Steps in Rapid Application Development
Rapid Application Development has been around since 1980, but throughout the decades, the philosophy has evolved drastically to accommodate the needs of modern times. RAD follows a simple 4-step method that, as said before, focuses on an effective loop of prototyping, feedback collection and redesigning without having to start from scratch every time. Here’s what Rapid Application Development looks like in a nutshell.
The RAD model relies more on rapid prototyping than the traditional methods of cost-heavy planning. Developers who use RAD can make rapid iterations and updates without starting from scratch, which allows them to gather constant feedback, resulting in faster development cycles overall.
Step 1: Define the Requirements
With RAD, you don’t have to sit with your clients to get a list of detailed specifications. Rather, you can obtain a broader set of guidelines for what the product is intended to do and work it out from there. Here’s how it works:
- The client gives you a broad understanding of the product and its intent.
- You take the broad requirements and break them down into modules that fit into the development cycle.
- You can make changes to requirements along the way if needed to produce better product results.
Step 2: Prototyping Stage
Prototyping is at the core of the entire Rapid Application Development process. The chart shows that it is a repeatable process that helps you refine the prototype before pushing it out for testing.
- Quick prototypes are created that focus on only the key features
- The client goes through the prototypes to determine what they like and don’t like
- The prototypes are refined and modified repeatedly based on client feedback
Note: Prototypes are intended to focus only on key features, and the functionality of the application as a whole comes into focus when it is time to finalize the product application.
Step 3: Construction Stage
After the prototypes are used to build a working model of the application, the next step is to build a working system. This is known as the Construction phase.
- Engineers and developers try to flesh out a system based on the working model.
- Alterations, issues, and bugs are dealt with, along with feedback from the client at every turn.
- Due to extensive client involvement, changes in perspectives, intensive feedback sessions, etc., the construction stage can be the longest leg of Rapid Application Development.
Step 4: Deployment Stage
This is the final stage of the RAD development cycle. During this stage:
- Intensive scale testing takes place.
- Technical documentation and issue tracking is done to monitor the progress.
- Final customizations and system simulations are also carried out.
- Teams will also spend considerable time on debugging, running final updates, and maintenance tasks that will prepare the application to go live.
Benefits of Rapid Application Development (RAD)
Rapid Application Development is a methodology developed by James Martin in the 1980s. Since then, the philosophy that drives RAD has evolved and adapted to accommodate modern development. With the speed at which technology is moving, the world needs a development methodology that keeps up with that pace. That is why RAD has surged in popularity in recent years. Let’s look at some of the benefits of using rapid application development.
1. Allows your business to respond to market demands and changing requirements quickly
Prototyping is a key feature of the RAD methodology that allows developers to deliver functional parts of the application quickly. As a result, developers get a lot of flexibility with the projects they are working on. Not only that, the rapid development of prototypes allows developers to bring applications to market faster. Therefore, no matter what the changing requirements are, the application always makes it to the market faster than traditional methodologies.
2. Reduces dependency on specialized IT resources, fosters collaboration between teams
When it comes to streamlining development and boosting collaboration, RAD’s benefits are two-fold.
- By relying on user feedback and rapid prototyping, it enables business teams to be more involved in the process. This helps to avoid the constant back-and-forth with specialized IT resources.
- RAD is collaborative in nature. With techniques like Joint Application Design (JAD) workshops, business and IT teams can work together to define requirements and designs.
Better communication and understanding between teams leads to a more efficient and user-centric development process.
3. Helps save cost
RAD is a cost-effective approach to application development in more ways than one.
- By prioritizing early and frequent user feedback through prototypes, RAD can help developers identify and fix issues early. As a result, costly reworks can be avoided easily.
- Rapid iteration allows developers to change course throughout the development process, giving them the flexibility to minimize the risk of building features that don’t meet user needs. Ultimately, this saves time and resources.
- RAD can leverage pre-built components and tools, reducing the need for custom coding. As a result, development times are faster, and costs are lower.
In short, RAD's emphasis on speed, user feedback, and efficient development practices helps businesses deliver high-quality applications faster and at a lower cost.
4. Increases customer satisfaction
The fact that RAD incorporates user involvement in the early stages of development and right through the prototyping phase makes it different from traditional methodologies. This is beneficial because users get a say in what the final product looks like, and the constant communication with developers ensures that the final product functions as expected. The customers also feel heard and valued throughout the development process, and their satisfaction levels will surge.
5. Leverages the reuse of code and benefits from using low-code and no-code platforms
Prototyping with RAD can help developers identify portions of code that are viable for reuse. In addition, utilizing frameworks with pre-built code libraries can promote code reuse. Moreover, Rapid Application Development philosophy can help enhance the interfaces of low-code or no-code platforms significantly and accelerate the prototyping process, leading to even faster turnaround times on application development projects.
6. High flexibility
Unlike more rigid methodologies, RAD adapts quickly to changing priorities. Being able to develop early prototypes and user feedback can allow for course correction at any point of the development process, ensuring that the final product aligns with evolving needs. This adaptability makes RAD ideal for fast-paced projects where business requirements can shift rapidly.
