What is Prototyping? Prototyping is the process of building a model of a system. In terms of an information system, prototypes are employed to help system designers build an information system that intuitive and easy to manipulate for end users. Prototyping is an iterative process that is part of the analysis phase of the systems development life cycle. Show Some Advantages of Prototyping:Reduces development time.Reduces development costs.Requires user involvement.Developers receive quantifiable user feedback.Facilitates system implementation since users know what to expect.Results in higher user satisfaction. Some Disadvantages of PrototypingCan lead to insufficient analysis.Users expect the performance of the ultimate system to be the same as the prototype.Developers can become too attached to their prototypesCan cause systems to be left unfinished and/or implemented before they are ready.Sometimes leads to incomplete documentation.If sophisticated software prototypes (4th GL or CASE Tools) are employed, the time saving benefit of prototyping can be lost. Because prototypes inherently increase the quality and amount of communication between the developer/analyst and the end user, its' use has become widespread. In the early 1980's, organizations used prototyping approximately thirty percent (30%) of the time in development projects. By the early 1990's, its use had doubled to sixty percent (60%). Although there are guidelines on when to use software prototyping, two experts believed some of the rules developed were nothing more than conjecture. In the article "An Investigation of Guidelines for Selecting a Prototyping Strategy", Bill C. Hardgrave and Rick L. Wilson compare prototyping guidelines that appear in information systems literature with their actual use by organizations that have developed prototypes. Hardgrave and Wilson sent out 500 prototyping surveys to information systems managers throughout the United States. The represented organizations were comprised of a variety of industries - educational, health service, financial, transportation, retail, insurance, government, manufacturing and service. A copy of the survey was also presented to a primary user and a key developer of two systems that the company had implemented within the two years of the survey. There were usable survey results received from 88 organizations representing 118 different projects. Hardgrave and Wilson wanted to find out how many of the popular prototyping guidelines outlined in literature were actually used by organizations and whether compliance affected system success (measured by the user's stated level of satisfaction). It should be noted that, although not specifically stated, the study was based on the use of "high tech" software models, not "low tech" paper or sketch prototypes.Based on the results of their research, Hardgrave and Wilson found that industry followed only six of the seventeen recommended in information system literature. The guidelines practiced by industry whose adherence was found to have a statistical effect on system success were:Prototyping should be employed only when users are able to actively participate in the project.Developers should either have prototyping experience or given training. Users involved in the project should also have prototyping experience or be educated on the use and purpose of prototyping. Prototypes should become part of the final system only if the developers are given access to prototyping support tools.If experimentation and learning are needed before there can be full commitment to a project, prototyping can be successfully used. Prototyping is not necessary if the developer is already familiar with the language ultimately used for system design. The Analysis and Prototyping of Effective Graphical User InterfacesDesign Principles URL: http://www.umsl.edu/~sauter/analysis/prototyping/intro.html | UM-St. Louis Home Page | College of Business Page | IS Home Page | Analysis Home Page | What is the first step in implementing a new system?Steps for successful systems implementation. Communication. Staff need time to adapt to changes. ... . Project kick-off. Good project management is key to ensuring that the implementation goes smoothly. ... . System installation and configuration. ... . Change management. ... . Staff training. ... . User support. ... . Data migration. ... . Contingency planning.. Which phase in the systems life cycle involves installing the new system and training people?Implementation Phase
Implementation includes user notification, user training, installation of hardware, installation of software onto production computers, and integration of the system into daily work processes.
What is the final step of the systems implementation phase of the systems life cycle?Maintenance. This final phase takes place once the implementation phase is complete. In the maintenance phase the system has a structured support process in place.
What are the phases of systems analysis?These activities, or phases, usually include planning, analysis, design, implementation, and maintenance/support.
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