A zen master asked a junior engineer to go get him a rock. The junior engineer asked what kind of rock he should get and the master replied by knocking him in the head with his cane. The junior thought for a minute, then asked, "would you like a round rock or a flat rock?" Again, the zen master rapped him on the head. The junior thought for a moment, then went to the creek and fetched a rock at random. He brought it to the zen master who inspected it and then said, "No, I want a flat piece of flint for starting a fire." The junior engineer was then enlightened.

Stakeholders will only give you requirements after they see the prototype. Thus, the spec and the prototype to elicit it are two sides to the same coin. Once the spec if correct and the prototype is starting to show its age, throw away the prototype and implement the spec with a fresh start.

> Stakeholders will only give you requirements after they see the prototype.

That’s very much incorrect and sounds like someone who love building more than communicating. Even without a prototype, users and other consumers will be able to explain their problems. It may not use the same metaphor map that you’re used to. But it’s very much a description of the problem space.

Once you design a prototype, what you will get is feedback about the solution you’ve designed, not the raw problem. If you’ve not listened well in the first place you may be well off the mark, and have to work harder to correct things.

Even if your story, the junior would do way less work by asking the master what he intends to do with the piece of work instead of focusing on the rock itself.