Rapid Application Development Vs. Waterfall Vs. Agile—A Comparison
| Rapid Application Development | Waterfall Method | Agile Method |
|---|---|---|
| RAD helps developers build a working model of the app that is functional in the fastest way possible. | Puts a lot of emphasis on detailed planning and has set objectives to follow through on. | Breaks down the larger objectives of app development into smaller, more manageable ‘sprints.’ |
| RAD is apt for projects that need to be finished in the shortest time spans. | Each project is thoroughly planned, which makes execution to be extremely time-consuming. | Agile focuses on developing projects based on periodical milestones called ‘sprints.’ |
| The methodology is able to adjust to constantly changing requirements. | Once the planning phase is complete, changes are not allowed. | The process can easily adjust and accommodate changes even at later stages of development. |
| Clients are always in the loop throughout the development cycle. | Clients are involved only during the planning phase. | Clients are always in the loop throughout the development cycle. |
| RAD puts priority on functionality over UI/UX aspects. | All aspects of the app are considered before deployment. | Agile considers UI/UX to be a higher priority than functionality. |
When should you use the Rapid Application Development methodology?
1. When you need to achieve faster time-to-market and gain a competitive edge
RAD is a fast development cycle that can be applied to modern application development projects. With rapid prototyping and constant user feedback, rapid application development methodology ensures quick results and market-readiness simultaneously. When it is finally time to roll out your application to the public, you can expect better results and reception from consumers, giving you a competitive advantage.
2. When businesses need to build automation solutions independently
When businesses consider building solutions independently, their resources might be limited. As mentioned earlier, RAD is excellent for achieving great results faster at lower costs.
Rapid iterations and constant user feedback can ensure fewer errors and reduce time wastage. Couple that with frameworks that have pre-built components, which handle the workload with ease—and you have a quick and efficient development process.
Utilizing low-code and no-code platforms also eliminates the heavy reliance on skilled developers, allowing business teams, or “citizen developers," to easily work out the details on their own.
3. When business users, citizen developers, and other experts are available to collaborate with each other
Having multiple teams collaborating together has traditionally been a tedious effort. However, with rapid application development, the constant input from experts and users alike enables developers to iterate quickly on prototypes. Rapid prototyping enables quick collaboration to take place on modules of the application, and the teams can quickly determine what works, what doesn’t work, and what needs to be added. This allows developers to change course seamlessly as they work, ensuring effective collaboration and faster deployment of the final product.
Accelerate rapid application development with JIFFY.ai: Unveil your app to the market faster
What if you could take the fast deployment rates of the Rapid application development (RAD) methodology and accelerate it even further? Sounds like a dream, but it’s possible. No-code platforms can take the learning curve of coding out, lowering the entry barrier to application development significantly.
With almost 76% of IT professionals confirming that organizations are making the switch to no-code platforms, the era of coding and application development is on the cusp of a significant change.
JIFFY.ai is an AI-powered no-code platform that eliminates the need for extensive coding knowledge and revolutionizes the approach to Rapid Application Development. The platform provides an environment for software development that enables users to build complex and functional applications with ease by leveraging:
- Visual interfaces
- Drag-and-drop functionality
- Pre-built components
- Workflow automation
All of these come together to accelerate the rapid application development (RAD) process effortlessly.
Frequently Asked Questions: Rapid Application Development (RAD)
1. What is Rapid Application Development (RAD)?
Rapid Application Development, or RAD, is a software development methodology that prioritizes speed and user feedback. Instead of lengthy planning stages, RAD focuses on creating rapid prototypes and getting them to users early and often. This promotes quick iterations and ensures that the final product aligns with the user’s needs.
2. What does rapid application development (RAD) focus on?
The core focus of RAD is on adaptability and flexibility. By prioritizing prototypes and user feedback, RAD allows projects to adjust to changing requirements and market demands. This is particularly valuable in the modern business environment.
3. Is Rapid Application Development the same as Agile?
There's a strong connection between RAD and Agile methodologies. Both emphasize iterative development and user feedback. However, RAD can be seen as a more structured approach within the Agile umbrella.
4. What companies can use Rapid Application Development (RAD)?
RAD is well-suited for enterprises from a variety of industries, especially those needing to:
- Deliver applications quickly to the market
- Embrace changing requirements
- Involve users heavily in the development process
Industries benefiting from RAD include banking and financial services, wealth management, finance and accounting, media and advertising, retail, healthcare, e-commerce, and many more.
5. What is the difference between RAD and JAD?
RAD focuses on the development methodology, whereas JAD (Joint Application Design) is a specific workshop technique used within RAD. JAD workshops bring together users and developers to collaboratively define requirements and design prototypes.
6. What is a Rapid Application Development framework?
A Rapid Application Development framework is a set of tools and pre-built components that can accelerate the development process. These frameworks provide reusable components and streamline common tasks seamlessly, so developers can build applications faster and with less coding.
