Software Prototyping

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S/W Prototyping & H/W Prototyping Both have different activities.
When developing H/W systems, a Prototype is normally used to validate the system design.E.g. An Electronic system prototype may be developed using off-the-self components before investment is made in expensive, special-purpose integrated circuits to implement the production version of the System.
A S/W prototype is not normally intended for design validation but to help develop and check the real requirements of the System.

The benefits of developing a Prototype early in S/W process are:
(1) Misunderstanding between S/W Developers and Users may be identified as the System functions are demonstrated.
(2) Missing User Services may be detected.
(3) Difficult to user or Confusing User Services may be identified and refined.
(4) S/W Development Staff may find incomplete and/or inconsistent requirements as the Prototyped is developed.
(5) A working System is available quickly to demonstrate the feasibility and usefulness of the application to management.
(6) The Prototype serves as a basis for writing the specification for a production quality system.



Prototyping in the S/W Process
It is very difficult for end-users to anticipated hoe they will use new S/W systems to support their everyday work.
If these systems are large and complex, it is probably impossible to make this assessment before the system is built and put into use. There are three ways to tackle with these problems –
(1) Evolutionary Prototyping
(2) Throw-Away Prototyping
(3) Increment Prototyping

Evolutionary Prototyping
Evolutionary Prototyping states out with a limited understanding of System Requirements and the System is augmented and changed as new requirements are discovered. There may never be a System Specification.
The Key to success in this approach is to use techniques, which allow for rapid System Iteration. Suggested changes may be incorporated and demonstrated as quickly as possible. This approach has mostly been used for the development of AI Systems that attempt to emulate some Human Capabilities.