Computers and its dominant hard code technology creating applications and database integrations has developed into a global trillion-dollar market. This includes all indirect costs managing the business side of this hard code development market.
New technological developments show opportunities to reduce these hard-code development budgets including a substantial reduction of management time and often related frustration. Low coding and no-coding are the new technologies on the block. They partly or completely reduce the need for hard coding, having an immediate impact on your organisations bottom line.
This blog explains what Low/No code is, the differences, which business issues they solve, risks & opportunities and the impact on your internal organisation.
What is low code / no-coding
Low/No code technologies remove the need for hard coding partially or completely. Low/No code uses graphical elements containing a hard-coded command always executing the same action or process step. These graphical elements use drag and drop functionality like working on a drawing board. Connecting these elements using lines creates series of commands automating a business process or establishing a data flow. To guarantee these elements always work when connected, access to the hard-coded command within an element is often denied.
Difference between low code & no-coding
No-coding
No-coding removes hard coding completely, creating applications and integrations in a simple and effective way. The work is done by dragging and dropping, creating visual flows using graphical elements. Hard code access is denied.
Low coding
Low coding is combining no-coding and hard coding. Hard coded commands are presented in graphical no-code elements. Some elements give access to the underlying hard coding when developers need it. This access enables developers to hard code specific customer demands.
Risk of Low/No code solutions
No-code limitations
No-code providers only allow use of available no-code elements in their solution. The no-code elements limited to what the solution offers. The solution provider develops these new graphical elements and decides the prioritisation. This causes developers to be sceptical towards no-code solutions. No-code is specifically useful to digitalise highly standardised business processes.
Opportunities - How to maximise the benefits
Short term benefits
Getting started with a Low/No code solution demands courage and good planning. Identify a business process or data flow case to test the Low/No code solution. Most providers offer a trial period to test their solution. The investment is limited to a dedicated resource learning to work with the solution. Access to education material and support is there for crucial. The short-term effects are immediate cost reduction, increased organisation flexibility and faster implementation of changes.
Operational benefits
Since digitalisation is done graphically and is highly visual, the programming black box is opened for the business. Business & IT should discuss together which business process automation and data flows to establish, starting the organisations digital transformation. This collaboration is crucial to maximise the Low/No code solution potential. Customers can respond faster to market disruption, changes in consumer behaviour and business demands, being the long-term benefits.
Strategic benefits
Only agile organisations will thrive in the digital future. Agility means the organisational ability to react to changes in markets & society. No/Low code technology enables this and becomes the core of every surviving organisation. Every organisation must have data at its core and data management as its core competence. You drive organisational change from digitalised business processes using Low/No code technology. People and organisational structures follow the changes executed in the digitalised business processes.
Low/No code solutions
Information about the available solutions in the market.
· Article describing the ins & outs of application low code platforms
· Forrester report on the largest integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS)
· Overview of Backend as a Service (BaaS)
The “Business needs” these solutions solve
Get started
Think through what to achieve with Low No code technology. Assess which business needs deliver the quickest Return on Investment, selecting the right Low/No code solution. This assessment should include pricing, functionality, flexibility, and educational support.
Testing a solution delivers insights regarding the organisational impact. Draft a plan how to transform your organisation with the right technology stack, data and data management at its core.
Bård Øvrebø CTO & Fredrik De Vries CEO
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