Answer
Prototyping is the rapid development and testing of working models, or prototypes, of new applications in an interactive, iterative process involving both IS specialists and business professionals.
• Prototyping makes the development process faster and easier for IS specialists and business professionals.
• Prototyping makes the development process faster and easier, especially for projects where end user requirements are hard to define. Thus, prototyping is sometimes called rapid application design (RAD).
• Prototyping has also opened up the application development process to end-users because it simplifies and accelerates systems design. These developments are changing the roles of end users and information systems specialists in systems development.
Advantages:
• Prototyping is most useful when there is some uncertainty about requirements or design solutions.
• Prototyping is especially useful in designing an information system‘s end user interface (the part of the system that end users interact with, such as online display and data entry screens, reports, or Web pages).
• Since prototyping encourages intense end user involvement throughout systems development, it is more likely to produce systems that fulfil user requirements.
Disadvantage:
• Rapid prototyping can gloss over essential steps in systems development. If the completed prototype works reasonably well, management may not see the need for reprogramming, redesign, or full documentation and testing to build a polished production system.
• Hastily constructed systems may not easily accommodate large quantities of data or a large number of users in a production environment.
• Prototyping may not have necessary security controls built in.Users may become dissatisfied when months pass between approving the prototype and delivery of the finished system.