Demonstration of software concepts to multiple stakeholders using modular abstract prototyping

Abstract

This article presents an approach to aggregation of stakeholders' feedback-through-demonstration as of the earliest phase of software development. We demonstrate operational software concepts to a multiplicity of stakeholders, using a novel methodology for modular abstract prototyping (MAP). MAP combines generic and specific modules according to stakeholder focus, i.e. according to their viewpoints, demands, skills and presentation modality. A module captures and demonstrates a specific part or aspect of the functional and behavioural application content. As a result, generic plus specific modules implement the complete demonstration of the software concept as a real-life process. Multiple module configurations can be generated to demonstrate the software concept to the various stakeholder groups in multiple sessions. This article presents the theory and implementation principle of MAP, and illustrates this with an application example on a software tool for smart energy saving. Focus group assessments confirmed a significantly improved convergence among stakeholders and developers at the early stages of development. However, the current MAP is still labour intensive and further automation is desirable. Considering today's pervasive and intense conceptual design and product innovation processes dynamics, MAP is to become a first step towards fully interactive modifiable medium-fidelity abstract prototyping.

Keywords:

• early development
• multiple stakeholders
• software design
• concept demonstration
• modular abstract prototyping
• focus group sessions

Acknowledgements

This research was made possible by the support of the TU Delft. We are grateful to the CADE Section of Industrial Design Engineering for their expert insights, the interesting discussions and the knowledge that was made available.