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JAD: An Acronym to Remember

Has your company started a new information system initiative with grand expectations only to have those expectations dashed by delivery of a system (if a system was delivered at all) that misses the intended mark entirely? For those of us who enjoy Monday morning quarterbacking, we know that in many cases this situation is caused by poor system design. CBSG and many corporations have used a system design process called JAD that significantly increases the chances for success.

JAD is the acronym for Joint Application Development. Initially developed by IBM in the mid-1980s, it is a very effective, user oriented information system design process. (In fact, since JAD’s introduction in 1985, some organizations have expanded its original purpose to complete project plans, select system software, develop business policies, or to make critical business decisions).

The JAD process has five distinct stages:

  • Project Scope and Definition
  • Research
  • Workshop Preparation
  • The JAD Session itself
  • Writing the Final System Specification Document

What makes JAD such an effective system design tool? First, the process is built on the premise of “doing one’s homework” at the outset of the project. Second, JAD brings the user constituencies and the Information System people together at the table to work out the business and system requirements.

Initially, the project leader (the JAD facilitator) works with senior management and key users to define the strategic and business objectives for the system. The facilitator then conducts research to ascertain the user’s system requirements. Work flow and manual processes are reviewed and system design issues are examined. Data elements, screens and management reports are sketched out in draft form. Once this initial research is completed, a working document is prepared along with charts and other visual aides for the JAD meetings.

The JAD session itself is a structured workshop where the key users come together with the information system people to share information and ideas and to reach consensus on the system requirements and design. The JAD facilitator leads and moderates the sessions. A “scribe” is also brought in who records the agreed-upon requirements. The final output from these sessions is a consensus driven, user-oriented written document defining the system’s functional specifications.

CBSG has utilized JAD in a number of ways with our clients. We have mentored project leaders to become JAD facilitators. We have conducted a ‘train the trainer’ session for JAD members and we have also acted as JAD facilitators. If your organization has been struggling with information system initiatives, JAD may be an alternative to get (and keep) things on track. If you want more information on this powerful process, E-mail us through our CBSG Interest Form or call us at 1-888-411-5800.

“In my experience with leading information technology initiatives, JAD produces results: better system specifications and a better end product.” David K. Scheuring, Rightime Econometrics

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