Advantages of prototyping

Advantages of prototyping

There are many advantages to using prototyping in software development – some tangible, some abstract. 

Reduced time and costs: 

Prototyping can improve the quality of requirements and specifications provided to developers. Because changes cost exponentially more to implement as they are detected later in development, the early determination of what the user really wants can result in faster and less expensive software. These are produced in less time and less cost. 

Improved and increased user involvement:

Prototyping requires user involvement and allows them to see and interact with a prototype allowing them to provide better and more complete feedback and specifications. The presence of the prototype being examined by the user prevents many misunderstandings. Misunderstandings between software developers and users may be identified as the system functions are demonstrated.

Next advantage is the “difficult-to-use or confusing user services” may be identified and refined.

Disadvantages of prototyping

Using, or perhaps misusing, prototyping can also have disadvantages.

Insufficient analysis:

The focus on a limited prototype can confuse developers from properly analyzing the complete project. Further, since a prototype is limited in functionality it may not scale well if the prototype is used as the basis of a final deliverable, which may not be noticed if developers are too focused on building a prototype as a model.

Developer misunderstanding of user objectives:

Developers may assume that users share their objectives (e.g. to deliver core functionality on time and within budget), without understanding wider commercial issues

Developer attachment to prototype: 

Developers can also become attached to prototypes they have spent a great deal of effort producing; this can lead to problems like attempting to convert a limited prototype into a final system when it does not have an appropriate underlying architecture. (This may suggest that throwaway prototyping, rather than evolutionary prototyping, should be used.)

Excessive development time of the prototype:

A key property to prototyping is the fact that it is supposed to be done quickly. If the developers lose sight of this fact, they very well may try to develop a prototype that is too complex. When the prototype is thrown away the precisely developed requirements that it provides may not yield a sufficient increase in productivity to make up for the time spent developing the prototype. Users can become stuck in debates over details of the prototype, holding up the development team and delaying the final product.

Expense of implementing prototyping:

The startup costs for building a development team focused on prototyping may be high. Many companies have development methodologies in place, and changing them can mean retraining, retooling, or both.