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174 part 2 • inforMation requireMents analysis

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HYPERCASE EXPERIENCE 6

“Thank goodness it’s the time of year when everything is new. a prototype. But it’s fun to be involved with something that’s hap-
I love spring; it’s the most exhilarating time here at MRE. The trees pening fast, and something that will change.”
are so green, with leaves in so many different shades. So many new
projects to do, too; so many new clients to meet. We have a new HYPERCASE Questions
intern, too. Anna Mae Silver. Sometimes the newest employee is 1. Make a list of the user stories Tessa Silverstone shared as
the most eager to help. Call on her if you need more answers.” examples.
“All the newness reminds me of prototyping. Or what I know 2. Locate the prototype currently proposed for use in one of
about prototyping, anyway. It’s something new and fresh, a quick MRE’s departments. Suggest a few modifications that would
way to find out what’s happening. make this prototype even more responsive to the unit’s needs.
“I believe that we have a few prototypes already started. 3. Using a word processor, construct a nonoperational prototype for
Sometimes our new on-site customer, Tessa Silverstone, gets a Training Department Project Reporting System. Include fea-
involved by helping create user stories on which to build the proto- tures brought up by the user stories you found. Hint: See sample
types. But the best thing about prototypes is that they can change. screens in Chapters 11 and 12 to help you in your design.
I don’t know anyone who’s really been satisfied with a first pass at

Figure 6.HC1
One of the many prototype screens found in HyperCase.

Summary
Prototyping is an information-gathering technique useful for supplementing the traditional SDLC; however,
both agile methods and human–computer interaction share roots in prototyping. When systems analysts
use prototyping, they are seeking user reactions, suggestions, innovations, and revision plans to make im-
provements to the prototype, and thereby modify system plans with a minimum of expense and disruption.
The four major guidelines for developing a prototype are to (1) work in manageable modules, (2) build the
prototype rapidly, (3) modify the prototype, and (4) stress the user interface.
Although prototyping is not always necessary or desirable, it should be noted that there are three main,
interrelated advantages to using it: (1) the potential for changing the system early in its development, (2)
the opportunity to stop development on a system that is not working, and (3) the possibility of developing a