Prototyping Development Process - Essay Example

Running head: PROTOTYPING Prototyping Affiliation April 2009 Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 3 Tools for Prototyping development 9 Prototyping tools for Web development 9 Current options and latest tools 10 The importance of Prototyping in IT Project Management 11 Conclusion 13 References 14 Abstract This paper presents a detailed analysis of the prototyping. The aim of this research is to analyze the technique of the system prototyping regarding the project of developing a web site. The concept of prototype is very helpful regarding the effective software development and handling. This paper elaborates the main concept of prototyping regarding its types, advantages, disadvantages, methods and tools. A lot of systems analysts nowadays make use of prototypes throughout detail design. A prototype is a functioning model of the planned system (Shelly, Cashman, & Vermaat, 2005). The system analyst in point of fact constructs a useful structure of the solution throughout design. Prototyping encompasses developing a functional system quickly and reasonably for end user to weigh up. By communicating with the prototype users can search out an improved suggestion of the information requirements. The prototype authorized by the users can be used as a model to build the ultimate system. The prototype is a functioning adaptation of software or an element of the software, but it is intended to be no more than a foundational model. Once prepared, the prototype will be additionally developed until it obeys the rules accurately to user’s requirements. Once the design has been completed, the prototype can be transformed to a sophisticated developed system. The method of developing a foundational design, making use of it, refining it and trying again has been acknowledged an iterative method of systems development for the reason that the steps essential to develop a system can be repetitive over and over again (Laudon & Laudon, 1999). Prototyping is further openly iterative than the traditional life cycle, and it dynamically encourages system design changes. It has been thought that prototyping substitutes unintentional modification with premeditated iteration, with each adaptation more exactly demonstrating user’s requirements (Laudon & Laudon, 1999). Steps in prototyping Below figure illustrates a four step model of the prototyping method which comprises the following; (Laudon & Laudon, 1999) 1. Identify the user’s fundamental requirements. The system designer starts his working with the users only long enough to detain his or her basic information needs. 2. Develop an initial prototype. The system designer builds a functioning prototype rapidly. 2. Use a prototype. The user is expected to work with the system with the intention of determination how well the prototype meets his or her requirements and to formulate ideas for enhancement of the prototype. 3. Revise and improve the prototype. The system builder observes all the changes demanded by the user and modify the prototype consequently. After the prototype has been refined, the cycle proceeds to Phase 3. Phase 3 and 4 are continued until the user is pleased. Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Yes Step 4 Figure:: Prototyping Process (Laudon & Laudon, 1999) When no more repetitions are necessary, the accepted prototype then turns out to be a functional prototype that provides the ultimate specification for the application. Some times the prototype itself is implemented as the final adaptation of the system (Laudon & Laudon, 1999). ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE PROTOTYPE Prototype is mainly functional when there is some ambiguity about user needs or design solutions. For instance, a major securities organization asked for combined information to investigate the performance of its account executives; however what should the procedures of performance be? Can the information be taken out from the employees system alone, or much data from client billings is integrated in addition? What items should be compared on reports? Users may not be at the start permit to see how the system will work? Prototyping is an especially precious for the design of end user interface of the system such as online display data entry screens, reports or web pages. Prototyping supports concentrated end user participation all the way through the system development life cycle (Cerveny et al, 1990). Prototyping is more expected to turn out systems that accomplish user requirements. For case in point, when the organization of DuPont made use of prototyping to construct its system, it built more than 400 new programs with no errors (Arthur, 1992). Prototyping is superior and well suited for smaller software systems. Huge systems would have to be subdivided into other divisions so that prototypes could be developed one division at a time (Alavi, 1984), which may not be potential devoid of a systematic requirement study by means of the conventional approach. Rapid prototyping can polish more than indispensable phases in system development. Once completed, if the prototype works accurately, would not required the reprogramming, redesign, or full documentation and testing. Some of these quickly built systems may not without problems contain large quantities of data or a large number of users in production surroundings. Efficient prototyping have need of management and method for essential expectations, turning over resources, signaling problems, and determining improvement (Baskerville & Stage, 1996). Selecting the Prototyping Approach There are two types of prototyping models, which can be either close-ended or open-ended. The close-ended model is normally acknowledged as thruway prototyping. By making use of this method, a prototype gives out exclusively as a rough expression of requirements. It is then not needed, and the software is developed by means of another model. An open-ended method, which is acknowledged as