Rapid Application Development (RAD) is a conventional plan driven software development model

which uses component (application, package, lib, DLL etc.,) based construction. The purpose of
introducing RAD is to include functionality to an application. Multiple teams work on different
components which will be later getting integrated to give the final shape of software.
Strengths of Scrum and RAD are that they are self-managed processes through iterative planning.

Any prototype application is build and offered to the application users after a rapid requirements
gathering phase. For the improvement and adding functionality in any application user’s feedback is
necessary as it provides loop. In prototype the use of real data is not involved in the RAD models and
real data used in new implementation of RAD. Time-to-market is greatly reduced by the advantage
of Rapid Prototyping Model.

RAD has different 4 phases that are requirements planning, user design, construction, and cutover

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_application_development#/media/File:RADModel.JPG

Requirements Planning:
-Users, managers and IT staff agree upon business needs, project scope and sys requirements
-Obtain approvals to continue

User Design:
-Interact with users
-Build models and prototypes
-Conduct intensive JAD-type sessions

Construction:
-Program and application development
-Coding
-Unit, INTG and system testing

Cutover:
-Data conversion
-System changeover
-User training
Rapid Application Development (RAD) methodology used minimal planning in favour of rapid
prototyping, allowing software to written faster and makes it easy to change the requirement. RAD
approach is not suitable for mission critical projects.

RAD approach is suitable for projects where objectives are well defined and narrow, data set for
project already exists, decision can be taken quickly, development team is small and architecture of
project is well defined.
"The merger of various structured techniques (especially the Data-driven information engineering)
with prototyping techniques and joint application development techniques to accelerate system
development" (Whitten et al., 2001).

"RAD can be characterized in two ways: as a methodology prescribing certain phases in software
development and as a class of tools that allow for speedy object development, graphical user
interfaces, and reusable code for client/server applications" (Agarwal et al., 2000).

"RAD is not a tool; it is a methodology designed to take advantage of development tools to help IS
professionals to develop small, medium, big and enormous projects in a fraction of time required by
other methodologies" (Alvarez et al., 2000).

"An iterative and contingent approach to interactive software development that is characterised by
large amounts of user involvement, the use of incremental prototyping and product-based project
management" (Beynon-Davies and Holmes, 2002).

RAD risks-
 It requires sufficient human resources as multiple teams are involved in parallel
 Not appropriate where technical risk is high
 DEV and customer teams must be committed to rapid-fire activities in abbreviated time
frame