Rapid prototyping: the procedure for software

The purpose and benefits of using rapid prototyping for software development are examined. The major elements of rapid prototyping are described to serve as a guideline for its utilization in a software predevelopment environment. It is stressed that prototyping has been underutilized during the effort estimation phase of system development. The rapid prototyping of two actual software systems to obtain a better estimate of the requirements for the final product is reported.<>