Enabling citizen developers to solve problems

Microsoft expects that over the next 5 years, 500 million new apps will be built, more than all the apps built in the last 40 years. This highlights how critical low-code and no-code software will become.

Professional developers will need to focus on more complex challenges than an expense submission form or an approval form that citizen developers are capable of building. 

Low-code breakdown

Low-code refers to tools that enable application construction using visual programming models by adopting drag-and-drop components instead of traditional code. No-code and low-code platforms allow non-technical people or citizen developers to construct their solutions with less help from IT. 
 
When handing power to citizen developers with less security training, it is often a concern of increased risks. There is a possibility that low-code solutions could increase shadow IT if it is not governed well. 
 
Kiandra can enable your citizen developers to build simple point solutions to solve immediate problems while implementing a Microsoft Centre of Excellence (CoE) to ensure visibility, governance, and security.  

This provides organisation with peace of mind and allow the more complex and challenging solution to be addressed by the professional developers.

What are citizens developers? 

Citizen developers are non-IT employees who use technology to make work easier and more efficient using cloud-based, no-code or low-code platforms to create programs using intuitive interfaces.

To put it simply, they use a mouse instead of code. Citizen developers can be an effective solution for reducing IT backlog and improving development turnaround times.

Advantages of citizen development

The main advantage is organisations won’t need to employ quite so many professional developers with the knowledge and expertise of building extensive enterprise programs. Furthermore, by implementing low-code/no-code functionality, organisations are massively broadening the number of people who can assist in digital transformation.

Instead, an organisation can work with a software partner to provide the initial solution and form there form a team of citizen developers within the organisation to continue to utilise the no-code or low-code platform. This can help ensure any outcome is exactly appropriate to an organisation’s specific requirements.

Best use cases

The best use case for citizen development usually involves automation – tasks that are routine, repeatable and rules-based. These are easy wins, generally low-cost but deliver solutions quickly.

The best citizen development use cases are:

- Task automation – smart forms, approvals and/or notifications

- Workflow automation – end-to-end processes that connect a variety of systems or data sets

- Reasoning automation – inventory, reporting, order tracking.

Ideally, a best use case should be well thought out and aim to speed up processes and accuracy while decreasing dependence on e-mail and files.

When to consult the pros

Citizen developers obviously don’t have the same skills as professional developers. To set a citizen developer up for success means providing low-code application tools, to bridge the IT experience gap and include resources like:

- Templates  

- Code libraries  

- Pre-built integrations

But still, many applications may demand input and effort from both kinds of developers. Working within a platform that allows for increased collaboration between professional and citizen developers helps ensure complex elements are in the hands of those best qualified to address them. We can help you form a team of citizen developers to increase your agility, Contact us today.