Prototyping Techniques - Essay Example

?Prototyping Techniques Prototyping is one of the methods to develop the user interfaces keeping in view the requirements of the users. In prototyping the incomplete versions of the software application interfaces are developed in an uncomplicated and straightforward manner. Considering the importance of the prototyping many models / techniques have been developed to prototype the user interface of the software application (interactive system) for facilitating the human computer interaction. From the various techniques of prototyping, three (3) techniques have been discussed by Maria Johansson and Mattias Arvola in 2007. These techniques include: the sketches, scenarios and computer prototypes of the interactive system’s user interface. These techniques are applied on diverse computer systems under development taking into account the advantages / disadvantages along with the usage scenario of the techniques. For instance, the scenario prototyping technique is the description (in simple words) of the user interface that highlights the major issues and different usage scenarios of the system. The user interface sketch prototyping technique is recommended for the system to be developed by our software design company. As the system has to be used by not only the receptionist to check in the customers but also the customer can check in by themselves in busy hours. It has been identified that the system has a wide range of users; therefore, the graphical user interface of the system has to be simple, self explanatory and usable even for the users do not use computers / machines regularly. After considering the observations and facts, it has been realized that the prototype has to be initially developed through sketches and then if required the computer prototype can be developed (Johansson and Arvola, 2007). Stages of Prototyping The prototyping of the system under development would involve eight (8) steps / stages include: the requirement gathering, requirement analysis, requirement design, prototype building, user prototype testing, user feedback, refine prototype and final prototype. Three (3) of the given steps / stages of the prototyping given above are iterative and these include: the user prototype testing, user feedback and refine prototype (webLearning, n.d). Management Plan Description In the first stage, the requirements of the system would be captured by the requirement engineers from the users. In our case, as we have diverse users therefore user sampling is required to be done to take input / requirements. The requirements are required to analyse in the requirement analysis phase of the prototyping and initial design of the requirements has to be developed using Unified Modelling Language (UML). Once the design is completed, an initial prototype should be developed and sent / forwarded to the users for obtaining their comments / feedback on the system interface. Based on the system’s interface testing, the users have to provide their observations to design our software company. Onwards, the feedback has to be analysed by our team and requisite changes in the prototype would have to be incorporated. This process repeats itself until the prototype has converted into the final product. Management Plan Justification An under development system is said to be a quality product if it fulfils all the requirements of the users. In prototyping the three (3) iterative stages (described above) rally round the system’s designers to work closely with the users to fulfil their requirements. Therefore, it can be stated that prototyping facilitates to fulfil user requirements and producing quality products. Moreover, the above given prototyping stages help to communicate and coordinate smoothly with the clients (sometimes users as well). The users can learn using the system a well before the time of their actual using, as they test system to provide feedback. The feedback on the system results in early detection and correction of the errors / bugs in the interactive system interface (University of Missouri, n.d). Schedule Estimation Keeping in view the complexity, urgency and resources (human / hardware) required to complete the system for receptionist, it is estimated that the project would be completed in ninety (90) days. However, there are certain iterative activities (prototype building, user prototype testing, user feedback and refine prototype) which may affect the duration of the project. The duration of the initial activities is relatively fixed and estimated as the requirements gathering activity would be completed in ten (10) days. The analysis of the requirements would start after five (5) days from the start of the requirement gathering activity and would take approximately fifteen (15) days. The designing of the requirements would take twenty (20) days to complete. The initial prototype building would be completed in approximately fifteen (15) days. It is expected that the user would test the prototype and provide the comments / feedback in seven (7) days. The prototype refinement along with the requisite documentation modifications would take seven (7) days to accommodate all the required changes in the prototype indicated by the user. This process would be continued till the fulfilment of all the user’s expectations. It is anticipated that the user expectations would be integrated into the prototype in a total of three (3) iterations. Comparison of Self Check-in Interface and Receptionist’s Interface The interface of the receptionist would slightly be different from the customer’s self check-in interface. The interface of the receptionist would have comparatively advanced access rights, as they need to log into the system by providing a user name and password. The receptionist would ask the customer’s name, identification number and booking number from the customer and feeds the customer’s information into the system. Moreover, the receptionist’s interface is relatively complex, as the interface has more options relevant to the management of the hotel. Whereas, on the other hand the customer interface is simple and straightforward with single screen that asking the customer to enter the booking number. The system searches the booking number and if it finds the number then it displays that the customer is successfully checked in. However, if the system would not able to search the booking number with whatsoever reason, the system would display a screen that conveys the customer to contact the hotel management. The following screen would be shown to the receptionist to login the system by providing correct login name and password. Once the receptionist logged into the system would ask whether to check-in or check-out the customer. The following screen would be shown to the customer for checking-in. The customer can provide correct booking name or the given booking number or the customer identification number provided by the Government. References Johansson, M. and Arvola, M. (2007). A Case Study of How User Interface Sketches, Scenarios and Computer Prototypes Structure Stakeholder Meetings. British Computer Society, Proceedings of HCI University of Missouri, (n.d). Prototyping in Systems Analysis. Retrieved from: http://www.umsl.edu/~sauterv/analysis/488_f01_papers/Hammer/term_paper_body.htm webLearning. (n.d). Prototyping Process. Retrieved from: http://www.weblearning.com/mainsite/process.html Read More