Final answer:
Prototypes are preliminary models that are tested and refined to ensure the proposed system meets organizational criteria and constraints. These prototypes help market the system by demonstrating its potential benefits and are often used through iterative processes of development that may involve both physical and computer models.
Step-by-step explanation:
“Prototypes” are used to market a proposed system to users and management by showing some of its features and demonstrating how beneficial it could be to the organization. A prototype is a first or preliminary model of the design, used to evaluate, test, and refine the system. When developing a prototype, the design team may start with a component, such as an electrical system, to verify its design before implementing a comprehensive prototype of the whole product. Through this process, the prototype is tested to ensure that the design meets all constraints and performs acceptably. This usually involves carefully planned testing procedures to ensure that valuable information about the design is obtained without unnecessarily consuming time and resources. The results from these tests are then evaluated to determine if the prototype meets the specified constraints and criteria for the design.
If the testing reveals any weaknesses or potential for improvement, the design is often refined. This iterative process can lead to several rounds of prototyping, testing, and refinement until the final product meets the desired standards. Increasingly, computer modeling software is utilized to create prototypes, simulating mechanical, electrical, and other characteristics of the product, which can often save time and resources in the early stages of design exploration and evaluation.