| PxE 62 Success of JAD Workshops Depends .. This is the 10th in a serieš on rapid appli- cations develop- ment (RAD). Joint applica- tion design (JAD), originally introduced by IBM Canada, greatly facilitates the communica- tion of specifica- tions from end users to informa- tion systems (IS) analysts. The technigue, particularly successful for applications development, has spread to many corporations. It speeds reguirements analysis and de- sign, and yields designa that better meet end users' needs. The basic idea of JAD is to select key end users and conduct workshops that; progress through a planned set of steps designed to create the system rapidly. In the session, IS staff members translate users' reguirements into relevant data models, screen and report designs, pro- cess-flow diagrams, decomposition dia- grams and rough prototypes. Early JAD sessions were done without automation, but the process is far more effective when combined with integrat- ed computer-aided software engineering ((-CASE) tools, which can generate code for complete prototype applications. The skills of the person who organizes and conducts the JAD workshops are particularly critical to their success. Usually one person, called the JAD lead- er, runs the session. The job of JAD leader should be re- garded as a profession, reguiring profes: sional skills that take time to develop. JAD leaders are not likely to conduct their first session perfectly. Only after three or four sessions does the leader gain the necessary confidence and skill to make the session as effective as possi- | ble. When a JAD session fails, it is al- most always the fault of the leader. | JAD leaders should be chosen mainly for their communications skills. They may come from the end-user or IS com- munity, but in practice, most come from IS. Some JAD leaders have been infor- mation-center staff members, some have a marketing background, and some are consultants. 'The JAD leader needs to be diplomat- ic and disassociated from any politics that. might affect the session. Above all, the leader must remain objective. It is his or her job to prepare the session, orchestrate the interaction between the participants, confine discussions to a structured framework and move the session relatively guickly to the re- guired conclusions. The JAD leader acts as the focal point for the views of management, end users and IS profes- sionals. The JAD leader needs to research and prepare for the meeting, and to provide the participants with appropriate print ed material. Additionally, JAD leaders should be: € comfortable working in front of a group of people; | JO EI Je NE TI ET A JE EJ IE PTI poor aa TEM taj SERIJ VONJE so DIETE ER ME o ET TE ET TNE NI reg em PC WEEKNAPPLICATION DEVELOPMENT ppeueo MrellcencE MAČJE eat ' confident in their ability to direct, dis- cussion and fact finding; € able to command the respect of all parties at the session; 1 € well prepared; € knowledgeable about the area of business; € competent in the technigues being used; and | ETI ge Li separated into subsystems with an ič - CASE tool that ensures consistent data - models and precise interfaces between . V the subsystems. Separate, one-week JAD i sessions may then be used for the sepa- rate subsystems. 4. Participants in the JAD workshop V should understand four types of dia- | grams: entity-relationship diagrams; de- € able to control controversies and stay :/ composition diagrams; dependency, or fiexible. A good JAD leader knows that cer- tain goals must be accomplished by a given time. The JAD leader moves the session forward until the reguisite de- data-flow, diagrams; and action dia- grams (used to specify procedural logic). > These can usually be taught to end us- ! ers in a half-day course. In some organi: » zations, however, two half-day training signs are completed, along with sereens, sessions are used. reports and, possibly, prototypes. The Users who have not previously partic- Essential Elements of a New |.S. Professional: Joint Application Design Leader poility 19 ke S ča CA EMAS S / , EN Š iz", anketna — m blend disparate View Peti! ] 1 Protessionals 7 ie (9) TN a ri pe Ee Ne de, a MEČ —— | Strong leadership skil š The goal iš to discuss ideas and reach agreement without Orca bllity to direct SSion and comme PSpect of participant delay. It is importani for the JAD leader to be enthusiastic. about JAD and to convey excitement to the participants. il goal is to discuse ideas fully and reach | TTIEEI Ma Ex ipated in JAD need to become familiar agreement without; much delay. It is im: 4! with what it is and what they are ex: portant for the session leader to be en: thusiastic about JAD and to convey ex- citement to the participants about. how /: well it can work. consulting firm to run its first JAD workshops until its own JAD leader be- comes experienced, For RAD, 1 recommend full-time—not half-day—participation in JAD work: shops. Šessions should usually last five days, since participants tend to spend . the first two days getting to know one another. | Very large applications need to be % pected to contribute. | 4" The users and the JAD leader draw i into an ICASE tool set, which » shows how the diagrams relate to one another and provides details of the ob- - Jects, The participants examine the rela- | tlonships and details on a large-screen ; monitor, adjusting the computerized de- —sign as the workshop progressed. | 4 In the RAD life cycle, there are two »JAD workshops in the user design »/ phase, Before the first workshop, there ns a period of preparation, and a kickoff ' and discuss the diagrams on a white |, < board or flip charts. A scribe enters the ,' A corporation may employ an outside | FEBRUARY 26, 1990 Largely on Leaders meeting is held. 'The initial design of the system is done in the first workshop. To begin, the scope and objectives are ' reviewed, along with the output of the | previous joint reguirements planning JRP) workshop. Relevant information from the I-CASE repository is reviewed. It may be shown "live" on the work- shop's large-screen monitor using the I- CASE tool. Adjustments may be made and comments added. The data model may be discussed and modified. Each process, represented by a pro- cess block on the process-flow diagram, is then examined in detail. This may JE done in five stages: ; % determining the steps in the pro- cedure; - 6 building an initial data-flow diagram sho the steps; LJ ke each procedural step in more detail; $ creating a partial prototype for each procedural step; and € addressing unresolved issues. 'The workshop participants should be shown screen designs and prototypes of | the dialogue. They should examine and | comment on reports thB'system , produces. "After the first workshop, the design is : solidified and cleaned up by IS profes- .sionals, and prototypes are built; users examine the design documents generat- ed by the ICASE tool and work with č the prototypes. At the second workshop, the experi- "ence with the prototypes is reviewed and enhancements to the design dis- : cussed. Substantial design improvements or additions may be made. After the second workshop, the design is further - solidified and then finalized. (. Preparation for the construction - phase should overlap the JAD activity, ' taking place near the end of the pro- cess. The construction team becomes in- - volved after the first JAD workshop, when the design is being consolidated and the prototypes evaluated. Members of the team are present at the second ' workshop. The construction team should esti: mate the amount of work reguired, which may indicate that the system be split into subsystems to be developed in » parallel by separate teams. The goal of the second workshop is to make a presentation to the executive owner and allow him or her to guestion the participants. The owner must feel ' comfortable with the design to give the go-ahead for construction. Next week, I will discuss the concept of SWAT teams—small, highly trained teams of IS professionals who build the application under deadline. 8 me concepts embodied in RAD are de- seribed in a new volume in the James Martin Report Series. For more infor: mation on this volume, call (800) 242- |1240. For information on seminars, čaje ge the United States and Can. nology Transfer Institute, 741 10th St, Santa Monica, Calif. 90402 (213) 394-8305. In Europe, con- tact Savant, 2 New St., Carnforth, LA5 9BX United Kingdom (0524) 734 505.