What is the primary purpose of system prototyping?

The primary purpose of system prototyping is to evaluate and gather user feedback on a preliminary version of the system. Prototyping allows developers and users to interact with a working model of the system, facilitating a better understanding of the system’s requirements, functionalities, and user interface. This iterative process encourages user involvement, providing opportunities for them to express their needs and wishes, which can be integrated into the subsequent versions of the system.

Using prototypes helps to identify misunderstandings or issues early in the development process, reducing the likelihood of costly modifications later. By focusing on user feedback, the development team can ensure that the final system will meet the actual needs of its users, improving overall system usability and satisfaction.

The other options focus on aspects that are not the main objective of system prototyping; for instance, creating final versions of systems or documenting existing functionalities do not leverage the interactive, iterative nature of prototyping, and identifying hardware requirements is typically a separate task that can occur later in the development lifecycle.