Low Code Application Development

Put simply, low code platforms offer a faster, more efficient way to build applications. With their visual approach, low code development platforms enable developers to drag-and-drop pre-coded blocks, thereby reducing the need to write code. Because developers don’t have to write as much code, they can build anything from mobile apps to complete ERP systems much faster than traditional development allows.

In addition to professional developers, low code empowers business users to rapidly develop solutions to transform business processes and meet ever-changing customer needs. With low code development tools, more people can contribute to software development which enables agility and improves overall productivity.

Since James Martin published his book, Application Development Without Programmers, in 1982, we've had a good idea of the direction in which traditional software development is headed. In the years that followed, software companies introduces various computer-assisted software engineering (CASE) tools, fourth-generation programming languages (4GL), and rapid application development (RAD) tools, with varying degrees of success.

Such tools aimed to hasten the speed of software development, in part by reducing the amount of manual coding needed. It's this sort of innovative thinking that would eventually lead to the creation of low code platforms.

In this short video, Lead Analyst at Forrester Research, John Rymer, gives his expert insight into how low code platforms help bridge the gap between the business and IT. John highlights how low code can be used to develop prototypes in days instead of months, and how this encourages collaboration within enterprise organizations.

The enterprise organizations that we work with tend to have one thing in common: they want to beat the competition by ramping up innovation. One of the biggest hurdles organizations face in doing this is that their resources are taken up by just keeping day-to-day operations running smoothly (or sometimes not so smoothly).

This is especially true of IT departments. How many times has the business side of your organization come up with an idea for a new product or process, only to have it added to the very bottom of IT’s already massive backlog? Low code platforms address this challenge in two ways:

1. Accelerated delivery

As I’ve mentioned, they speed up the development process. This means IT has more time for innovation. Simple as that.

2. Citizen development

They open up the possibility for citizen development. This is where non-professional developers, often business-side employees, can contribute to the development process under the governance of IT. This expands your organization’s developer pool and is made possible by the relative ease of use of low (and no) code platforms.

How does low code, reduce development costs? Consider this: With low code application, building a prototype or minimum viable product (MVP) can take days instead of months. This can lead to significant cost savings as it quickly gives organizations insight into the potential of the project. It reduces the risk of investing in developing a prototype via manual coding over a period of several months, to ultimately realize it’s not a viable solution.

Furthermore, business users can select and connect reusable components that represent code to create applications. This considerably increases the speed of the development process.

With low code development tools, more people can contribute to the development process which helps in addressing the problem of shortage of developers and rising demand for software. This ultimately puts the power of innovation into the hands of your entire organization.

Professional developers

When we talk about low code vs high code or low code vs no code, the first thing to get straight is that experienced developers are always essential. Whichever strategy your organization implements, experienced developers are required to provide governance and take care of complex tasks such as security and scalability. Moreover, professional developers ensure the work of citizen developers runs smoothly by removing any obstacles they face in the development process.
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Citizen developers

However, unlike traditional development, low code platforms open up the possibility for non-professional developers to take part in the software development process. This is known as citizen development. Without a doubt, no one understands business processes and customers better than business-side employees. By using visual modeling tools and their domain expertise, citizen developers can build solutions to meet the needs of the business.

According to a recent report by Gartner, “By 2024, 80% of technology products and services will be built by professionals outside of IT”. This trend is driven by low code and no code development platforms which enable tech-savvy business users to create their own apps rather than waiting for IT. Low code app development makes it possible for anyone from development teams to business users to build custom applications of varying complexity levels.

Leading enterprise organizations use citizen development as a way of expanding their developer pool and bringing invaluable insight from business-side employees to the development process.

At Betty Blocks, we understand that every organization is different and that goals, strategies, and resources change over time. That’s why our platform can be used as either a low-code or a no-code platform. Betty Blocks is a citizen development platform first and foremost. It enables citizen developers, whether on the business side or in IT, to speed up the development process and build better solutions in a safe and governed environment. A citizen developer is a user who creates new business applications to be used by others using low code development tools under the governance of corporate IT.

Betty Blocks gives you the freedom to build advanced applications by using citizen development in the way that best suits your organization. Is your focus on enabling your experienced developers to build faster? Use Betty Blocks as a low-code platform. Or, does your IT department have a huge backlog whilst business-side employees are itching to solve problems? Use Betty Blocks as a no-code platform. And, of course, knowing how to use the platform effectively for your specific needs is something we’re here to help with. Reach out to one of our citizen development experts here.