Prototypes A systematic look at Prototyping (Christiane Floyd)

Where to use Prototypes I Unified Process Prototypes are used in all 4 phases Inception to investigate the system to be build Elaboration to define how to build architecture, user interfaces and other parts Construction to step wise build the system Transition to roll out the system smoothly

What characterize a prototype (according to C.Floyd) Functional selection Horizontal (no functionality) Vertical (in deep with one functionality) Construction Creating the prototype e.g. make some code Evaluation Evaluation of the prototype from relevant user groups Further use What should happen to the prototype AFTER evaluation

Overall grouping of prototypes The prototypes can be divided into three Exploration Experimentation Evaluation

Exploration Purpose Investigate or explore different aspects Further use create, evaluate discard Functional Selection often horizontal Examples Mock-ups (prototype on paper or wireframes) In general early stages of UP i.e. inception

Experimentation Purpose Investigate or define different aspects e.g. requirement Further use create, evaluate Reuse of idea or perhaps reuse part of the prototype-program Functional Selection Vertical or Horizontal Examples Determine architecture, Communication to external systems In general the elaboration phase of UP

Evaluation Purpose Developing in smaller steps (discussion is this a prototype) Further use create, evaluate reuse Functional Selection vertical as well as horizontal Examples Alfa, Beta releases In general later stages of UP i.e. construction or transistion