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Why Delivering a Throwaway Prototype Is Unwise
publish date: 2026/05/31 04:28:27.536802 UTC
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Developers are sometimes pressured by managers to deliver a throwaway prototype as the final system. Which of the following are reasons why this is usually unwise? Select all that apply.
Correct Answer
(1) It may be impossible to tune the prototype to meet non-functional requirements such as performance, security, and reliability that were ignored during development
(2) Rapid change during development means the prototype is undocumented and not suitable for long-term maintenance
(3) The prototype structure will probably have degraded during development, making it difficult and expensive to maintain
(4) Organisational quality standards are normally relaxed for prototype development
Explanation
Delivering a throwaway prototype as a final system is unwise for four reasons: (1) non-functional requirements ignored during prototyping cannot easily be retrofitted; (2) the prototype is undocumented — only the code exists as a design spec; (3) the system structure has degraded making maintenance expensive; (4) organisational quality standards are normally relaxed for prototypes.
Reference
Software Engineering, Ian Sommerville, 9th edition