Objectives:  To define RAD  Describe RAD as a system development method  List the advantages of RAD as a method  List the disadvantages of RAD  State the situation for which it is most applicable

“ Rapid Application Development (RAD) is an incremental software process model that emphasizes a short development cycle”(Pressman, 2005). RAD is incremental because it combines elements of the waterfall model in an iterative manner, and this gives RAD its cyclical appearance.

Therefore RAD is a hybrid between two models or methods; an incremental software process model that emphasizes a short development cycle. “RAD is based on the Spiral model”(Dr. Kanneh, personal communication, September 14 th 2011).

RAD’s method consist of about five stages with each stage consisting of several teams. Each team works on an increment of the product with the final team finishing the final increment. But even at the implementation phase there is still room for iteration if required

RAD’S Methodology Modeling Business modeling Data modeling Process modeling Construction Reuse Application code Automatic code generation testing Implementation Iterations Feedback Communication Identifying the problem Feasibility and Investigation Planning System analysis

ADVANTAGES  Quicker changes to the system throughout its development cycle  Changing the course or stopping development on a product that is not meeting its objectives  Early and gradual changes in the system are less expensive than late changes  Actively engaging users throughout the system’s development and keeping them involved

 Allowing hands-on interaction with the product from early stages of development  Resulting final product often match user’s needs and expectations very closely  Customer involved throughout the complete cycle minimizes risk of not achieving customer satisfaction and business needs  Focus moves from documentation to code.  Uses modeling concepts to capture information about business, data, and processes.

DISADVANTAGES  RAD prototyping can be difficult to manage in large organizations  Users may be contempt to prematurely adopt a working prototype as the finished product  Analyst may be tempted to rush the product, skipping important planning and design considerations  Accelerated development process must give quick responses to the user

 Risk of never achieving closure  Hard to use with legacy systems  Requires a system that can be modularized  Developers and customers must be committed to rapid-fire activities in an abbreviated time frame.