No-code/low-code CRM/BPM — why it's worth it

Low-code is a new approach to rapid application development and process automation. It is considered particularly useful for several practical reasons. This article explains why learning the concept of low-code CRM/BPM development is a good idea and shows how low-code helps tackle some of the biggest challenges in the IT industry.

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

We live in an era of accelerated business transformation enabled by the internet and digital technologies. The sole purpose of companies is to add more value to customers in the most efficient way. As Salesforce puts it: “Digital transformation is the process of using digital technologies to create new — or modify existing — business processes, culture and customer experiences to meet changing business and market demands. Reimagining business in the digital age is digital transformation.”

Connecting people, breaking down data silos, building a data culture, eliminating manual processes through automation, empowering employees, mobile experiences, leveraging the Internet of Things — these are all examples of the digital revolution unfolding before our very eyes.

These fundamental changes have been further reinforced by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has acted as a digital accelerator in many industries. Business continuity and employee safety have suddenly been added to the strategic agenda of the boards of almost every organization in the world.

LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF IT RESOURCES

Faced with such huge changes, the IT industry cannot continue its business in the way it has been. There are not enough certified developers to respond to the business needs of organizations undergoing digital transformation.

According to Microsoft, over the next five years, the global workforce could absorb about 149 million new technology-related jobs — with software development accounting for the largest share of this forecast.

LOW-CODE CONCEPT

Low-code is an approach to software development that requires little or no coding to create applications and automated processes.

The low-code development platform uses a visual development environment with simple logic and drag-and-drop features instead of traditional coding languages. Such intuitive tools allow users without formal programming knowledge to create applications for many purposes — such as mobile and business applications.

Such informal developers—typically users from business departments—are referred to by Gartner as “citizen developers.”

Low-code abstracts and automates every stage of the application lifecycle to enable rapid delivery of a variety of development solutions. It breaks the traditional silos of business and IT to promote continuous collaboration.

BENEFITS OF USING LOW-CODE

While the need to increase the number of IT employees is certainly an important factor for the expansion of low-code platforms, it is certainly not the only, or even the most important.

Time-to-Market

Low-code development allows organizations to develop and implement changes faster. The level of technical skills required to create low-code solutions is much lower than for traditional development, as these tools provide a graphical design environment. Moreover, the actual developers of new applications often come from business departments, not from IT. This greatly shortens the development cycle and increases the chances that the newly created application will meet the business requirements.

Lower costs

The shorter time to market combined with lower technical competence requirements simply means that the new model is much more profitable. In its report The Total Economic Impact™ Of Power Apps, Forrester estimated that the average cost of developing applications is 74% lower on a low-code platform compared to traditional methods.

Reduce IT backlog

Low-code platforms help bridge the gap between IT and business teams, enabling them to solve real, business-critical issues faster.

With this approach, business teams can create their own applications without having to wait for professional developers/IT departments. Consequently, the pressure on IT teams is reduced by reducing backlogs in IT applications and improving the perception of technical teams, which are often seen as a cost center rather than an engine of change.

Other benefits of low-code can include: increased security, increased IT productivity, reduced shadow IT, and reduced number of failed projects.

These benefits are confirmed by the results of many studies. Below are the results of a study conducted by Outsystems in 2020.

Recently, low-code platforms have become increasingly popular as a fast and convenient alternative to traditional software development. Both professional and informal programmers can use the low-code platform to build applications that meet the business requirements of new applications and process automation, enabling and accelerating digital transformation in their companies.

It is important to note that low-code does not diminish the value or importance of professional programmers. Instead, low-code enables developers to create value faster — by focusing on the user experience rather than technical tasks that can be automated.

MARKET GROWTH

Given all the benefits of using a low-code approach, it's no surprise that more and more companies are using it today. Gartner estimates that low-code/no-code application platforms will account for nearly 65% of all applications created by 2024. This means that most applications created in 2024 will be developed using low-code platforms and tools.

What's more, Gartner predicts that the global low-code development technology market will grow by as much as 23% in 2021.

CONCLUSIONS

We live in an era of dynamic change. The unprecedented acceleration of digital and business transformation — fueled by the pandemic — has put enormous pressure on almost every company and organization in the world.

Low-code and no-code technologies seem to be the right answer to at least some of the current challenges. The economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have confirmed the capabilities and added value of low-code platforms. Reducing development costs, supporting remote work, automating workflow, and rapid application development are becoming critical to the survival of organizations of any size.

If you would like to learn more about low-code platforms and how they can help your business, please contact us.

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