Abstract :
Describes how new tools and techniques now make rapid prototyping a valuable and cost-effective approach to technical risk mitigation. The emphasis is on fast construction of an executable specification that the customer can analyse visually through a prototyped system interface. The use of rapid prototyping in conjunction with performance engineering techniques can significantly reduce the delay, cost escalation and limited operational effectiveness of a new system. To have further impact, the rapid prototyping for technical risk areas needs to be extended within the project life-cycle to the translation of the system specification into the software specification, and on into implementation