Is Low-code development the next digital transformation for organisations?

Studies show that Low-code will increasingly replace traditional software development in the coming years. Let’s find out how to get started with Low-Code in an easy way and have a closer look on the areas of application in this blog, to make your start with Low-code successful!

The Low-code market will only grow in the coming years. There is a wide choice as there are literally hundreds of Low-code platforms on the market. This makes it difficult for organisations to choose, let alone experiment with it. However, that barrier is being lowered all the time, making a Low-code transformation seem easier than ever. Let's check out how to tackle the topic of Low-code best!

Studies show that Low-code will increasingly replace traditional software development in the coming years. According to Gartner, as much as 65 percent of application development will be Low-code by 2024. The Low-code market as a whole is expected to be worth a whopping $94.75 billion by 2028. In 2021, this was 'only' 13.89 billion. So, we cannot ignore the fact that Low-code is taking the world by storm.

And that's not surprising. Low-code gives organisations the means to develop applications much faster with less technical knowledge. However, the biggest limitation here often is the integration of Low-code development into the existing IT infrastructure and processes. After all, if you want to experiment with solutions like Mendix, Betty Blocks or Outsystems, the necessary steps must first be taken to securely connect business systems and data to the Low-code platform. For that reason, the first introduction to Low-code for many companies will depend on the simplicity of the platform – and its availability.

Getting started with Low-code in an easy way

Perhaps not everyone knows that Microsoft has its own amazing Low-code solution called Power Platform. It consists of several great tools such as Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, Power Virtual Agents and most recently Power Pages. These powerful suites can be used in combination with Low-code tools to develop all kinds of smart applications. Microsoft Power Platform is proving to be an interesting and helpful solution for many organisations already using Office 365, as it is a default component of many Office 365 licenses.

Through seamless integration with all applications within this software suite, and the ability to communicate with external sources, employees can build apps, automate business processes and digitize manual tasks independently and without too much technical software development know-how. From a simple financial dashboard to a complete workflow for a business-critical process: it's all possible. This is a real solution for employees in your organisation who have no IT knowledge, so-called citizen developers. Due to the easy availability of this solution, organisations can easily experiment with Low-code and quickly achieve results.

The growth of Low-code platforms

When the pandemic erupted, Microsoft Teams user adoption suddenly exploded. Suddenly there was an urgent need for online collaboration tools. Many companies already had this relatively young application in their Office 365 suite by default, and why would you pay extra for a new tool, when you already have something available by default? As Microsoft Teams has grown, I've seen the same growth in Low-code/No-code platforms.

Now I certainly do not want to claim that the market-leading suppliers of Low-code platforms will necessarily lose out to that other market leader: Microsoft Power Platform.

The solutions and application areas are too different for that. But the fact is that Microsoft makes it very easy for organisations to get started with Low-code tooling. And that can be an absolute game changer. After all, you don't have to install or integrate much, because all applications and data within the same software suite, and beyond, can work together.

I believe companies need to find a balance between the employees within their organisation and the development tools they use. It's about easy use versus manageable and controllable. But by enabling employees to work with Low-code themselves, they can create applications themselves that improve productivity.

Areas of application

It is difficult to say for which Low-code applications the Power Platform is used most often. Over the years I have seen many different Low-code solutions based on this platform. Think of a construction company that keeps track of its entire construction process from start to finish. Or a bank that evaluates risks with a Low-code solution and can even de-escalate them.

However, this is only the tip of the iceberg, because it is also particularly suitable for enterprise solutions, often around data integration. For example, you can think of advanced business intelligence dashboards and reports, automated process workflows, chatbots for answering questions from customers, and all kinds of practical mobile apps to make the work of staff in the field or on the shop floor easier.

These are not all applications that citizen developers can build independently within an organisation. For this, they usually need help from professional Low-code developers. But these employees can of course think along with the development of it. And then possibly make functional adjustments or extensions.

Summary

Simple but maintainable

Thus, Low-code is also extremely reliable for IT service providers to help their customers find tailor-made IT solutions, much faster and at a lower cost than with traditional software development tools. It is not without reason that more and more companies are seeing the benefits of this and are investing in knowledge and training to take maximum advantage of Low-code development.

If you talk about digital transformation these days, for many companies it has consisted of the transition to a hybrid working model in the recent years. I predict that the next transformation will consist of the increasing use of Low-code solutions within organisations. By delving into this now, you can move much faster with the changing market dynamic and business requirements in the event of a next pandemic or other disruptive event. In the end, it gives your organisation permanently more clout to innovate faster, and to optimize business processes.

Would you like to dive deeper into the topic of low-code? Then also check out the blog post of my colleague Ainara Novales “Low-code development: the age of citizen developers”.