Why Rapid Application Development (RAD)?

As a C-suite executive stationed on the edge of Industry 4.o, you are summoned to innovation marathons, necessitating quick solutions in a cost-efficient manner. The rapid transformations and developments in the software world have, indeed, put IT leaders in a tight spot. But the good news is, these transformations have been welcomed by all C-level executives through an innovation-first approach.

For long, the waterfall model stood as the sole development methodology for developers. Being a long-drawn development model, the waterfall methodology brought with it huge amounts of risks and uncertainty. Rapid Application Development (RAD) or rapid software development, developed as a response to this uncertain development model, comes as a redeemer to the fast-paced, ever-changing software development world. It promotes concurrent development and testing phases while facilitating continuous iterations.

Necessity is the mother of innovation. True Enough!! Rapid Application Development comes at a time when enterprises are steering ahead at breakneck speed towards digital transformation. This fosters the need to deploy innovative solutions in a Rapid Application Development (RAD) framework, to help test aspects such as features and functionalities of applications to ensure an efficient design to launch.

What does the Rapid Application Development Model look like?

Enterprises that practice rapid application development are dime a dozen, but it is always important for IT leaders to join forces with the one that prioritizes innovation and produces customized workflows with minimum turnaround time, welcoming continuous iterations, and end-to-end security and maintenance.

The tried and tested four-step process of rapid application development framework: Engage, Co-Ideate, Prototype, and the delivery of the Minimum Viable Product, are ingeniously incorporated within an innovation framework. The following are the different phases of a software development lifecycle that works on an innovation-led rapid application development model.

Engage : This phase involves the stakeholders on both sides to become co-innovators and engage in identifying the objectives, scope of the project and planning.

Co-Ideate : This involves brainstorming and gathering requirements through workshops and focus groups.

Co-Create & Prototype : This step of the Rapid Application Development model is where the prototyping happens. This involves refining, developing and demonstrating to the stakeholders visually, what the end product would be like. This would include simultaneous development and testing, with continuous integration and delivery, reducing the go-to-market time.

Minimum Viable Product : The prototyping brings forth the MVP, which is subject to continuous iterations under a rapid application development model.

What are the benefits of a Rapid Application Development Methodology?

The pioneer of the RAD model, James Martin, came up with rapid application development as a measure to reduce the go-to-market time and as it was more efficient than the other SDLC methodologies.

Break in pieces

Breaking large projects into smaller assignments helps in multiple ways.  Forming smaller, specialized teams in a RAD model for a large project will help improve the efficiency and productivity of the project. This methodology further increases and improves the focus of the group, driving more aligned results.

Minimum Turnaround Time

The rapid application development framework works by creating working prototypes after gathering the project requirements. Though the final product sees light only after bringing together the multiple prototypes, you get to show the progress on the project to the clients, under a RAD framework.

Continuous Feedback Loop

The rapid prototyping software development helps clients to register their feedback and implement changes, unlike the waterfall model wherein the client gets to see the final product, good or bad only at the end. This way the finished product is more in line with the client’s requirement.

When to Use RAD?

RAD model being a less rigid framework increases the scope of a project, being open to continuous iterations and integration of feedback. No matter how efficient and able the RAD model is, it shouldn’t be used indiscriminately. Rapid development platforms are suitable for bigger projects and require highly skilled designers to drive quick results with continuous integration and development.

How Ignitho leads the Rapid Application Development Movement through Innovation?

Being the pioneers of Frugal Innovation, developed in collaboration with a world-renowned thought-leader from the University of Cambridge, Ignitho has always been at the forefront of Innovation, driving quick outcomes on limited budgets for the web and mobile.

Our RAD services work on the Distributed Agile Software Development, along the lines of traditional agile, prioritizing customer requirements with the continuous feedback mechanism. Our innovation-led, delivery-backed, and technology-focused team through its Frugal approach, helps CIOs, CTOs and other C-level executives to start small and deliver quick outcomes on limited budgets for both the web and mobile.

As the era of innovation is also the era of rapid solutions and minimal turnaround time, rapid application development becomes the tailor-made software development methodology for the enterprises. With minimal waste cycles giving the edge, RAD framework, a successor of the agile methodology, holds the keys to the future of software development.