Karnatak Law Society’s, Gogte
Institute of Technology.
Udyambag, Belagavi - 590008
Department of Information Science and Engineering
Seminar Report For subject:
Software Project Management
Seminar title Prototyping :Case Study
Under the Guidance of Ms.Anusha Sabane
Sl No. USN Name Sign Marks
(Out of 10)
01. 2GI21IS042 Nischal Gouda
02. 2GI21IS013 Ayush Anand.
Signature of the Guide
Ms.Anusha Sabane
1
INDEX
Chapters Page No.
I. Abstract 03
II. Introduction 04
III. Application 5-9
IV. Conclusion 10
V. References 11
2
Title: Prototyping Case Study:
I. Abstract:
This report explores the critical role of prototyping in product development, detailing its various
types, methodologies, advantages, challenges, and best practices. Prototyping, an iterative
process involving the creation of preliminary product versions, helps teams visualize, test, and
refine ideas before final production. The report distinguishes between low-fidelity prototypes,
such as paper sketches and wireframes, which focus on structure and layout, and high-fidelity
prototypes, including interactive digital models and tangible physical models, which closely
resemble the final product in appearance and functionality. It discusses methodologies like rapid
prototyping, which emphasizes speed and quick iterations; incremental prototyping, which
involves building and testing in small sections; and evolutionary prototyping, which
continuously evolves based on feedback.
The report emphasizes the importance of prototyping in early issue detection, enhancing
stakeholder communication, gathering accurate user feedback, and making informed decisions.
It also highlights the challenges, such as resource constraints, scope creep, and the risk of
misinterpreting prototypes as final products. The conclusion presents best practices for effective
prototyping, including defining clear objectives, embracing iterative refinement, involving
stakeholders early and often, prioritizing usability and core functionality, and selecting
appropriate tools and techniques for the project. Despite inherent challenges, the benefits of
prototyping—such as reducing development risks, improving product quality, and ensuring
alignment with user needs—make it an invaluable component of successful product
development.
3
II. Introduction
Prototyping is a fundamental and transformative phase in the product development lifecycle,
serving as a bridge between conceptualization and final production. In an era where innovation
and user-centered design are paramount, prototyping provides a practical and iterative approach
to creating and refining products. It involves building preliminary versions or models of a
product, which can range from simple sketches and wireframes to sophisticated digital
simulations and physical models.
The primary purpose of prototyping is to explore and evaluate ideas, test functionalities, and
identify potential issues before committing to full-scale production. By visualizing and
interacting with a prototype, teams can gain a clearer understanding of the product's design,
functionality, and user experience. This process allows for early detection of design flaws and
technical problems, which can be addressed in the initial stages rather than after significant
resources have been invested.
Prototyping also facilitates effective communication among stakeholders, including designers,
developers, clients, and end-users. It provides a tangible representation of the product, making
it easier to convey concepts and gather feedback. This collaborative approach ensures that the
final product aligns with user needs and expectations, ultimately leading to higher satisfaction
and success in the market.
Given its importance, understanding the various types, methodologies, advantages, and
challenges of prototyping is crucial for any product development team. This report delves into
these aspects, offering insights and best practices to harness the full potential of prototyping in
creating innovative and user-centered products.
4
III .Real Life Examples of prototyping (Applications)
To get a better idea of what software prototypes look like or how they are developed,
let’s look at some examples of prototypes from some of the biggest names in the
business.
Facebook:
Facebook was originally launched as FaceMash on October 28, 2003. Mark
Zuckerberg wrote the website’s software during his second year of college. The website
was designed as a sort of “hot or not” game exclusively for Harvard students. On the
website, users may contrast the images of two pupils side by side and decide which
one they thought was more appealing.
5
The website’s membership was initially restricted by its creators to Harvard students,
but over time, it was opened up to other colleges in the Boston region. By September
2006, everyone with a working email address and the legal age of 13 or older could
access it.
Facemash met controversies, allegedly using pictures without consent. In its first four
hours online, Facemash drew 450 visits and 22,000 photo views. With its problematic
nature, Facemash was eventually taken down, and Zuckerberg started coding a
different social network.
The Facemash domain name was auctioned at a $35,000 price in 2010. Inspired by
Facemash, Zuckerberg created a new version of it called “TheFacebook,” which
eventually became the “Facebook” giant we know today.
Youtube
Youtube started out as an online dating service with the concept of “Tune In, Hook Up,”
but the service failed to take off. However, it left behind a dynamic video and uploading
platform.
The goal of the new business was to create a user-friendly video upload platform. The
idea was that even non-tech-savvy people could publish, upload, view, and stream
movies on common web browsers. An easy and straightforward video streaming
platform became an ultimate hit for early internet users.
