This article introduces a planned work flow for developers to use on their projects. Like garlic and bread they DO actually go! Using a lifecycle a project is more organized and important principles such as scope and goals can be confirmed more quickly. Very few web developers use a lifecycle for their projects thinking that it invades the creative process, when actually a lifecycle will fine tune your ideas and streamline your work. Well take a look at the Prototype model for use in web development.
Written by Anthony Brewittt

Every project has generic phases or steps that it must go through from the beginning stages of the project to the end of the projects life span; the way that these phases are characterized is referred to as its process; methodology or lifecycle.There are many methodologies that are useful for a web development project but one that is blatantly obvious in its keen use in this kind of project is the Prototyping model (Fig 1).This is because the website project client will usually present very general objectives and not detailed requirements. This suits the prototyping models key characteristic which is an immediate product followed by a revision of that product and then the changes are made to the product and the cycle continues.

Prototyping model

The Prototyping process begins like many lifecycles with requirements gathering. Meet with the client and discuss and define the overall objectives of the project, some will be known, others will need further discussion and more time to define.
From this discussion a mock-up design of the project is produced, the mock-up matches the requirements of the initial objectives. It focuses on look and feel and functionality of the initial requirements gathering.

This quick mock-up leads to the construction of a prototype. The prototype is evaluated by the client, and then given back to the developer whom in turn revises the prototype. This cycle continues until all goals and objectives are achieved. The aim of the Prototype model is to use an iterative path to create a system that will finally meet the full objectives of the user. The more iterations the Prototyping Model has, the finer tuned the system. These initial mock-ups or quick designs are usually throw a ways and that the second or even third revision is usually more suited.

Pros

• The idea of the prototype lifecycle is that developer gets to produce a product immediately
• The clients get a good taste for what will be produced in the initial stages of a project.
• The developer can get feedback throughout the projects lifespan.
• The prototype model can be accomplishes with little paperwork.

Cons

• The customer sees the immediate mock-up and sometimes believes that it is working, the actual truth is that the quick design will have little depth or quality.
• Sometimes an easy and quick approach is used by the developer to reuse the code / techniques from the original product, including the bad habits / routines that lie in the old design.
• Using the quick design approach developers sometimes use programming languages that are very well known to them to achieve a quick design rather than using a more suited language they may have to learn.

Conclusion

As developers we usually produce quick designs anyway, so we may as well incorporate a method of work that can use this behavior to our advantage. The fundamental structure of the prototype model allows a mock-up website to be built to serve as a mechanism to define the requirements of the project.

It is my belief that for website development the prototyping model is an excellent method of work because naturally we want to be productive and create. This way we get to keep the creative juices flowing as well as maintaining a structured approach that will please the client. If you dont use this model you can at least keep in your minds eye the fundamentals of the model and repeat these steps until the clients happy; listen, build/revise then test drive.

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