Democratize Software Development with Low-Code No-Code
Samir Chitkara, Application Development Manager, Credit Corp Group
Investment in technology across all organizations has never been higher, especially in the post-pandemic world, but the supply of tech talent has not been able to keep pace. Software outsourcing has helped organizations scale and gain highly experienced developers on the team, but we’re still far behind the demand curve.
What we need is a robust and reliable solution that allows organizations to expand the software delivery pool and rapidly deploy enterprise-wide solutions.
I believe the solution lies in adopting Low-Code No-Code development platforms. It’s not a new concept. In 1987, Apple released HyperCard, a low-code programming tool. It gained momentum, but the project got lost in many other larger Apple projects that were discontinued in 1998. Almost two decades later, the concept of Low-Code resurfaced. Low-code development platforms have been developed to enable rapid application development with minimal manual coding using reusable and pre-built components for common tasks and configurations to support required customizations.
The latest FAD on this track is the No-Code Platform which aims to democratize software development with its point-and-click orchestration of UX, business processes, business rules, integrated database support with a one-click application deployment without needing to write a single line of code! This concept allows a wider range of people to contribute to the development of an application rather than relying on software engineers.
No-Code platforms enable business users to translate their ideas into working software, while Low-Code platforms equip software engineers for faster software delivery. Gartner predicts that 65% of application development will be Low-Code by 2025. -Code/No-Code Development and IT Industry Support The democratization of software development is inevitable with citizen-developers in the lead.
Like any new emerging trend, early adopters of Low-Code No-Code platforms will reap the benefits. I think organizations need to embrace this new movement to stay ahead of the competition. journey and implementing an appropriate IT strategy, including tools, frameworks, governance, training, and support for the new paradigm. With the growing popularity of these platforms, enterprise-grade vendors There’s no shortage of these, including OutSystems, PEGA, Appian, Mendix in addition to the well-known and established ones like – Google, Microsoft, Salesforce and Oracle.
Selecting the right vendor/platform is crucial to the success of their IT strategy. It is imperative to identify platforms that match the skill set of end users and the long-term vision of the organization. Additionally, CIOs should assess key platform capabilities such as – UX Design, Business Rules, Workflows, Integration, and the organization’s ecosystem. Platform governance and security should be at the top of CIOs’ list, as low-code development platform security and compliance are growing concerns, especially for applications that use data from developers. consumers. There may be concerns about the security of applications that are developed quickly and may lack governance, leading to compliance issues. Due consideration should also be given to the platform’s licensing model, total cost of ownership, vendor’s ability to support and align with the organization’s vision.
There are apprehensions. Some CIOs have expressed concern that adoption of the new platforms could lead to unsupported applications being created by parallel IT teams. While this is a real concern, it can be addressed by implementing a comprehensive strategy around governance, training, support, and involving developers as well as citizen-developers in the overall journey. .
Skeptics may have their point of view, but I believe this paradigm shift is a boon and allows us to harness the untapped potential within sales teams to gain competitive advantage. The benefits of lower development cost and rapid software development are too hard to ignore. However, traditional development will not disappear completely as Low-Code No-Code development may not be suitable for all software needs such as mission critical, performance and complex business requirements.
My recommendations will be: Recognize the need for Low-Code No-Code platforms, Get buy-in from the ExCo, Select the right tools that support the organization’s long-term vision, Set up governance and compliance, providing the ecosystem, ensuring staff are trained, creating a culture of collaboration, and democratizing software development with citizen developers…and that will put the company ahead of the competition!