Introduction › Application Guidelines

Application Guidelines

The following guidelines should be considered when developing an application:

• User needs — An application must satisfy the requirements of the user. To accomplish this goal, the developer must consult frequently with the user, remembering that all ramifications of an application are often not apparent in the initial stages of development. Additionally, specifications may be subject to change as the user reacts to the prototype application, or as new aspects of the application become evident. A successful application requires strong user involvement throughout the design process.
• Human factors — A user-friendly application increases productivity. An application should be designed so that the end user feels capable of responding, knows how to proceed after each step, and knows how to get assistance if there is any confusion. The screens should be straight-forward, uncomplicated, and uncluttered.
• Flexibility — An application must be easy to maintain and modify. The structured design methods used by the CA ADS Application Compiler (ADSA) help the developer to accomplish this goal in the following ways: short, modules are used to perform the given functions; and the code that performs the processing logic is kept separate from the information about data (for example, format of records and elements, editing criteria). The implementation of naming, coding, and map formatting standards is strongly recommended, both for purposes of maintenance as well as for future enhancements of the application.
• Performance — The ultimate test of a design lies in its performance capabilities. The measures of what constitutes good performance are site-specific and vary with the needs and expectations of the user. Optimally, a good design should have acceptable throughput, should have reasonable response times, and should use the available resources as efficiently as possible.