Avoid Vaporware -- The Prototype of Doom

As I've said, a prototype is a prototype only if it is thrown away. When a functional prototype starts to have a life of its own, you know you're in trouble. Always be aware of the motivation behind a functional prototype. If the motivation really is to resolve a user interface design issue that cannot be resolved any other way, then sure, make a functional prototype. But if the motivation is something else, such as making the project look further along than it is or giving marketing demos, you are in trouble. You are going down a dangerous path.

Suppose management or marketing comes to you and says something like "A customer is coming in next Tuesday. Can we add this one feature to the prototype to show them what the product is going to look like? We'd also like to show the prototype at the trade show next month. We just need to show a little progress." When this happens, a light should start flashing and an alarm should sound, saying "Warning! Dangerous vaporware! Leave the area immediately!" The problem is that once you begin on this path it's difficult to stop. There are always more customers. There is always another trade show. The next thing you know, the prototype is the product. You have been sucked into the vaporware tar pit up to your neck, there is no way out. The product is doomed.

TIP

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Avoid dangerous vaporware. Never prototype to give someone the impression that a program is further along than it actually is. Never prototype to make marketing demos. Prototypes are for design, not for marketing.