Software Development Prototype as a Key to Successful Product

Intetics Inc.

10001 Tamiami Tr N, Suite 114

Naples, Florida 34108

United States

www.intetics.com

[email protected]

Office: +1-239-217-4907

Software Development Prototype as a Key to Successful Product

Intetics Inc. | 10001 Tamiami Tr N, Suite 114, Naples, Florida 34108, United States

Office: +1-239-217-4907 | [email protected] | www.intetics.com

Software development lifecycle

Requirements gathering

Design Development Testing Maintenance



It’s often useful to build a prototype before the actual

development to visualize a new software idea in a more clear

way.

Why do you need a software development prototype?



What is software prototype model?

It is a software application that displays the main functionality

of the product under development.



The basic idea of the prototype is:

The team can make the prototype based on the currently known requirements

instead of

Freezing all the requirements before the design and development process



Classification of Prototypes

Middle-fidelity prototype• the main purpose to

partially simulate the

future system functionality

• usually doesn’t use real

data.

Low-fidelity prototype • could be quickly

produced

• represents the screens

mockups and

demonstrates the main

business scenarios of

the future system.

High-fidelity prototype• fully interactive,

• simulates much of the

future system’s

functions

• could use real data (or

database) or produce

model that become the

part of the future real

system.



Types of Prototypes

Evolutionary prototypes

* Could become a part of the future product

Throwaway prototypes

* Could be used on the early stages of

the project

* Will be discarded and not used in the actual development

of the product



Stepwise approach to design a software prototype:

Gathering of the initial

requirements

Developing the prototype

Reviewing the prototype

Revise and enhance the

prototype

Let’s describe all the stages in sequence



Gathering the initial requirements:

gathering & understanding the main product requirements

some details and accessory functions can be ignored



Developing the prototype:

Showcase key features of a product

Provide user interface

Opportunity to follow the main business flow with user interface

Сustomers are able to try the most valuable features



Reviewing the prototype:

to get the customers’ or even end users’ feedback

to test the ideas

to run a realize usability testing (in some cases)



Revise and enhance the prototype:

•All the feedback is collected and analyzed

Initial requirements are clarified and complemented

The development team better understands what exactly is expected from the product

Some changes can be added or eliminated



Why the prototype model can be useful?

Prototype

As a sample model for the developers

As a tool of testing the

ideas about the product

features

As a part of the proposal to the customers

As a sample model for the

testers

Object of usability testing

Requirements gathering and

qualifying



Advantages

Users’ involvement is increased

Customers’ feedback is available at the early stages

Missing or redundant functionality could be identified quicker

Confusing or implicit requirements can be clarified and agreed

Gives some benefits at the stage of preparing the proposal or tender

documentation and contract signing

Efficient communications can reduce time & money for development

Product quality can be increased due to good understanding the

requirements by the whole development team.



• The efforts of investing in prototype could be more than the values of the results of

its analysis

• The risks of expanding the first project scope is very high

• Customers may be disappointed because their expectation to the prototype are too

high

• Developers may try to reuse prototype to create the real product even when it is

technically not optimal realization

• Time & money for actual development could be increased due to inefficient way of

building and analyzing the prototype.

Disadvantages



Case Reasons for using a prototype

You are going to create a new system with a lot of features and

integrations with other systems

The prototype allows to make experiments, simulating system behavior, making

changes in the initial requirements at the early stages of the software life cycle.

Your product needs various interactions with the end users. End users are

available.

In this case, the prototype could be very useful because it allows involving the

end users for the development process, clarifying the requirements.

You project has very tight deadlines and there is no time to make

researches. Requirements are gathered but there is no possibility to make

their clarification.

The Prototype can help to demonstrate the key features quickly and make the

decision about their implementation.

The project realize the automatization of the complicated business process

with several stages and has a very long development cycle.

In this case, the prototype can demonstrate the various stages of the process

and gives users, business owners and development team something to work

with.

When you use prototype



When you don’t use prototype

Case Reasons for choosing other development models

You are going to make some changes in the existing system. The behavior of the system is well known and there is less uncertainty in the

project requirements.

Your product needs various interactions with the end users… but…end

users are unavailable.

The prototype could be very useful because you want to have the users’ feedback.

However, if you couldn’t demonstrate your prototype and communicate with end

users then this step in the SDLC would be waste of time and money.

You project is technical and has not a lot of interactions with users. In such case the prototype will be useless.

You deal with short project. The requirements specification is available. Start the development. Don’t make unnecessary steps.



Summary

• It’s often useful to build a prototype before the actual development to visualize a new

software idea more clear.

• Be patient: using prototype model can be useful for certain projects and pointless for

the others.

The Intetics team would be happy to help you to find the most efficient way to build your software based on our experience.

Intetics Inc.



United States

www.intetics.com

[email protected]

Office: +1-239-217-4907

Thank you!

Intetics Inc.



United States

www.intetics.com

[email protected]

Office: +1-239-217-4907

Contact US:

Intetics Inc.

10001 Tamiami Tr N, suite 114

Naples. Florida 34108

United States

www.intetics.com

[email protected]

Office: +1-239-217-4907

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Technology

Software Development Prototype as a Key to Successful Product