The Process of Creating a Functional Prototype

One of my coworkers gave a marketing presentation about a year ago. For his presentation he researched the topic of prototyping from various sources. He decided to gather the ideas and concepts of his research into steps to make it easier to understand. And as you may have guessed since I'm presenting it here - there are seven steps to the prototyping process. Functional Prototyping Series: Steps in Creating a Functional Prototype:

1) Paper to Software Design
2) User Interface
3) Virtual Prototyping
4) Adding Hardware
5) Algorithm Engineering
6) Instrumenting and Testing
7) Deployment

First of all, I must say that I was amazed that someone not intending to make a seven structure, could do so well at discovering a set of seven that imitates the creation process so well in both order and completeness.

He stated in his presentation that steps two through six have the ability to circle around, not necessarily sticking to that order, until the creator feels that it is sufficiently tested and is ready for deployment.

I created a simplified version of this seven that may be easier for non-engineers to understand of the process of prototyping or creating:

1) Create
2) Design
3) Define
4) Enable
5) Practice
6) Test
7) Deploy

1 Create - Obviously the idea needs to be there to start the process. Often when creating something people write it down on paper - a plan. This could include a requirements document.
2 Design - I liked the word beautify here but not very many people would understand what exactly that means. This involves choosing what the end result should look like.
3 Define - Defining the limits and bounds, what rules must be obeyed by the system created. This would include making the concepts in the requirements document concrete. On a religious note this would be commandments and laws.
4 Enable - This involves putting hardware in a system. In God's plan this has reference to the atonement - the central element in the plan. It is the enabling power - grace - making us capable of adhering to the limits and bounds defined.
5 Practice - This involves using the enabling hardware - our bodies, our choices - and perfecting the controls or algorithms to make the system stable. This takes time and is called the probationary state or preparatory state.
6 Test - At this point the system is tested to see if it in fact adheres to the limits and bounds and accomplishes the purposes for which it was designed. If not, it will either be rejected or put through a refining process. If so, then it is ready for the next step. This includes the Final Judgment as well as other tests that we have before then.
7 Deploy - This is the step where the designer stops creating and observes his system in an environment that is outside the creating stage. This is to see if the creating will function as desired beyond controlled tests. For the creation of the earth this is the stage that the earth is in right now. God is resting from his six days of creation, or prototyping of the earth. We have come to earth where God is observing or proving us "to see if [we] will do all things whatsoever the Lord [our] God shall command [us]."

As you may notice this is the same process that God used and is using. We can learn a lot by observing the creation process and applying it to our lives. This helps us to realize the magnificence of God. Understanding that God is trying to form us into something so much greater than we could imagine is inspiring. As creators ourselves we can learn so much about how to succeed by following in God's footsteps.