In addition to static analysis methods, one can use software prototypes to verify and validate requirements to good purpose. Prototype, whether it is a paper model or a software product model, makes it possible for you to offer the customer the options for developing the programs and get feedbacks that allow you to make the wording of requirements more accurate. Prototypes often reveal such defects as incompleteness, inconsistency, or ambiguity of requirements specifications, and therefore can be a good addition to static testing.

There are two approaches to using prototypes. One of these involves constructing a throwaway prototype, which is used solely to define requirements. The prototype is not sent to the customer as a software product. The second approach involves the creation of an evolutionary prototype, which is used at the initial stage of the development process to elicit and analyze requirements, and at the same time undergoes multiple improvements, gradually becoming a product that can already be delivered to the customer. Does quality of your digital production disappoint the target audience? QA consulting companies can help you meet quality expectations of your customers.

To reap benefits from the test process at the earliest, the test team can use the prototypes developed at the requirements analysis stage. It is possible to perform preliminary tests on a prototype in order to confirm the correctness of the basic requirements. These tests will be improved at later stages during design of a key test set for system testing and acceptance testing. In the same way that the prototype helps to make requirements “more realistic” from the perspective of the customer and developer, this prototype allows the test team to “see” how to define a set of tests for the system. If the prototype is a paper model or a set of sketches, then it will have to travel a long way until it starts to be really useful for the test team to understand how to develop a successful set of tests.

The prototypes not only help the test group to gain benefits at the beginning of their work, but also support static testing or dynamic testing at requirements formulation phase. Prototypes can be used as an aid to determine the completeness, feasibility, consistency and relevance of requirements.

Prototypes are used in life cycle models that are different from Waterfall development models.