System Analysis and Design

CSE 307
Instructor: Sabrina Alam

Lecture 06
Agile Modeling and
Prototyping
Learning Objectives
 Understand the roots of agile modeling in
prototyping and the four main types of
prototyping.
 Be able to use prototyping for human
information requirements gathering.
 Understand agile modeling and the core
practices that differentiate it from other
development methodologies.
 Learn the importance of values critical to agile
modeling.
 Understand how to improve efficiency for users
who are knowledge workers using either
structured methods or agile modeling.
Agile Modeling, but First
Prototyping
 Agile modeling is a collection of
innovative, user-centered approaches
to system development
 Prototyping is an information-
gathering technique useful in seeking
 User reactions
 Suggestions

 Innovations

 Revision plans
Major Topics
 Prototyping
 Agile modeling
Prototyping
 Patched-up
 Nonoperational
 First-of-a-series
 Selected features
Patched-Up Prototype
 A system that works but is patched
up or patched together
 A working model that has all the
features but is inefficient
 Users can interact with the system
 Retrieval and storage of information
may be inefficient
Nonoperational Scale Models
 A nonworking scale mode that is set up
to test certain aspects of the design
 A nonworking scale model of an
information system might be produced
when the coding required by the
application is too expensive to
prototype but when a useful idea of the
system can be gained through
prototyping of the input and output
only.
First-of-a-Series Prototype
 Creating a pilot
 Prototype is completely operational
 Useful when many installations of the
same information system are planned
 A full-scale prototype is installed in
one or two locations first, and if
successful, duplicates are installed at
all locations based on customer
usage patterns and other key factors
Selected Features Prototype
 Building an operational model that
includes some, but not all, of the
features that the final system will
have
 Some, but not all, essential features
are included
 Built in modules
 Part of the actual system
Four Kinds of Prototypes
Clockwise, Starting from the Upper
Left
(Figure 6.1)
Prototyping as an Alternative
to the Systems Life Cycle
 Two main problems with the SDLC
 Extended time required to go through
the development life cycle
 User requirements change over time

 Rather than using prototyping to

replace the SDLC use prototyping as
a part of the SDLC
Drawbacks to Supplanting
the SDLC With Prototyping
 Drawbacks include prematurely
shaping a system before the
problem or opportunity is
thoroughly understood
 Using prototyping as an alternative
may result in producing a system
that is accepted by specific groups
of users but is inadequate for
overall system needs
Guidelines for Developing a
Prototype
 Work in manageable modules
 Build the prototype rapidly
 Modify the prototype in successive
iterations
 Stress the user interface
Work in Manageable Modules
 It is imperative that an analyst work in
manageable modules
 One distinct advantage of prototyping is
that it is not necessary or desirable to
build an entire working system for
prototype purposes
 A manageable module allows users to
interact with its key features but can be
built separately from other system
modules
 Module features that are deemed less
important are purposely left out of the
initial prototype
Build the Prototype Rapidly
 Speed is essential for successful prototyping
 Analysts can use prototyping to shorten this
gap by using traditional information-gathering
techniques to find information requirements
 Make decisions that bring forth a working
model
 Putting together an operational prototype
rapidly and early in the SDLC allows an
analyst to gain insight about the remainder of
the project
 Showing users early in the process how parts
of the system actually perform guards against
overcommitting resources to a project that
may eventually become unworkable
Modify the Prototype in
successive iterations
 Making a prototype modifiable means
creating it in modules that are not
highly interdependent
 The prototype is usually modified
several times
 Changes should move the system
closer to what users say is important
 Each modification is followed by an
evaluation by users
Stress the User Interface
 Use the prototype is to get users to
further articulate their information
requirements
 They should be able to see how the
prototype will enable them to accomplish
their tasks
 The user interface must be well
developed enough to enable users to pick
up the system quickly
 Online, interactive systems using GUI
interfaces are ideally suited to prototypes
Disadvantages of Prototyping
 It can be difficult to manage
prototyping as a project in the
larger systems effort
 Users and analysts may adopt a
prototype as a completed system
Advantages of Prototyping
 Potential for changing the system
early in its development
 Opportunity to stop development on
a system that is not working
 Possibility of developing a system
that more closely addresses users’
needs and expectations
Prototyping Using COTS
Software
 Sometimes the quickest way to
prototype is through the modular
installation of COTS software
 Some COTS software is elaborate
and expensive, but highly useful
Users’ Role in Prototyping
 Honest involvement
 Experimenting with the prototype
 Giving open reactions to the prototype

