Risk Reduction Through Prototyping

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts related to risk reduction through prototyping, as discussed in the lecture notes.

Prototyping

A technique used early in the development cycle to answer questions, clarify requirements, explore design alternatives, evaluate technical feasibility, and develop the ultimate product.

Expectation Gap

The difference between what the customer needs and what the developer builds, which can be lowered through prototyping and reviews.

Horizontal Prototypes

Behavioral mockups that are broad but shallow, functional yet slow, used to demonstrate the look and feel and flow of tasks.

Vertical Prototypes

Proof of concept prototypes that are narrow but deep, providing a complete implementation of a limited set of features and used for evaluating architecture and algorithm optimization.

Throwaway Prototypes

Quick, poorly engineered prototypes used to decide early on whether to discard or deliver, most useful for user interfaces.

Evolutionary Prototypes

Incrementally built prototypes that evolve into the product through trial versions and pilot releases, requiring careful design and construction.

Combined Approach

A prototyping strategy that involves using both throwaway and evolutionary prototypes to clarify use cases, implement core functionalities, and adapt to changing needs.

Prototype Evaluation

A process of assessing prototypes by asking specific questions to users, distinguishing between ease of learning versus ease of use, and observing user interaction.

Success Factors

Key elements for successful prototyping, including planning, having a clear purpose, being quick, and not using prototypes as a specification document.

Risks in Prototyping

Potential issues such as customers expecting delivery of throwaway prototypes or developing poor opinions about the product's performance.