Programontwikkelingsmetodologieë

M.Sc. (Computer Science)The data processing crisis in software development today can be ascribed firstly to insufficient requirements defmition, which results from a lack of communication between developer and user, and secondly to insufficient project management. During the last decade we succeeded in adding more control and discipline to the traditional software development life cycle, but requirements specification remains a problem. The traditional software development life-cycle is long and inflexible and the results do not satisfy the requirements of the user. The prototyping approach can be part of a solution to the problems posed by this situation. The author proposes a four-dimensional conceptual model as a framework for a Prototyping methodology that was developed as basis for this study. In business practice today, confusion exists as to what prototypes are the best to use - prototypes that are developed to become the complete system, or prototypes that are thrown away. Dimension one of the model is discussed in terms of type of prototype. With type of prototype is meant one of the different approaches to prototyping in the software development process. The author standardized on throw-away prototypes and evolutionary prototypes. The most general and well-known usage of prototyping is during the requirements :definition phase. However, this is not the only use of prototyping. Dimension two of the model describes the different areas of usage of prototyping, e.g. requirements definition, as technique during JAD sessions, during simulation, during the minimizing of risk and in the development of working models. The development of prototypes should be an easy and rapid process, however, this is dependent on the tools that are used in the process. Dimension three of the model is discussed in terms of tools