5.2.1 Defining prototyping

Following are some phrases that define a prototype:

• fully functional, but not fault-proof
• an actual working version of the product
• used for performance evaluation and further improvement of product
• has a complerte interior and exterior
• may be relatively expensive to produce
• in the IoE, often used as a technology demonstrator.

Prototyping is the next step in modelling. For the prototyping in the IoE, it helps to have design skills, electrical skills, physical/mechanical skills (working with your hands to put things together), programming skills, and to understand how TCP/IP works. But you do not need to be an expert in any of these areas. In fact, prototyping helps you to refine these skills.

Because the IoE is still developing, there are still unknown tasks to discover. This is a great time to invent something that is part of the IoE. Because the IoE combines people, process, data, and things, there is no end to the inventions that the IoE can help create and then incorporate.

For news and ideas that are already being talked about in the IoE, visit the Cisco IoE Newsroom.