Exercise 3

The Rapid Evolutionary Prototyping Approach (REPA) is a variation on traditional prototyping.

With traditional prototyping a quick and dirty version of the system is built to give the user an idea of the system. This prototype is mainly used to elicit missing or unknown requirements from the user when they have seen something concrete. The prototype is then generally discarded, or parts used as examples to support traditional systems development.

In REPA, only those parts of the system that are readily understood are prototyped. The prototype should be easy to develop further, and should concentrate on the major system components. The prototype should be the kernel of the new system rather than a disposable example. The prototype allows the users to see something concrete and work with it, thus eliciting further requirements, and allowing the developer opportunities to understand the more complex parts of the system.

With regard to web development, REPA would chain together a series of web screens to allow the user to follow the application logic, even though the prototype would not necessarily implement that logic completely.

Agile development is more an adjustment to the traditional systems development life cycle where the system is developed in smaller parts with more frequent user consultation built into the process. The development team is organised to encourage more teamwork, and accountability.