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Prototype Model in MIS

MIS | Prototype Model: This tutorial demonstrates about the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) - Prototype Model with a suitable diagram, advantages and disadvantages. By IncludeHelp Last updated : June 01, 2023

What is Prototype Model in MIS?

The prototype model is a model where the prototype (trial product/trial design) is built in advance of the actual design. Then this prototype discusses with customers. If the customer is not agreeing with the prototype then it is revised by the expert/experts and again discusses with customers.

Models of prototypes have minimal practical capabilities and poor efficiency compared to the actual design. They use dummy functions to construct prototypes. This is a valuable tool for knowing the needs of customers.

System prototypes are designed to get useful customer input prior to the actual System. Feedbacks are applied, and the consumer checks the prototype again for any changes. This cycle continues until the customer accepts the pattern.

Figure: Prototype Model

If the requirement collection is completed, a quick concept is produced and the prototype that is submitted for evaluation to the customer is built.
The following phases are giving a detailed description of the prototype model.

• Problem identification - This is the first and initial phase of the waterfall model. This phase is used to identify the problem.
• Requirement analysis - In this phase, the experts gather requirement and thinks about the solution of a problem.
• System design - System design is a blueprint of the solution. The process follows the steps i.e. first creates logical design and physical design.
• Build a prototype - It is a stage where a preplanned work converts into a realistic prototype. This prototype has all the necessary requirements of the proposed system.
• System redesign - After making the prototype, it has been discussed with the customers and finds the missing points, if any. If the proposed prototype is fulfilling all the necessities then its send to the engineers for implementing the system but if requires any changes then it redesigns as per requirements.
• Implementation - Implementation shows the final integration of the system.
• Testing - Testing is a process to validate the objective of the system through various steps. It is a mechanism that makes sure that the system is working properly or not.
• Deployment - After successful testing of the developed system, it is deployed to the concerned candidate or company for whom it has designed.
• Maintenance - After a successful deployment of the system at the clients' end, it is compulsory to maintain it from time to time, so that system can successfully run for a long period.

Customer inputs and the optimized criterion are used to change the prototype and will be submitted for review to the customer again. When the prototype is accepted by the customer, this is used as a guideline for the actual system construction. The actual structure is being designed using the model approach to the Waterfall.

Advantages of Prototype Model

• The customer takes an active involvement during the whole process
• Since customer involvement begins with an initial stage which eliminates possible ambiguity about the need or interpretation of any feature.
• The test model decreases production costs and time because all the possible flaws are detected before system implementation.
• Missing feature or functionality or a requirement adjustment may be found during the assessment process and may be incorporated in the refined prototype.
• All the possible modifications are done on paper which saves wastage of resources and money.

Disadvantages of Prototype Model

Due to customer involvement begins with an initial stage on this protocol causes following disadvantages -

• The customer may adjust the end product specification which raises the complexity.
• Product delivery time can extend.