Embarcadero RAD Studio XE2 (Rapid Application Development)

Embarcadero RAD Studio XE2 (Rapid Application Development)

Rapid application development is a software development methodology that involves methods like iterative development and software prototyping. RAD Studio is a shared host for Delphi, C++Builder, and others. Embarcadero sells RAD Studio, a suite of development tools which consists of Delphi, Delphi Prism and C++Builder. Like Delphi, there are different editions of RAD Studio: Professional edition, Enterprise edition and Architect edition. It includes the VCL (Visual Component Library), support for COM.

Phases of RAD:

1. Requirement Analysis
2. Design Phase
3. Construction Phase
4. Cutover Phase

1. Requirements Planning phase – combines elements of the system planning and systems analysis phases of the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Users, managers, and IT staff members discuss and agree on business needs, project scope, constraints, and system requirements. It ends when the team agrees on the key issues and obtains management authorization to continue.

2. User design phase – during this phase, users interact with systems analysts and develop models and prototypes that represent all system processes, inputs, and outputs. The RAD groups or subgroups typically use a combination of Joint Application Development (JAD) techniques and CASE tools to translate user needs into working models. User Design is a continuous interactive process that allows users to understand, modify, and eventually approve a working model of the system that meets their needs.

3. Construction phase – focuses on program and application development task similar to the SDLC. In RAD, however, users continue to participate and can still suggest changes or improvements as actual screens or reports are developed. Its tasks are programming and application development, coding, unit-integration and system testing.

4. Cutover phase – resembles the final tasks in the SDLC implementation phase, including data conversion, testing, changeover to the new system, and user training. Compared with traditional methods, the entire process is compressed. As a result, the new system is built, delivered, and placed in operation much sooner. Its tasks are data conversion, full-scale testing, system changeover, user training.