evolutionary prototyping, makes use of the prototype as the first part of an investigation action that will be continuous into the design and coding. The prototype of software is the first progress of the complete system. On the whole, any application that produces vibrant illustration, communicates heavily with a user, or demands algorithms or combinational processing that must be built in an evolutionary model is a candidate for prototyping. On the other hand, these applications areas must be weighed alongside application complication. If a candidate application will have need of the development of tens of thousands of lines of code earlier than any provable task can be performs, it is possible to be multifaceted for prototyping (Pressman, 2001). Prototyping Methods and Tools For software prototyping to be efficient, a prototype must be built speedily so that the customer may review consequences and suggest modifications. To carry out rapid prototyping, three broad categories of methods and tools are available: (Andriole, 1992) 1. Fourth Generation Techniques Fourth generation techniques (4GT) consist of an extensive range of database query and reporting languages, programs and application generators, and additional very high level nonprocedural languages. Because 4GT facilitate the software engineer to produce executable code speedily, that’s why they are perfect for prototyping. 2. Reusable Software Components An additional approach to rapid prototyping is bring together, rather than contract or develop, the prototype by means of a set of accessible software elements. It should be well-known that and existing software product can be used as a prototype for an innovative enhanced competitive product. In a way, this is a structure of reusability for software prototyping. 3. Formal Specification and Prototyping Environment With the passage of time, a number of formal specification languages and tools have been built as a substitution for natural language specification methods. These days, developers of these formal languages are in the course of developing repeated setting that facilitates an analyst to iteratively generate language based specifications of a system of software, bring into play automated tools that decode the language based specifications into executable code, and facilitate the customer to make use of the prototype executable code to process formal requirements (Pressman, 2001). Tools for Prototyping development For the development of the initial prototypes we can make use of CASE (computer added software engineering) tools. For the website interface development we can make use of these CASE tools, because these tools are more effective and can easily be built in the original tools. In this case the most important tool is Smart-Draw. As we talk about the language based case tool then we have 4G or (forth generation) programming languages tools like that ColdFusion and VB or Visual Basic. Latest tool for prototyping is developed by the GE Research and Development Center. This tool is named as the LYMB. This is an Object oriented tool for the efficient prototype development (SP-2, 2009). Prototyping tools for Web development For the web development we can make use of the case tools or above mentioned tool ColdFusion for the website development. These tools give us lot of advantages; like that these tools are less costly, easy to use, easy to convert, and effective in each type of prototype development scenario (SP-2, 2009). As talking about the LYMB tool that is an object oriented tool for the application prototype development. This tool is a multifaceted for the website development and management because it is object oriented tool and this type of the tool is superior for the scientific projects and other multifarious management applications (SP-2, 2009). The point of discussion is about the question that either the prototyping can be used on every website development project. I have accessed that we can not use prototyping in system those are not breakable to sub-component or modules. In other words, this technique is infeasible to system those are hard to break into sub-components. Current options and latest tools A further step towards architecture-oriented quick prototyping can be done with the system that is used for concept-oriented Rapid Prototyping and a 110-module that encompass an FPGA (Budde and Ziillighoven, 1999). With this FPGA, the time taking software-emulation of the micro controller’s on chip peripherals can be done in hardware. In view of the fact that most students in the computer sciences are familiar with HTML, by means of web pages for implementing a prototype interface is the most widely available selection. Xhtml and CSS (cascading style sheets) present an imperfect set of developments that supports separation of content and formatting, encourages steadiness in look, and offers straightforward on the whole appearance modifications. Effective web interfaces can be built with xhtml and CSS (Budde and Ziillighoven, 1999). The restrictions support the focus to remain on the interface. Forms consent to the testing of the interface and the judicious use of JavaScript or other scripting alternatives facilitates the accomplishment of more interactive pages (Software prototyping, 2009). On the whole, xhtml and CSS work well, in particular for web interfaces, if only a working prototype interface with perhaps some simulated functionality is essential. If the prototype interface accomplishment is division of an on the whole web-based project, the above approach is implausible to be sufficient. Java Server Pages and servlets, or ASP.NET with VB.NET or C# may be apposite tools mainly if the class is previously well-known with these technologies (Software prototyping, 2009). For Java there are numerous rational drag and drop environments that could be used, and for C# and VB.NET there is Visual Studio.NET. With these, the interface can be logically put out of place from the rest of the functionality. If