Rapid Application Deployment

Rapid application development (RAD) is a condensed development process that produces a high-quality system with low investment costs. Scott Stiner, CEO and president of UM Technologies, said in Forbes, “This RAD process allows our developers to quickly adjust to shifting requirements in a fast-paced and constantly changing market.” The ability to quickly adjust is what allows such a low investment cost.

The rapid application development method contains four phases: requirements planning, user design, construction, and cutover. The user design and construction phases repeat until the user confirms that the product meets all requirements.

Pros:

Rapid application development is most effective for projects with a well-defined business objective and a clearly defined user group, but which are not computationally complex. RAD is especially useful for small to medium projects that are time sensitive.

Cons:

Rapid application development requires a stable team composition with highly skilled developers and users who are deeply knowledgeable about the application area. Deep knowledge is essential in a condensed development timeline that requires approval after each construction phase. Organizations that don’t meet these requirements are unlikely to benefit from RAD.