Prototype development is actually the process of making products and programs from scratch, testing, evaluating and changing it until it become the perfect final product and program.
A number of prototype development categories exist as proposed by the authors Moss and Atre. Number one on the list is the show-and-tell prototype that is usually created to get approval for a budget and to get a sponsor. Second is the mock-up prototype which is used in understanding the requirements in analysis. Third is the proof-of-concept prototype which assists in exploring risks and deciding whether to proceed or not. Also included in the types is the demo prototype which connects both link vision and partial functionality together. The final type is the operational prototype, which the most useful of all types since it could produce the final product or program.
Regardless of what type of prototype is achieved, there are common processes in prototype development which is made up of several steps that are not interchangeable. The first step in the development process is the identification of the needs in the production of the product or program. These requirements nevertheless can still be changed depending on the result of the process. Step two is to make a design using all the things you have pointed out in step one. The design would involve information like who are the participants in the testing, the whole product specifications and packaging, and the product manufacturing. After the product or program is made, the participants are then asked to use and test it. Once experimentation is done, the participants are then asked about their experience with the product, including the its effect on them and you can also opt to do some modal analysis. The data acquired during this step are very essential such that the next step in prototype development depends on it.
The step that follows is the carrying out of modifications with the product or program which relies on the observations made by the ones who used it. When you are done with revising, you would have to test it again and have participants use it for the second time to know if the prototype has already been perfected. After the whole process and the product or program still isn't perfect, revisions and tests need to be done again until they become perfect.