Overview of Rapid Application Development (RAD)

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Rapid Application Development (RAD) model is a software development practice which focus on minimizing the time spent on prior planning of features and develop the initial version of software quickly and improve it constantly according to user feedback and situation.

It involves:

• minimal planning and rapid prototyping. A prototype is a functionally equivalent component of the final product.
• Phases, such as analysis, design, build and test are divided into series of short, iterative development cycles.

Rapid Application Development (RAD) model is a type of incremental software development methodology that applies principles of iterative development and prototyping. Reiterate that in this model, analysis, design, build and test phases are divided into series of short,iterative development cycles

Phases in RAD

The RAD process goes through the following phases:

• Business modeling: A complete business analysis is performed to find the vital information for business, how it can be obtained, how and when is the information processed and what are the factors driving successful flow of information.

• Data modeling: The attributes of all data sets is identified and defined. The relation between these data objects are established and defined in detail in relevance to the business model. Data objects that are required for the business are defined in this phase. Information collected during business modeling is used in this phase.

• Process modeling: The flow needed for the business objective is generated in this phase.The Process model for change or enhancement to the data object is also defined during this phase.

• Application generation: This is the phase of prototype development. It is in this phase that the actual system is created and coding is done by using automation tools. This converts the overall concept, process and related information into actual desired output. This output is called a prototype as it’s still half-baked.

• Testing and turnover: As the model is based on iterative development, prototype testing happens during every iteration and testing time is actually reduced. Data flow and the interfaces between all the components need to be thoroughly tested.

Essential Aspects of RAD

It is critical that all the aspects mentioned above are adequate to ensure high-speed development. Development life cycles, which make up these aspects together as effectively as possible, are of the utmost importance. Various aspects of RAD are:

Methodology:

Important features of RAD methodology include:

• Combining the best available techniques and specifying the sequence of tasks that will make those techniques most effective.
• Using evolutionary prototypes that are eventually transformed into the final product.
• Using workshops, instead of interviews, to gather requirements and review design.
• Selecting a set of tools to support modelling, prototyping and code reusability, as well as automating many of the combinations of techniques.
• Implementing time-boxed development that allows development teams to quickly build the core of the system and implement refinements in subsequent releases.
• Providing guidelines for success and describing the pitfalls to avoid.

People:

In RAD there are 5 typical user roles:

• RAD Facilitator who plans and manage the project
• The Information specialists who translate the end users’ needs.
• The End users
• The scribe who documents the sessions
• The developers.

Management:

It is important that the management is completely committed to RAD to enable high-speed development. Managers must motivate the IT team and end users for faster system building. Managers should also focus on ‘Early Adapters’, who see value in new methodologies and lead the way in making it practical to use. The best way for managers to introduce RAD is to start small. Original Construction Teams of two to four people should be established and their members should be thoroughly trained in the use of the tools and techniques. As these teams gain experience, they will be able to fine-tune the development lifecycle to improve its effectiveness in their environment.

Tools:

Examples of tools that can be used in RAD projects are Computer-Assisted Software Engineering (CASE) tools. These tools play a pivotal role in eradicating some problems that exist in other modelsof software development. For example, CASE tools can be used to develop models (using e.g UML diagrams) and directly generate code based on those models instead of hard coding.

Advantages of RAD

• Adaptable and versatile to changes

• It is helpful when you need to lessen the general venture chance

• It is simpler to move expectations as contents, significant level deliberations and middle of the road codes are utilized

• Because of code generators and code reuse, there is a decrease of manual coding

• Due to prototyping in nature, there is a plausibility of lesser deserts

• Each stage in RAD conveys the most elevated need usefulness to the customer

• With less individuals, profitability can be expanded in a brief span

Disadvantages of RAD

• It can't be utilized for littler activities

• At the point when specialized hazard is high, it isn't appropriate

• In the event that designers are not dedicated to conveying programming on schedule, RAD activities can fall flat

• Diminished includes because of time boxing, where highlights are pushed to a later form to complete a discharge in brief period

• Diminished adaptability happens in light of the fact that a RAD created application starts as a model and develops into a completed application

• Progress and issues acclimated are difficult to follow all things considered there is no documentation to show what has been finished

• Requires exceptionally gifted architects or engineers

A Case Study for Rapid Application Development

Rapid application development is especially helpful for independent companies that need a software done rapidly while having a great deal of contribution during the development procedure.

Driven Consulting, a developer acquainted with rapid application development and deft development systems, had a customer come to them with a prerequisite for a software that would interface with their clients, one of which had more than 35,000 representatives, for acquisition, invoicing, and installment.

Driven Consulting had the option to utilize spry and rapid application development procedures to rapidly comprehend what the customer required, accelerate the development procedure utilizing Ruby on Rails, and minimize expenses utilizing the open-source framework.

All through the development procedure, the client had the option to give a contribution to what functionalities were required. Each one of those functionalities was rapidly included as and when they were requested, and at last, the item was conveyed to the customer.

At last, Centric Consulting fulfilled the needs of their customers as well as ready to address their issues and develop their business.

With this, you have the complete knowledge of Rapid Application Development (RAD) in DevOps. Enjoy.