The early site from 2005 included only five videos, a search box, and a ton of video
tags to explore. The original YouTube video player sported a large watermark of the
company’s logo in the bottom right corner and had few controls. For instance, there
was no fullscreen or timer button. Fans of the website, though, at the time, didn’t care.
6
YouTube used Flash to run videos smoothly on the browser. Compared to other video
player plug-ins at the time, it was a lot simpler to use. The webpage was crowded with
tabs and more content later in 2005.
In May 2005, when the site first went up on a limited (“beta”) basis, it started receiving
about 30,000 visits every day. On December 15, 2005, YouTube made its formal debut,
offering more than two million video views daily. In October 2006, Google revealed that
it had paid an estimated $1.65 billion for YouTube.
Google
We can trace Google’s website prototyping through its first online conception in 1996.
Google began as a Stanford-hosted project called BackRub, named after the
technology that examined back-links to assess website credibility. It initially operated
on Stanford’s servers until it started taking up too much bandwidth. Eventually, it
became a big hit and gained enough traction to require independent hosting and
infrastructure.
BackRub was launched with two primary features that helped it produce high-precision
results. It used the link structure of the web to calculate a quality ranking for each web
page. This ranking is called PageRank. It used the said links to improve search results.
7
The BackRub search engine uses Java and Python. It ran on several Sun Ultras and
Intel Pentiums with a Linux operating system. The primary database was at that time
on a Sun Ultra II with a hard disk space of 28 GB.
Google’s founders intended for the search engine to process hundreds of millions of
requests per day by the year 2000. It’s safe to say that the digital library has grown
tremendously since its first target goal.
Amazon
Amazon.com was launched in July 1995. Its original logo was an abstract letter ‘A’ that
had a winding river flowing through it. It showed the words “Amazon.com.” It had a
muted gray color scheme which was common for most websites in 1995. As the story
goes, it started out as a bookstore with the intention of becoming the biggest bookshop
globally.
More than 1 million book titles were available from the company, far more than any
rivals at the time. It included a basic search engine to aid in finding related books.
8
Customers could also declare their favorite authors and books with the use of
Amazon’s free “Eyes and Editors” subscription service.
Every time a new book was added to the catalog, Amazon would immediately email
the customer to let them know. Also, Amazon’s review sections allow users to discuss
books with other users from across the globe and leave comments on individual books.
On May 15, 1997, the company went public and raised $54 million in the process. The
design and more user-friendly interface of the Amazon website underwent significant
improvements. The addition of a left sidebar improved navigation and improved the
usability of the website. To give users a sense of the bookstore, book covers, and
reviews were included in the experience.
As Amazon continued to venture and expand into selling other products, its website
had inevitably undergone significant changes. More pages and features were added to
accommodate their growing listings. And today, the Amazon website stands as one of
the biggest names in e-commerce.
.
9
IV. Conclusion:
Software prototyping stands as an indispensable component of modern software development,
offering a dynamic and iterative approach to design and implementation. By creating
preliminary versions of software applications, development teams can explore ideas, validate
functionalities, and gather critical feedback early in the project lifecycle. This process not only
helps in identifying and rectifying potential issues but also enhances the overall quality and
user satisfaction of the final product.
The advantages of software prototyping are manifold. It facilitates better communication
among stakeholders, ensuring that developers, designers, clients, and end-users are aligned in
their understanding and expectations of the software. Prototyping also allows for iterative
testing and refinement, leading to more user-friendly and robust software solutions. By
involving users in the early stages, developers can ensure that the final product meets actual
needs and preferences, reducing the risk of costly changes later in the development process.
Despite its benefits, software prototyping is not without challenges. Resource constraints, such
as time and budget, can limit the extent of prototyping efforts. Additionally, there is a risk of
scope creep, where the prototype evolves beyond its initial purpose, potentially delaying the
project. Clear communication about the prototype’s limitations and managing stakeholder
expectations are crucial to mitigate these challenges.
In conclusion, software prototyping is a powerful tool that enhances the development process
by promoting early problem identification, fostering collaboration, and ensuring user-centered
design. By adhering to best practices—such as defining clear objectives, embracing iterative
development, involving stakeholders throughout the process, and prioritizing core
functionalities—teams can leverage prototyping to create successful and innovative software
products. The iterative nature of prototyping aligns well with agile methodologies, making it
an essential practice for developing high-quality software in a rapidly evolving technological
landscape.
10
V. References:
1)https://fullscale.io/blog/prototype-examples-from-top-tech-companies/
2) Software Project Management" by Bob Hughes, Mike Cotterell, and Rajib
Mall.
11
