Remember, this is about your testing with the prototype.  For some projects, though very rare (e.g., very large-scale systems), the prototype is a high-fidelity virtual-world prototype in the absence of a physical-world prototype.  And for digital engineering tool projects the prototype is “physical” but in the form of software not hardware.  In any case, this is not verification activities at the design stage (math, analysis, etc.), rather it is verification using the prototype.  That is, you are writing about testing with the prototype, and driven by that, the refinements made and then further evaluated with further testing.

For those projects employing a virtual-world prototype, report on your findings that result thorough the simulations that have been done in lieu of a physical-world tests.  And, furthermore in this case, since others in your audience may not as easily accept the idea of a simulation model being a “prototype,” please do the following:

1. edit the headings of Section 4 as follows:
   1. Prototype Verification → Simulation Verification
   2. Prototyping-Driven Refinements → Simulation-Driven Refinements
   3. Production vs. Prototyping → Implementation Considerations
2. read Sections 1 and 2 then skip to Section 4 of these instructions.

1     Verification Testing and Data Analysis Subsection

In this subsection, in paragraph format, supplemented with bullet-list format, provide information regarding instrumentation and test methods used with testing your physical prototype, whether hardware or software tool, etc. (unless you don’t have a prototype as noted above in some virtual-world simulation-based projects).  Regardless of whether you have a physical prototype or simulation-based proof of concept, there is data analysis to then be covered.  The difference is only from where the data come — physical testing or virtual, simulation-based testing.  In either case, discuss data analysis.  Draw this information from the prototype-stage verification table, updated to reflect what actually happened.  Unlike that table, to avoid repetition, do not present this section on a requirement-by-requirement basis (since often times there are multiple requirements verified by a single test/method).  Though, each method noted should indicate by naming all the requirements it serves to verify.

2     Prototyping-Driven Refinements Subsection

In this subsection, in words and with complementary annotated graphics, describe all refinements made and the reason for making them.  You should consider a refinement anything changed after it had been realized in full system-level prototype form (beyond function-level concept MIP or physical feasibility trials).  This means, generally, anything made and then re-made/modified after about week 5 of Term-II.  Of course, if you did not manufacture a prototype, then your refinements to your design as described here are simulation-driven.

3     Production vs. Prototyping Subsection

There are two types of projects:

• Process-related projects require the development of a prototype as either a single final product, or as a model for replication in limited numbers and timeframe, to be used by the customer/end-user for their own use in one of their processes you have been addressing.
• Product-related projects require a prototype for development into a commercial product to be manufactured and/or sold by the customer.

By the way, do not call these out as formal “types” in your writing; this is just for discussion purposes here.  In either case, any physical prototype would be considered an alpha or beta prototype at best, meaning there is generally a next step needed to bring it to a beta and/or final prototype, or at least to incorporate improvements based on learning that took place in the prototyping work and testing you have completed.

Describe in words any differences between the intended manufacturing for which you designed and the actual methods used in your prototyping that took place (which often requires some adjustments in materials, components, subsystems, or manufacturing processes compared to what you ultimately designed for).  This should account for any learning that took place through the prototyping process.

4     Simulation-Based (No Physical Prototype) Projects

As noted above, instead of a “Production vs. Prototyping” subsection you will have an “Implementation Considerations” subsection.  In this case, focus here on considerations of how the system would be manufactured/implemented.