<P> The RAD approach also matured during the period of peak interest in business re-engineering . The idea of business process re-engineering was to radically rethink core business processes such as sales and customer support with the new capabilities of Information Technology in mind . RAD was often an essential part of larger business re engineering programs . The rapid prototyping approach of RAD was a key tool to help users and analysts "think out of the box" about innovative ways that technology might radically reinvent a core business process . </P> <P> The James Martin approach to RAD divides the process into four distinct phases: </P> <Ol> <Li> Requirements planning phase--combines elements of the system planning and systems analysis phases of the Systems 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 . </Li> <Li> 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 . </Li> <Li> 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 . </Li> <Li> 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 . </Li> </Ol> <Li> Requirements planning phase--combines elements of the system planning and systems analysis phases of the Systems 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 . </Li>

What are the different phases of rapid application development model