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Chapter 13 Building Information Systems 539

FIGURE 13.10 THE PROTOTYPING PROCESS

The process of developing a prototype can be broken down into four steps. Because a prototype can
be developed quickly and inexpensively, systems builders can go through several iterations, repeating
steps 3 and 4, to refine and enhance the prototype before arriving at the final operational one.

such as online display and data entry screens, reports, or Web pages). Because
prototyping encourages intense end-user involvement throughout the systems
development life cycle, it is more likely to produce systems that fulfill user
requirements.
However, rapid prototyping can gloss over essential steps in systems develop-
ment. 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. Some of these hastily constructed systems
may not easily accommodate large quantities of data or a large number of users
in a production environment.

END-USER DEVELOPMENT

Some types of information systems can be developed by end users with little
or no formal assistance from technical specialists. This phenomenon is called
end-user development. A series of software tools categorized as fourth-genera-
tion languages makes this possible. Fourth-generation languages are software
tools that enable end users to create reports or develop software applications
with minimal or no technical assistance. Some of these fourth- generation tools
also enhance professional programmers’ productivity.
Fourth-generation languages tend to be nonprocedural, or less procedural,
than conventional programming languages. Procedural languages require
specification of the sequence of steps, or procedures, that tell the computer

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