This is a continuation of the series in TeraTech's Development Approach from last month.
3. Prototype/Front End Development
A FLiP prototype is a clickable model of the finished application with dummy data and no backend behind it. Prototyping is the largest stepn in the FLiP cycle, generally taking up to 70% of the project's elapsed time for new systems. The result of prototyping is something that looks exactly like the finished application, with no functionality just client side screens. The objective is to discover exactly what the client expects from the application, and how they want it to look.
Prototyping is typically done in plain HTML. The finished prototype will become the application's user interface, so the traditional sense of a prototype being a minor, throw-away version is not the case. All the effort made in this step is used in the final application.
The Prototype becomes the basis for user acceptance of the new system design and fuction. The NJ Sullivan Task Order Managers can use the prototype as a Benchmark for the identification of the formal requirements for the system. Based on the prototype the system architects are able to document the formal requirements artifacts needed to document the planned system, to develop system decision and flow diagrams, and develop accurate schedules for coding and deployment. It is also the model for the development of the formal system test scenarios.
