3 ways to leverage low-code automation to enhance citizen development

It’s no secret that low-code platforms have revolutionized the world of application development (AppDev), enabling everyday business users, sometimes referred to as “citizen developers,” to create custom solutions quickly and efficiently.

Through visual interfaces and pre-built templates, these citizen developers can now handle crucial business processes that were once confined to IT departments and required extensive training. This development helps organizations integrate and automate their essential processes into cohesive frameworks (or fabrics). Low-code AppDev frameworks can connect various automation tools, processes and data sources, functioning as a central nervous system for the company.

Why low-code platforms are becoming increasingly popular

Today’s IT landscape is filled with multiple applications, each with their own development frameworks and APIs. Complex business processes often span across these applications, unnecessarily requiring multiple tools and interfaces for a single task, slowing down time to value.

Low-code development simplifies this complexity by allowing teams to build custom applications precisely to their needs, consolidating and streamlining tasks into a unified process. With a wide array of available applications, this approach not only boosts productivity and agility across enterprises, allowing teams to respond to emerging needs in real time, but also enhances user focus and adaptability, promptly delivering solutions that meet business demands. Additionally, maintenance costs are drastically reduced because these platforms often come with built-in testing capabilities that can be automated.

Unlocking team member potential

Low-code platforms not only benefit the business but also empower team members by expanding their capabilities. Legacy applications, which often become cumbersome to work with over time, are easier for non-technical team members to manage independently using low-code development. This autonomy reduces reliance on IT support, boosting job satisfaction and engagement, as team members find new ways to contribute.

As team members develop their low-code skills, they gain deeper alignment with team projects and utilize their domain expertise in the process, enabling them to make valuable suggestions and contribute more effectively to company goals.

Maximizing returns from low-code development

While technical expertise will remain critical, features such as drag-and-drop visual process chains and guided wizards now streamline automation and democratize workflows. If leveraged correctly, companies can now harness once hidden citizen developers within their teams for faster innovation and adaptation, without relying solely on traditional IT interventions.

Here are three immediate ways organizations can be leveraging low-code automation for citizen developer advancement and drive business agility.

1. Find the value

Meet with your teams to identify which parts of your IT environment would most benefit from technological updates. Establish a strategy to ensure that each subsequent step supports business goals and feeds into your product plan.

While the resources you dedicate to your low-code efforts may come at the expense of other processes in the beginning, it’s crucial that each update serves a direct purpose to avoid wasted time. This is the time to analyze your options for a low-code platform and find the solution that works best for your needs, maximizing ROI. Keep in mind your growth goals to ensure you choose a platform that addresses your current needs as well as what you hope to accomplish in the future.

2. Crawl, walk, run

Leaders should aim for easy wins at the outset of low-code attempts. After identifying areas for your teams to leverage low-code applications, consider prioritizing the most time-consuming tasks spread throughout multiple processes. Manual data management tasks, approvals, notifications and reminders for stakeholders are all prime candidates for early low-code projects. Automating manual workflows will expedite processes and further free your team members up to work on tasks that require human validation.

From there, move into more complex workflows necessary to your business, like supply chain management, claims processing and loan approvals. As your team grows more accustomed to the tools, they’ll be ready to start tackling increasingly sophisticated projects.

3. Create an infrastructure for scalability

Scaling low-code operations can be challenging but manageable with the right approach. Establish a company culture focused on learning and trying new ideas by providing ongoing trainings and resources to employees. Implement a Center of Excellence to standardize best practices and governance policies, fostering easy cross-functional collaboration to leverage diverse expertise from leaders and teams that some employees may not have the chance to work with in their current roles.

Design scalable architecture using modular components, or features that can be easily reused, replaced or updated without affecting the rest of the system and monitor performance with analytics to ensure high efficiency. Finally, maintain a constant feedback loop to gather user input from teams and proactively plan for future growth, continuing to realign your low-code strategy with long-term business goals. This comprehensive approach ensures scalable, efficient and effective low-code development.

Empowering your team with these powerful yet easy-to-understand tools provides benefits to the individual as well as the business. The market moves fast. Citizen developers are an underutilized but crucial aspect of remaining flexible and competitive in an ever-evolving IT landscape. Enterprises and mid-market companies can accelerate their digital transformation journeys significantly by leveraging low code platforms to unleash their citizen developer potential.

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