There’s an ever-growing need for enterprise-ready applications which has fueled innovation in the realm of app development. Businesses now rely on apps to streamline core processes, centralize operations, offer customer support, build operational agility, and gain access to actionable insights. Needless to say, not producing apps on time can give your competitors an edge.
To deploy apps in the least possible time, many companies now use Rapid Application Development (RAD). RAD helps developers build higher-quality products faster through early prototyping and iterative design testing. They develop IT solutions faster using pre-built widgets, templates, and components. This accelerates the development of new software allowing developers to build apps and modify them without affecting business operations. Today, we’ll be looking at the phases of Rapid Application Development as well as the benefits of RAD.
Why is RAD so popular in low code industry?
Every company wants to sell more, improve corporate efficiency, and maximize revenue-generating opportunities. But many companies are competing for the same consumers, and the only way to succeed is through differentiation. Companies that deliver tech solutions early become disruptive players. Every organization that wants to become more agile and profitable must embrace this technological shift.
With the RAD methodology, developers can significantly reduce app delivery time. They don’t have to wait for a complete app to test functions. They can use prototypes to conduct tests and leverage user feedback to change the core features.
The five phases of Rapid Application Development (RAD)
The five rapid application development (RAD) phases include
-
Business modeling
-
Data modeling
-
Process modeling
- Application generation
- Testing and turnover
Developers can add new features and functionalities to the application at any given time.
RAD also gets rid of the planning phase in favour of prioritizing speed. Software becomes ready for use in a shorter period. Multiple testing ensures that each application fully meets the users’ needs. These are the five RAD phases:
Phase 1: Business modelling
At this stage, information flow between different business functions is defined by answering the following questions:
- What data drives the business process?
- Who generates the data?
- Where does the information go?
- Who processes it?
Information is gathered through many business-related sources. This information is combined to create a useful description of how the data will be used when it is processed.
Phase 2: Data modeling
The information gathered during the Business Modeling phase is analyzed and categorized into different groups (data objects) that are needed to support the business. The attributes of each group are identified, and the relationship between them is defined.
Phase 3: Process modeling
Process modeling is the third phase of the RAD methodology. Here, all the information groups from the Data Modeling stage are converted into usable data models. These models help extract information from the data objects for making the changes required for proper processing and are responsible for executing business functions. At this stage, changes and optimization in development can be done to increase value and quality.
Phase 4: Application generation
Here, all the data gathered is coded, and the system that will be used to build the prototype is developed. The data models become actual prototypes that can be tested. Automated tools are used to speed up construction of the software.
Phase 5: Testing and turnover
This RAD methodology phase ensures less time is spent testing the prototypes created. Every prototype is tested separately to modify the components quickly and to create the best product. The overall testing time is reduced since many of the programming components have already been tested.
#Free eBook
