Custom application development can be the key to greater efficiency and innovation – but the question of how to create custom code can stand in the way of those goals. Traditional software development processes take time, something that businesses trying to beat the competition to market don’t have. Additionally, in-house IT teams are often focused on upgrades, system consolidation, and other tasks – not necessarily on a line of business (LOB) request. Read on to see our low code evaluation guide.
An effective solution is to deploy a low-code or no-code tool. Platform developers vary in their approach; therefore, different tools provide different capabilities. One way to understand the differences between low-code and no-code platforms is to compare them to interlocking building blocks:
Another category is transform code, which allows people to transform legacy applications into blocks and provide a kit to build new blocks. These platforms are primarily used to reduce technical debt and enable a clean digital core. Professional developers will find this technology valuable in reducing remediation efforts and enabling legacy application use when transitioning to modern IT environments, for example, from SAP ECC to SAP S/4HANA.
Even if you and your team see the value in low-code/no-code technology, transitioning from legacy development processes is a significant change. Additionally, implementing a new platform means another tool to administer and govern. So, how do you know the transition will be a net positive for your organization?
Several factors indicate that your business will benefit from a low-code/no-code tool:
Development talent is difficult to find and retain. Low-code/no-code platforms allow more people with various degrees of development expertise to participate in app building. No-code platforms enable “citizen developers” to create apps even though they have never written a line of code. Furthermore, low-code platforms help seasoned developers work faster, giving them the ability to create reusable objects to save time.
Custom objects add to the cost, time, and effort of upgrades, making the transition to a modern IT environment more expensive than a system with a clean core.
Creating a side-by-side configuration with a transform code platform is a more cost-effective strategy, eliminating moving to the new digital core with “baggage” from the old system.
Questions to ask:
Businesses with a large IT backlog have limited agility to meet business demands for new applications. Low-code, no-code, and transform code platforms accelerate speed to delivery without outsourcing. These platforms allow you to focus on innovation, not the task of writing code. Streamlining development processes can help organizations leverage AI, ML, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and other advanced capabilities.
Questions to ask:
Before selecting a low-code/no-code tool, it’s best to assess your in-house resources, their skill sets and their challenges and the types of apps that they need to develop The best platform for simple apps will probably not be the best option for building and deploying composite apps, for example, for SAP and Salesforce, SAP and Workday or SAP and custom systems.
Questions to ask to determine which no-code, low-code, or transform code platform is right for your business:
Other considerations include whether you need to build standalone or integrated apps and whether your team needs workflow capabilities in the platform. It’s also advisable to consider your needs today and what you may need in the future, for example, minimizing technical debt before transitioning to a new IT environment.
The no-code/low-code platform you choose should feature:
In addition to evaluating low-code/no-code platform options, businesses should vet the platform vendor. Learn more about its partner ecosystem and whether it has an active community, how it delivers support and training, and its pricing model. Implementing a low-code/no-code platform requires an ongoing relationship with the vendor. Ensure that partnership will be beneficial to your company.
When you decide to move forward with low-code/no-code platform implementation to enhance software development, the best strategy is to manage change and get buy-in from your team. You may encounter “developer syndrome,” which manifests as pushback from developers who may see the platform as a threat to their employment. Additionally, depending on the platform, their core responsibilities may change, for example, from writing ABAP, creating OData connectors, or working in JavaScript or NetWeaver to front-end and back-end app development, data modeling, and integration.
On the other hand, you may be excited by the prospect of having “citizen developers” create apps without formal development training, but they may not see time in their schedules to do so.
You also need to combat the urge for people to fall back to old, familiar processes. Educate your team about the benefits of low-code/no-code development, such as the time savings for your team, the ability to hire people with more diverse skillsets, and a more productive development team.
Also, remember that more than one no-code/low-code tool may be necessary to meet your needs, which means more tools to administer and govern.
The best plan is to start slowly, focusing on small success with LOBs. Choose one or two medium-complexity use cases, work closely with the vendor for timely delivery, and focus on user adoption of those apps. Additionally, identify one or two developers who will champion the solution and communicate its value to their colleagues.
Once your business experiences success with the process and the apps it delivers, scale to develop more apps and put governance policies in place. Within 24-36 months, you’ll see benefits across your organization – and developers and business users will consider the platform a standard part of their workflows.
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