Reference no: EM133907319

Assignment:

1. Harold, a district manager for the multi-outlet chain of Sprocket's Gifts, thinks that building a prototype can mean only one thing: a nonworking scale model. He also believes that this way is too cumbersome to prototype information systems and thus is reluctant to do so.

a. Briefly (in two or three paragraphs,) compare and contrast the other three kinds of prototyping that are possible so that Harold has an understanding of what prototyping can mean.

b. Harold has an option of implementing one system, trying it, and then having it installed in five other Sprocket locations if it is successful. Name a type of prototyping that would fit well with this approach, and in a paragraph defend your choice.

2. "I've got the idea of the century!" proclaims Bea Kwicke, a new systems analyst with your systems group. "Let's skip all this SDLC garbage and just prototype everything. Our projects will go a lot more quickly, we'll save time and money, and all the users will feel as if we're paying attention to them instead of going away for months on end and not talking to them."

a. List the reasons you (as a member of the same team as Bea) would give her to dissuade her from trying to scrap the SDLC and prototype every project.

b. Bea is pretty disappointed with what you have said. To encourage her, use a paragraph to explain the situations you think would lend themselves to prototyping.

3. The following remark was overheard at a meeting between managers and a systems analysis team at the Fence-Me-In fencing company: "You told us the prototype would be finished three weeks ago. We're still waiting for it!"

a. In a paragraph, comment on the importance of rapid delivery of a portion of a prototyped information system.

b. List three elements of the prototyping process that must be controlled to ensure prompt delivery of the prototype.

c. What are some elements of the prototyping process that are difficult to manage? List them.