The Global Marketing Co (GMC) publishes books and magazines, owns and operates television stations, and has a real estate marketing and franchising service. GMC has 10 different systems that do not communicate with each other. Management wants an executive information system that provides them with the correct and timely information they need to make good business decisions. GMC has decided to use prototyping to develop the system.

(a)Explain the importance of prototyping. What are the steps to be followed during the prototyping process?

(b)Management will need to decide if the new protype will go into operation. If it were an operational prototype, what would have to happen? If it were a nonoperational prototype, how would the prototype be used?

(c)Suppose GMC decides the prototype system is not viable and takes a different approach to solving its information problem. Does that mean prototyping is not a valid systems development approach? Explain your answer.