the students are previously satisfactorily recognizable with one of these, it is an apparent preference (Software prototyping, 2009). It is, on the other hand, very easy to misjudge the time and effort necessary to teach a language and or an environment and the time and endeavor required for students to accomplish a satisfactory capability with them. Multifarious environments take time to logically master and modern languages and environments make it straightforward for students to get lost in what they can do with a tool, somewhat than what they should do. Generally, these technologies can be efficient if the students previously have a sufficient knowledge about them. Computer supported Software Prototyping system and a hyperactive chart simulation have effectively well-built understanding his software development requirements insecurity troubles (Budde and Ziillighoven, 1999). Computer Added Software Prototyping system is an integrated gadget that would be able to cast-off to speedy plan direct ask for utilization its instance system explanation language or the PSDL editor, schema maker, parallel scheduler, reusable software database, plus so on (Budde and Ziillighoven, 1999). The importance of Prototyping in IT Project Management It is imperative that the client signs off on the interface. To do this, the client must have the capability to test-drive the duplicate product, or at least see the product in an actual situation, even if it only generates made-up data (Budde and Ziillighoven, 1999). The prototypes frequently incorporated the interface and output, but did not essentially contain working algorithms. Interfaces were often populated often with "pretend" data, hard-coded in the program or from a small database. Prototyping allows for iterative modifications to the software solution prior to final approval (Budde and Ziillighoven, 1999). The product approval procedure must be undoubtedly spelled out by the developer. A mistake made by many developers leaving the prototype method so insecurely definite and opens to analysis that the client can make changes seemingly forever. The software used to generate this interface was not essentially the software used in the completed product (Budde and Ziillighoven, 1999). The thought was to produce the prototype as speedily as possible so that the client would furnish rapid approval. On the other hand, a deliberation is the duplication of work concerned. If the process used to generate the interface could also be used in software development, then the developers could be familiar with timesaving. Developers, regardless of how knowledgeable and well intentioned, are probably the most awful judges of the interfaces they design. The users managers are not good judges of the user interface. Only those who will be the interfaces users can satisfactorily review the interface. It doesnt matter how well they expressive what they want or how many designs they sign off on, it is only by experiencing the interface at some level that they can effectively communicate how suitable the interface is for their needs (Budde and Ziillighoven, 1999). User interface prototyping facilitates designers to examine the association of the interface, its wording, layout, on the whole appearance, correctness of menus, toolbars, buttons, even color selections and fonts. User testing by means of a concrete scaled down version, even a paper description, of a software product proffers better advice than just talking with users (Budde and Ziillighoven, 1999). Conclusion In this paper I have tried to present a detailed overview of the prototyping technique implementation for system (software, website) development. I have presented a detailed overview of the overall concept. The points I have discussed are regarding the effectiveness of prototyping technique and the system development. I have also discussed some potential limitations in this scenario. Then I have discussed on the tools and methods for the prototyping implementation. This discussion is oriented towards the website development. This research provides a deep insight into the prototyping concept and its potential implementation. References Alavi. (1984). An Assessment of the Prototyping Approach to Information System Development. Communications of the ACM, (p. 27). Andriole, S. (1992). Rapid Application Prototyping. QED. Arthur. (1992). Quick and Dirty. Computerworld. Baskerville, & Stage. (1996). Controlling Prototype Development through Risk Analysis. MIS Quarterly, (p. 20). Breniman, G. (2008). Software Prototyping. Retrieved 04 30, 2009, from http://www.embedded.com/columns/breakpoint/209600565 Budde, R., & Ziillighoven, H. (1999). Prototyping Revisited. (pp. 418-430). IEEE. Budde, R., Kautz, K., Kuhlenkamp, K., & Ziillighoven, a. H. (1990). Prototyping - An Approach to Evolutionary Systems Development. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. Cerveny, P, R., J, E., Garrity, & Sanders, L. (1990). A Problem-Solving Perspective on Systems Development. Journal of Management Information Systems , 4. Laudon, K. C., & Laudon, J. P. (1999). Management Information Systems, Sixth Edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall . Maner, W. (1997). Prototyping. Retrieved 04 30, 2009, from http://csweb.cs.bgsu.edu/maner/domains/Proto.htm#9 Mcclendon, M., Regot, L., & Ake, G. (1999). What is Prototyping? Retrieved 04 30, 2009, from http://www.umsl.edu/~sauter/analysis/prototyping/intro.html Pressman, R. S. (2001). Software Engineering: A Practicioners Approach, 5th Edition. London: McGraw Hill. Shelly, G. B., Ccashman, T. J., & Vermaat, M. E. (2005). Discovering Computers 2005. Boston: Thomson Course Technology. Software prototyping. (2009). Retrieved 04 30, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org Software Prototyping. (2009). Retrieved 04 30, 2009, from http://woorisol.kyungpook.ac.kr/lab/prof/SoftEng/ch9.htm Sommerville, I. (2004). Software Engineering, 7th Edition,. New York: Pearson Education (Addison Wesley). Read More