Methodology:RADFrame(TM)OverviewOVERVIEWTheprocessofdevelopingsoftwareisoneofthemostcomplexanddifficultundertakingsinbusiness.Softwareprojectsareoftencharacterizedbyuncleargoals,differingviewpoints,intricatetechnicaldetails,andfrequentlyunrealistictimelines.RADFramestrivestobringordertothischaosbydefiningroles,tasks,requirements,andexpectationsforeachphase,step,andresource.RADFrameisaprocessframeworkfortheanalysis,design,anddevelopmentofInformationSystemsusingRapidApplicationDevelopment(RAD)techniques.Thereareseveralkeyprinciples,ortenets,uponwhichRADFramewasbased.Theyare:RapidApplicationDevelopment(RAD)TheconceptofRapidApplicationDevelopment(RAD)wascoinedyearsagobyindustryguru,JamesMartin.RADisanincrementalsystemdevelopmentmethodwhichallowssystemstobedevelopedquicklywithoutsacrificingquality.RADisincrementalbecause,asthesystemisdeveloped,functionalpiecesaredeliveredandimplementedevery3to4months.ThisapproachcontrastswiththetraditionalWaterfallMethodologyinwhichtheentireprojectisdevelopedandcodedbeforeimplementation.Overtheyears,manyinformationprojectshavefailedduetoarapidlychangingbusinessenvironmentcombinedwithaslowimplementation.AlthoughRAD'smainfocusisontechnologyandsystemsdevelopment,itincorporatespersonnelmanagementanduserinvolvement.Successfulsystemsdevelopmentprojectsarecharacterizedbyacomprehensiveunderstandingofrequirements,acohesive,organizedmethodforanalysis,design,anddevelopment,andtheuseofappropriatetoolsandtechniques.ClientandAAmanagementsupportandbuy-inofRADiskeytotheproject'ssuccess.ExecutivelevelmanagersshouldprovideasupportiveworkenvironmentinwhichtheintenseatmosphereofRADcanbeasenjoyableaspossible.KeycharacteristicsofaRADmanagementteamare:-Thedesiretodothingsinanewway.-Theabilitytolearnhowtousenewmethodologies.-Thewillingnesstoexperimentandlearnfrommistakes.RADisanintegratedsetoftools,techniques,andguidelinesthatfacilitatedeployingaclient’ssoftwareneedsintheshortestpossibleperiodoftime.AttheheartofRADisthe“timebox”,apre-determinedperiodoftime(usually90-120days)inwhichagivensectionoftheapplicationmustbebuilt.Thisisinrecognitionofthefactthatsomeofthefunctionalitymustbeimplementedinatimelymannerifthedesiredresultistoberealized...continuedcompressionofthebusinesscycleisdramaticallyreducingthewindowofopportunitytogaincompetitiveadvantage.Asaresultofthetimebox,andquiteunliketraditionalSDLCmethodologies,theresultingapplicationmaynotencompass100%ofthefeaturesandfunctionstoultimatelybeincludedinthesysteminitsfirstrelease.Instead,thefeatures/functionsaredeliveredincrementally;withthemostcriticalfunctionscomingfirstandadditionalfeaturestofollow.Thisensuresrelevancetothebusinessproblemaswellasprovidingcriticalfeedbackintheongoingdevelopmentprocess.Inaddition,RADFrameprovidesforaniterativeapproachtothedefinitionofsoftwarethroughtheuseofmodelingandprototypes.Thesetechniquesallowforamorerapidtransferofknowledgebetweentheteamsthroughtheutilizationofconceptualaids.ThroughouttheAnalysisandDesignphase,thereareseveraliterationsofthemodelto“getitright”.Toprioritizefeaturesandfunctions,applicationsaredissectedaccordingto“functionpoints”(thingswhichthesystemwilldo).Thefunctionpointsarepricedandprioritizedbasedontheircomplexityandbusinessrelevance.Theclient“buys”thefunctionpointstheywantbasedonpriceand/orpriority.Typically,thehigherriskandcomplexitycomponentsaredeli...
