Managing Information Technology

374 Part III • Acquiring Information Systems

Step 1: Identify basic system

requirements

Step 2: Develop initial

prototype

Step 3: Use prototype and

note desired changes

Step 6: Make necessary

modifications or abandon

Step 7: Install, operate,

and maintain

Step 5: Evaluate as

operational system

Step 4: Revise and

enhance prototype

New

Requirements

FIGURE 9.8 The Prototyping Life Cycle

exist in some current databases and access to the existing
data can be quickly acquired.
When the initial prototype is completed, it is given to
the user with instructions similar to the following: “Here is
the initial prototype. I know that it is not what you really
need, but it’s a beginning point. Try it and write down
everything about it that you do not like or that needs to be
added to the system. When you get a good list, we will
make the changes you suggest.”
Step 3 is the user’s responsibility. He or she works
with the system, notes the things that need to be improved,
and then meets with the analyst/builder to discuss the
changes. In Step 4, the builder modifies the system to
incorporate the desired changes and any additional
requirements that have surfaced from further analysis
work. In order to keep everyone actively involved, speed is
important. Sometimes the builder can sit down with the
user and make the changes immediately; for larger sys-
tems, the changes might take several weeks. Steps 3 and 4
are repeated until the user is satisfied with the current ver-
sion of the system. These are iterative stepswithin the
prototyping process. When the user is satisfied that the
prototype has been sufficiently developed, Step 5 begins.
Step 5 involves evaluating the final prototype as an
operational system. It should be noted, however, that not all
prototypes become operational systems. Instead, it might be
decided that the prototype system should simply be thrown

away. Or, it could be decided that no additional costs should

be devoted to the application because a system could not be

developed that solved the original problem. That is, the pro-

totyping process helped the organization decide that the

system benefits do not outweigh the additional develop-

ment or operational costs, or both, or that the expense of de-

veloping an operationally efficient system is too high. At

this point it could also be decided that the system will be

implemented but that the system needs to be built using dif-

ferent tools in order to achieve performance efficiencies.

If the prototype is to become an operational system, in

Step 6 the builder completes the Construction phase by mak-

ing any changes necessary to improve operational efficiency

and to interface the new application with the operational sys-

tems that provide it with data. This is also the step in which

all necessary controls, backup and recovery procedures, and

the necessary documentation need to be completed. If the

prototype is only slightly modified, this step differs from the

end of the Construction phase of an SDLC methodology in

that most (or all) of the system has already been tested. Step 7

is similar to the Implementation phase of the SDLC: The new

system is installed and moved into operational status. This is

likely to be a much easier Implementation phase than under

the traditional SDLC process because at least some of the in-

tended users are already familiar with the system. Step 7 also

includes maintenance. Because of the advanced tools that

likely were used to build it, changes might be easier to make.