Pace 58

Joint applica-

tions design
(JAD) workshops
are at the heart.
of new develop-
ment methodolo-
gies such as rapid
applications de-
velopment (RAD)
and Du Pont's
'Timebox.

JAD tech:
nigues are used
in the initial re-
guirements-plan-

» ning phase of the
RAD life cycle to identify high-level re-
guirements and features of the proposed
system. Additional JAD workshops are
conducted in the subseguent; user design
phase to specify the detailed design of
the system. The technigues used in JAD
can be generalized and applied to a vari-
ety of workshop environments.

JAD attacks a common problem in
applications development —the lack of
effective communication between end
users and information-systems (IS) pro:
fessionals.

The traditional applications-develop-
ment process attempts to solve this
communication problem through the
preparation of a series of specification
documents. Initial user reguirements are
translated into a feasibility document.
As part of a structured analysis process,
the feasibility document is expanded
into a structured specification. After the
user signs off the specification docu-
ment, it is translated into a detailed de-
sign document. The detailed design docu-
ment is then manually translated into
program code.

Doomed To Fail

Jt is hard to imagine a process that is
more error-prone and more likely to fail
to meet users' reguirements at cutover.
Errors and misunderstandings are intro-
duced at each translation of the specifi-
cations from one language to another.
End users are involved only at the be- —
ginning and end of the development pro-
cess, and that process is often so long
that business conditions have changed
by the time it is finished, invalidating
the initial functional reguirements.

JAD provides an effective mechanism
to solve these communication problems.
It offers a structured environment. in
which small teams of end users and IS
professionals can work together to ham-
mer out the design specifications for a
new application. JAD produces results
faster than the traditional writing of
specifications. More important, it results
in a design that is much better from the
users' point of view.

configured, using
overhead projectors, white boards, flip
Charts, copying facilities and a U-shaped
configuration of tables. An important
additional [acility is an integrated com-
puter-aided software engineering (1-
CASE) tool and a large-screen monitor
or television projection system.

[CASE tools incorporate both front.

H m
' V

PG WEEKNAPPLICATION DEVELOPMENT |

| APPLJED INTELLIGENCE. — VE

JAD Workshops Help Capture Design Specifications

tali:
end di: facilities and a tightly |
integrated back-end code generator cd-:. .;
pable of generating 100 percent of the;
code for an application. Using an I--':'
CASE tool, the design developed in a ;'
JAD workshop can be converted auto-
matically into a running prototype ap-
plication that can be demonstrated to
end users.

'The key players in JAD are the end.;
users who want a system that imple-
ments a given set of functions. Selecting
the best user participants is crucial. .:,,
'They should have the right mix of
knowledge about the business and the;
authority to make decisions about the
design, and they have to communicate

Seguence of Events

'

lri a Joint Application Design

KaH
person is a specialist who prepares and
directs the workshop sessions, encour-  ;
ages the players to participate and ;
moves the session along toward its

goals. Like an effective board chairman ;

or program moderator, a session leader
must be able to direct the Human dia-
logue constructively and avoid
sguabbles.

The scribe is responsible for the docu-
mentation. He or she captures design
specifications for the application using
an LCASE tool. Specifications that have
been sketched on a white board and
agreed upon by the users are entered
into a design repository on the PC using
the diagramming capability of the I-

Workshop

integrated CASE Tools Boost Productivity of JAD

The tool checks speti

Design speci
the participants, discussion,

are captured by a
an lfitegrated CAS

ications agalristi

corporate iriodel contaifiedi in its repositof

JAD

nd prepates prototype dp

-—-tlons tor review by the gro

attacks a common problem in applications

development—the lack of' effective communication between

end users and information-systems professionals.
i ti it

well. There are often one or more key .-
people who are critical in creating the.
design and having it accepted. If these
key players are not available, the work-
shop should not be run. | nM"
There should be at least one IS profes-
sional to build the prototype design us- .
ing the I-CASE tool and to ensure that
the is technically sound, Part of
this task is the building or extraction of
the reguisite normalized data model, :
Specialists in database design and other
particular areas may attend the JAD
sesslons part<time to offer advice to, the
A erically im rticipant;
portant participant in
the JAD process is the JAD leader, This

ih [ Kičij
udi

CASE tool, The scribe steadily adds de-
tail to the design of the application as it
emerges on the screen of the I-GASE
tool, adding comments as needed. He or
she should be skillful with the ICASE'
tool used to build and edit the
create the design, extract repository in.
formation, build sereen designs and re-
ports and create prototypes.

The participants examine the screens
that, are painted, the sample reports
generated, the screen dialogue and the

b [ a
E

to review or take with them in the eve-

i

FEBRUARY 19, 1990

ning. Participants may also examine or

modify parts of

sonal computers.

'The JAD leader takes the participants

through a preplanned set of steps. 'The
pe tedni the results with the I-
CASE tool and periodically interrupts
when the tool detects inconsistencies or
ambiguities. s

The tool helps ensure that the results
of the workshop are rigorous, consistent
and complete.

When he or she has cleaned up the
design, the scribe shows it to the partici-
pants using either a large-screen moni-
tor, a television projection system or a
computer-driven LCD mounted ona <
standard projector. This helps in the dis-
cussion of designs and prototypes.

Some JAD sessions employ an I-CASE
tool without, this large-screen projection
facility; the seribe then builds the design
in the tool as it evolves on the white
boards and periodically prints parts of it.

Some primitive JAD workshops are
conducted without, automated tools. Ex-
perience has shown, however, that JAD
produces far better designs when I-
CASE and prototyping tools are used.
The workshop should be linked tightly
to the repository, using its information

and building up design knowledge in it.
JAD technigues are particularly valu-
able for projects that span user organi-
zations or for applications that affect
multiple locations or disciplines. The
workshops are useful for resolving oper-
ational, organizational or procedural dif
ferences: End users and managers in the
workshop can confront, each other un-
der the guidance of a session leader
trained in negotiating skills, and must
agree to a design that, both sides accept.

The Benefits of JAD

The design process can be much faster
than the elapsed time with traditional
IS analysis technigues. Any corporation
organized to conduct JAD workshops
can prepare for a workshop in about

— three weeks and complete the JAD in

another two or three weeks.

JAD works because it harnesses the
know-how of the users, cuts across orga-
nizational barriers and is an organized,
controlled, structured process. Sereen
generators, report, generators and rough
prototypes make the design tangible,
and designs in ICASE tools are guickly
implemented and easy to maintain. The
ICASE tools enforce rigor and ensure
high guality, and the process directly

| addresses the strategic objectives of the

organization.

Next week, I will discuss the critical
functions performed by the JAD leader,
an important new participant in the ap-

, plications-development process. HM

The concepts embodied in RAD are de-
soribed 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,
contact (in the United. States and Can-
ada) Technology Transfer Institute,
Santa Monica, Calif.
90402 (213) 394-8305. In Europe, con-
tact Savant, 2 New St., Carnforth,
geniji LA5 9BX United Kingdom
(052%) 734 505.

the design on their per-