82 Table 4.1 Characteristics of the prototype approach
4 Systems Prototype Approach It is a quick and iterative approach for systems development It can start with known requirements It can be modified and reused with added requirements It can be used as requirement elicitation as well as feasibility testing tool Users are actively involved in the systems development process It is comparatively less expensive to build
necessary requirements from user side. Some authors categorize prototypes as patched-up prototype, nonoperational prototype, first-of-a-series prototype, and selected feature prototype. All types of prototype are evolutionary in nature, because it is always possible to modify the prototype and test repetitively. Prototyping is considered as a quick and iterative development of a system by building its working model. It is an alternative to the systems development approaches such as classical Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) approach and structured systems development (SSD – it is also known as SSADM, Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method) approach. Unlike these two approaches, the prototype offers addition of requirements and modifying the design at every iteration of the systems development process. Further,
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