Prototyping is based on the simple idea that people can express more easily what they like or do not like about an actual working system

      

Prototyping is based on the simple idea that people can express more easily what they like or
do not like about an actual working system.
Required:
(a)
(i) Examine four guidelines required for the development of a prototype.
(ii) Select two facilities usually found in fourth generation languages (4GLs) and explain their
application in developing a prototype system.

  

Answers


gregory

i) Guidelines required for the development of a prototype.
A prototype is a small version of the proposed system and is used to test the basic
operation and suitability of the system. It is a model of all or part of a system built to
show users during design stage how a system will appear.
The guidelines for the development of a prototype include: -
1. Formulate a work with manageable modules
2. Build a prototype rapidly otherwise, it might spend equivalent time to that of the
traditional system development.
3. Develop a prototype that must support modifications i.e. creating the prototype in
modules that are not highly interdependent.
4. The user must be involved and interfaced with the prototype.
5. The prototype must be real and live working applications which can perform actual
work.
6. The development of a prototype must be primarily to test and capture user‘s
requirements and so it must be inclined to that end.
7. The prototype should be cheap to build otherwise it might make the system
development unnecessarily costly thus outweigh the benefits to accrue from it.
8. It should relate to the actual system being developed in all aspects and in a simplified
manner so as to make easy the process of capturing user requirements.
ii) Facilities found in the fourth generation languages 4GLs and their application in
developing a prototype system.
Fourth generation language refers to software intended to help computer users or
computer programmers to develop their own application programs more cheaply and
quickly.
Some facilities found in the 4GLs include:
1. Graphical User Interface (GUI)
These are computer-based tools which are designed to enhance personal computing
work. They reduce the need for technical training requirements. These facilities can
be used during prototyping to come up with simple models of the system more easily
and quickly.
2. Application Generator
This is a facility provided by the 4GL used to create complete application program. It
provides a flexible means to parameterise a general software packages to deal with
particular situations. The user describes his requirement and the data file to be used
and it s is upon the application generator to meet the described requirement. This
4GL facility can be utilised during prototyping in:
? using a number of standardised segment so as to provide a common function
? producing applications relatively quickly. This has an implication on cost and
time of such a task which are key aspects of prototyping.
3. Non procedural language
This is a facility of 4GL which allows users to make a request to the system. It is up
to the 4GL to meet the requirement as specified by the user.
4. This can be utilised during prototyping to come up with an application more
quickly and cheaply since no procedure specifications are required to meet a
particular requirement
gregorymasila answered the question on November 29, 2017 at 09:19


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