 Suggesting additions to or deletions

from the prototype

Prototype Evaluation Form
(Figure 6.3)
Agile Modeling
 Agile methods are a collection of
innovative, user-centered
approaches to systems
development
Values and Principles of
Agile Modeling
 Communication
 Simplicity
 Feedback
 Courage
Values Are Crucial to the
Agile Approach (Figure 6.4)
The Basic Principles of Agile
Modeling
 Satisfy the customer through delivery
of working software
 Embrace change, even if introduced
late in development
 Continue to deliver functioning
software incrementally and frequently
 Encourage customers and analysts to
work together daily
 Trust motivated individuals to get the
job done
The Basic Principles of Agile
Modeling (continued)
 Promote face-to-face conversation
 Concentrate on getting software to
work
 Encourage continuous, regular, and
sustainable development
 Adopt agility with attention to
mindful design
 Support self-organizing teams
The Basic Principles of Agile
Modeling (continued)
 Provide rapid feedback
 Encourage quality
 Review and adjust behavior
occasionally
 Adopt simplicity
Four Basic Activities of
Agile Modeling
 Coding
 Testing
 Listening
 Designing
Coding

 Coding is the one activity that it is

not possible to do without
 The most valuable thing that we
receive from code is “learning”
 Code can also be used to
communicate ideas that would
otherwise remain fuzzy or unshaped
Testing
 Automated testing is critical
 Write tests to check coding, functionality,
performance, and conformance
 Use automated tests
 Large libraries of tests exist for most
programming languages
 These are updated as necessary during the
project
 Testing in the short term gives extreme
confidence in what you are building
 Testing in the long term keeps a system alive
and allows for changes longer than would be
possible if no tests were written or run
Listening
 Listening is done in the extreme
 Developers use active listening to hear their
programming partner
 Because there is less reliance on formal,
written communication, listening becomes
a paramount skill
 A developer also uses active listening with
the customer
 Developers assume that they know nothing
about the business so they must listen
carefully to businesspeople
Designing
 Designing is a way of creating a structure to
organize all the logic in the system
 Designing is evolutionary, and so systems
are conceptualized as evolving, always
being designed
 Good design is often simple
 Design should allow flexibility
 Effective design locates logic near the data
on which it will be operating
 Design should be useful to all those who will
need it as the development effort proceeds
Four Resource Control
Variables of Agile Modeling
 Time
 Cost
 Quality
 Scope
Four Core Agile Practices
 Short releases
 40-hour work week
 Onsite customer
 Pair programming
Agile Core Practices (Figure 6.5)
The Agile Development
Process
 Listen for user stories
 Draw a logical workflow model
 Create new user stories based on
the logical model
 Develop some display prototypes
 Create a physical data model using
feedback from the prototypes and
logical workflow diagrams
Writing User Stories
 Spoken interaction between
developers and users
 Seeking first and foremost to
identify valuable business user
requirements
 The goal is prevention of
misunderstandings or
misinterpretations of user
requirements
User Stories Can Be
Recorded on Cards (Figure 6.6)
Scrum
 Begin the project with a high-level
plan that can be changed on the fly
 Success of the project is most
important
 Individual success is secondary
 Project leader has some (not much)
influence on the detail
 Systems team works within a strict
time frame
Scrum
 Product backlog
 Sprint backlog
 Sprint
 Daily scrum
 Demo
Lessons Learned from Agile
Modeling
 Short releases allow the system to
evolve
 Pair programming enhances the
overall quality
 Onsite customers are mutually
beneficial to the business and the
agile development team
Lessons Learned from Agile
Modeling (continued)
 The 40-hour work week improves
worker effectiveness
 Balanced resources and activities
support project goals
 Agile values are crucial to success
There Are Six Vital Lessons That Can Be
Drawn from the Agile Approach to
Systems (Figure 6.7)
Comparing Agile Modeling
and Structured Methods
 Improving the efficiency of systems
development
 Risks inherent in organizational
innovation
Strategies for Improving Efficiency Can Be
Implemented Using Two Different
Development Approaches (Figure 6.8)
Adopting New Information Systems
Involves Balancing Several Risks
(Figure 6.9)
Risks When Adopting New
Information Systems

 Fit of development team culture

 Best time to innovate
 Training cost for analysts and
programmers
 Client’s reaction to new methodology
 Impact of agile methodologies
 Programmers/analysts individual
rights
Summary
 Prototyping
 Patched-up system
 Nonoperational

 First-of-a-series

 Selected-features

 Prototype development guidelines

 Prototype disadvantages
Summary (continued)
 Prototype advantages
 Users’ role in prototyping
 Agile modeling
 Five values of the agile approach
 Principles of agile development
 Agile activities
 Agile resources
Summary (continued)
 Core practices of the agile approach
 Stages in the agile development
process
 User stories
 Agile lessons
 Scrum methodology
 Dangers to adopting innovative
approaches
Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Publishing as Prentice Hall

1-52
 END OF
Lecture 06