Rapid application development (RAD)

Today, developers face high expectations in terms of application quality and speed. The classic Waterfall cascade model with phased work in strict accordance with the ToR is not flexible enough. You need another format that allows you to adapt to changing requirements, even in the middle of a project. There is a solution - Rapid application development methodology, RAD for short. We will talk about it in this article. ## What is RAD

The model allows you to iteratively incorporate feedback from users at all stages of development and quickly adjust application functionality as requirements change.

## Stages of RAD software development Creating an effective RAD model involves five basic steps. But sometimes a more detailed breakdown may be required to address specific business needs or constraints. 1. **Business Modeling** The first phase of RAD development collects and analyzes the customer's business data that is needed to work on the project. This includes information about business processes, customers, hardware, software and other requirements. Here they also form the goals and objectives of the project, identify risks, determine the budget and development timeline. 2. **Data modeling** The data collected at the previous stage is analyzed and categorized into groups. Clear relationships between these groups are defined. 3. **Process modeling** In this stage, abstract models of the software system are created to represent various aspects of the system. Process modeling allows you to make changes and optimize data objects. 4. **Application development** With the necessary framework in place, developers code the information and build the system. Data models are used to create prototypes that will be tested in the final stage. 5. **Testing and iterations** In the final phase of RAD rapid development, each prototype created is individually tested to identify and fix problems and adapt components to improve the final product. Prototypes are tested after each iteration, reducing overall testing time. [SimpleOne's Low-code]() platform is RAD-based and enables rapid automation of virtually any business process. The ability to use off-the-shelf components for basic operations significantly speeds up work, and all the necessary tools are available for creating unique elements. ## How does RAD differ from Agile methodology? The RAD model of software development, like Agile, excludes rigid planning and creation of linear models in favor of an approach where changes are made at any stage of work, which is why these methodologies are often compared. But while RAD incorporates many of the principles of Agile, they are not the same thing. Agile focuses on breaking projects down into functional tasks that are accomplished during sprints, short periods where a team works to complete a predetermined set of tasks. During a sprint, multiple iterations are created to get feedback on each function. RAD emphasizes prototypes - complete versions of the product that are usable. Prototypes provide the user to get feedback on the entire application at once. Instead of waiting for individual features to be completed before requesting user evaluations, the RAD methodology allows the entire functionality of a prototype that is still in the works to be evaluated. This approach makes it possible to improve the full functionality of the software throughout the development process. ## Pros and cons of RAD methodology Because of the emphasis on creating working prototypes for user testing, RAD rapid development has a number of pros over other methodologies. Here are the main ones: - The ability to easily modify the development process to meet changing project requirements. - Quickly produce product versions without lengthy planning or creating large development cycles - RAD tools speed up the process. - Ease of tracking and measuring progress between prototypes. - Reduce the likelihood of bugs and reduce the time required for testing by reusing code. - RAD allows developers to accomplish more with less by reducing time to market and not having to re-run projects. - Customer feedback is used as a primary testing method, which increases user engagement and helps create a more effective product. - Ability to identify and address risks early on without delaying until the final software version is completed. - Optimal interaction of the final product with other user tools and systems due to integration throughout the development process. - Ability to implement new technologies as they become available, even in the middle of development. - Rapid release of new versions without significant effort and, as a result, shorter time-to-market.

Despite the numerous advantages, there are some disadvantages to be aware of when choosing a RAD development model. These can include: - The need for a team of highly skilled, experienced developers who can identify business requirements, perform quality analysis, and create working models. - RAD is only suitable for systems that can be effectively implemented as modules. - In large-scale projects with large teams and a wide range of stakeholders, it can be difficult to collaborate effectively and provide the flexibility needed for rapid development. - User requirements must be clearly defined throughout the project lifecycle. - The high cost of modeling and automated code generation can make RAD prohibitively expensive for low-budget projects. - RAD is best suited for projects with short development timeframes; other methodologies are better suited for long-term projects. ## When to use the RAD development model If we take into account the pros and cons described above, it becomes obvious that RAD rapid development is best suited for projects with a large and responsive audience of users who are ready to test and provide detailed feedback. That said, a development company needs a team of highly skilled and motivated professionals who can make necessary changes quickly and release new prototypes promptly. Projects and scenarios that don't meet these requirements are not a good fit for RAD. To ensure that the results of rapid development meet expectations, follow these guidelines: - Make sure the budget covers all costs, especially those associated with automated code generation tools. - Make sure you have experts who are willing to work closely with developers and provide the necessary business data. - Apply the RAD model only to projects that can be easily broken down into specific modules. For projects that don't lend themselves to modularization, it's better to choose a different methodology. - Consider RAD for projects with dynamic requirements to flexibly respond to changing needs by releasing new prototypes. The Rapid application development methodology is suitable for most projects that meet the conditions described above. With [SimpleOne's Low-code platform](), you can build and customize business applications of any size and complexity and extend their functionality as your business grows and new challenges arise. ## Summary The**RAD methodology** is a powerful tool that allows you to deliver quality software products to market quickly and efficiently. This model yields excellent results when applied to the right projects. Of course, RAD has limitations like any other development model, but most of them can be mitigated with the right tools.