Maximizing Productivity with Joint Application Development Methodology
JAD(Joint Application Development) is a methodoloy that involves the client or end user in the design and development of an application, through a succession of collaborative workshops called JAD sessions.
The JAD approach, in comparison with the more traditional practice, is thought to lead to faster development times and greater client satisfaction, because the client is invloved thorughtout the development process. In comparison, in the traditional approach to system requirements and develops an application, with client input consisting of a series of interviews.
JAD Sessions Can Be Plainly Put As:
- Simplification: The process of understanding the type of work and requirements of the project.
- Identification: Finding the issues concerned with the project and the participants involved in it.
- Quantification: To accumulate the information and requirements needed to process the whole project.
- Clarification: To clarify and crystallize all the conditions agreed upon in the session.
- Unification: The challenge while doing a sizable project is to create connections from one phase of development to another.
- Satisfaction: Shared participation of users brings in a share in the outcome and towards the system’s success resulting in overall satisfaction.
Key Participants in Joint Applications Development
The key people involved in the JAD are a fundamental part of the success of the project as they are the core to get the system up and running. For this reason, we will mention some roles that cannot be missing to achieve the desired results.
Executive sponsor
This is the person who founds the project or owns the company. The executive sponsor can provide feedback and make critical decisions in the project. Although it is not necessary for them to be constantly involved, they should be available throughout the process in case their intervention is needed to solve problems or make important decisions.
Facilitator
The facilitator is the person in charge of running the meetings, identifying problems and making clear the final points of each meeting. The facilitator is in constant direct communication with the executive sponsor to achieve the desired objectives.
The facilitator must:
- Be impartial and neutral
- Lead the group and maintain the balance of the meetings / sessions / workshops
- Highlight points of value in the process of meeting with others
The facilitator communicates communication among the whole team.
This is also the person in charge of taking minutes or recording information from each session. This facilitates communication to review inputs, decisions and covenants after each meeting, giving a record of everything.
IT specialist
The IT specialist is in charge of providing technical advice and helps develop models to build the prototype.
The IT specialist must:
- Help the customer convert the concepts they have into business requirements
- Make appropriate use of the technology they have
- Provide realistic final solutions for the budget and delivery time
- Provide feedback and knowledge to strengthen the information technology system being developed
Observers
This is the person who observes every moment of the JAD process, the needs of the end user and the decision making that took place.
The observer must:
- See and listen
- Be aware of the wishes and needs of the user in the workshops / sessions
- Interact with the participants and the facilitator before or after each meeting
Interested users
These are the people who are the main focus in the process. Without them, Joint Application Development (JAD)- sessions would be meaningless.
They represent all the groups that will be affected by the development of the project. Their opinions and views will help shape the system they need.
Users should:
- Provide business knowledge
- Represent everyone involved in the project
Phases in JAD
The generic phases of the JAD life cycle include:
1. Define objectives
In this phase, the facilitator articulates the meeting agenda and outcomes and shares them with the participants for review.
2. Session preparation
This phase involves the facilitator researching the session objectives to get a holistic insight and prepare the session’s logistics.
3. Session conduct
The JAD session is conducted in this phase, and the progress is reviewed. Prototypes can be presented in the sessions to resolve conflicts among the stakeholders.
4. Documentation
In this phase, the requirements or design documents are compiled and reviewed.
Steps in Joint Application Development (JAD)
There are a number of steps to achieve Joint Application Development. The steps are mentioned below
Step 1: identify the objectives and constraints of the project
It is necessary to have clear objectives for the sessions and the project. Pre-planning the activities to be carried out is essential for the fulfilment of the tasks. Also be clear about who will be invited and how they can contribute to the creation of the information system.
Check whether the project you want to carry out was created before: if it worked, if it did not work, what eventualities it presented, or whether the project is a completely new initiative.
Step 2: identify the critical success factors
It is relevant to identify the critical success factors such as the measurement of the achievement of objectives, the planning and the results of the operational life of the system.
Step 3: define project deliverables
Defining the documentation, its narrative and layout is essential. Diagramming is vital but even more so a software process is much better to be able to develop the system process.
Step 4: define the schedule of workshop activities
The duration of the workshops must be calculated. The introduction should not take too long as the process should be followed by the continuation of the processes. The first day is an introductory day.
The second day is for learning and participation in order to achieve good communication.
The third day is where everyone is working on solving the problem, where productivity is achieved. Team Building to verify the prototype and to be able to achieve the fulfilment of objectives.
Step 5: select participants
These are the business users, IT professionals and external experts that will be needed for a successful workshop. Prepare the workshop material
Step 6: prepare the workshop in advance
This preparation should have visual tools, diagrams and documentation to help participants understand the project.
Step 7: organise the workshop activities and exercises
The facilitator should design the exercises and activities for the workshop, such as a decomposition diagram, a high-level entity-relationship diagram or a data model diagram among other types of diagrams to help participants learn.
When the diagram to be worked with is chosen, the facilitator designs the exercises in the workshop agenda for the group to develop the diagrams. The workshop will combine practical exercises oriented towards problem solving or working towards a different function, which will be carried out by sub-teams.
These sub-teams can be made up of people who are involved in different areas of the company in order to bring different perspectives to the project.
Step 8: prepare, inform and educate the participants
The participants of the sessions should know how the workshop will be distributed, its objectives and the desired outcomes of the meetings. This can take the form of an internal organisational mailing.
Step 9: coordinate the logistics of the workshop
The necessary materials should be available for the workshop, such as computers, a projector, paper, pens, tables and chairs, among other items needed.
Advantages of Joint Application Development (JAD)
- Allows collaboration between various professions to resolve conflicts
- Avoids traditional interviews per person and thus saves time
- Improves the system as the business users involved help to identify what is really needed based on their needs. Thus achieving the product for the end customer
- JAD proposes brainstorming sessions to get people to interact and think for the project
- The joint collaboration between the company and the clients reduces all risks
- It uses CASE tools in JAD workshops which improve the productivity of the session and provides system analysts with discussed and ready-to-use models
Disadvantages of JAD
- Different opinions can make it difficult to organise objectives.
- Depending on the size of the project the time in JAD sessions can have a more significant commitment and take time from the people involved.
Challenges
- The facilitator must provide a peaceful and balanced environment where all participants can raise their voices to express their views or comments, without leading to disorder
- Professionals who are relevant to the project should be involved, otherwise there will be people who will not contribute something meaningful
- The organisers of the JAD sessions should carry out a prior study of the topic to be discussed in order to be able to lead the project properly in the improvements or creation of the system that is being developed.
References:
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877050912002806
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8760717
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877050913002096
Authors:
Shubham Deokate
Harsh Gujar
Yash Chungade
Karan Gawali
Vivek Ingle