DEVOPSdigest

The pandemic considerably increased the speed of digital innovation, creating a demand for technological initiatives and solutions. This has put greater pressure on IT departments to meet this demand, which has led to even more collaboration between IT and line-of-business (LOB) executives. Employees who are not part of IT groups — deemed business technologists — are increasingly choosing, developing, and personalizing their own technology. This trend gives IT teams more time and resources while giving business users the freedom to be independent and innovative. This phenomenon, which is referred to as "IT democratization," has been developing for many years and is now taking center stage.

According to Gartner(link is external), the PC marked the beginning of the IT industry's transition away from centralized infrastructure toward more distributed computing. Next, the development of corporate customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software included business users in the selection of IT. Along with that, bring-your-own-device (BYOD) and bring-your-own-apps (BYOA) advancements have given non-technical workers more authority in the mobile age. And, today's executives can access massive computer resources without involving IT personnel thanks to cloud technologies.

Even so, many businesses still have workers manually completing outmoded business processes. This is true despite all the systems that have been put in place so far. To compete in today’s digital economy, companies should consider adopting low-code application platforms (LCAPs) and other low-code tools so anyone, regardless of technical experience, can create and modify their own IT. IT democratization is key for business longevity, and it has several benefits that will accelerate companies in their path to digital innovation.

The Rise of the Business Technologist

Nearly 80%(link is external) of IT services and products will likely be created by workers who are not full-time technical specialists over the next two years. These non-IT staff who create their own technology solutions have primary business roles but they understand the value of technology and want to tap into tech on their own. Despite the fact that this suggests a change in organizational authority in favor of business units, IT executives should see the new dynamic as an opportunity rather than a threat.

IT teams may free up much-needed time and resources to handle their own backlog of requests by embracing the trend and assisting business users in taking on technological initiatives. Additionally, creativity flourishes when fresh "citizen developers" are employed by various departments within a business.

Many of the IT services available today aim to provide customers more autonomy while relieving the workload of technical professionals. It is no longer necessary for IT staff to spend time installing and configuring software thanks to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions with service-based models. Additionally, enhanced usability of common programs enables workers to complete more activities on their own.

One of the most important methods for businesses to further IT democratization is by giving non-technical personnel the ability to create and modify their own apps.

The Power of Low-Code Tools for Faster Development

A low-code development strategy allows users to construct processes and apps using tools that require little to no coding. LCAPs, which are frequently created with user-friendly interfaces and drag-and-drop capabilities, enable individuals without any formal development knowledge to create solutions fast.

Though low-code technologies are not new, much like the movement toward IT democratization, the pace at which companies adopt low code is. It’s been said that by 2025, at the present pace of adoption, employees will have created 70% of corporate apps(link is external) using low-code platforms and technologies. I think we’ll see that number go much higher, sparked by the pandemic and the ensuing acceleration of digital commerce which have increased demand for these services. By giving business users access to low-code applications and integration technologies across a number of critical functions, companies have empowered all employees to contribute to and accelerate competitiveness.

Business technologists use LCAPs differently across industries, as the nature of low-code makes it easy for users to tailor their technology enablers. Low-code has emerged for creating software to keep track of assets, control approval procedures, integrate records, and give sales order and product-related information to workers on assembly lines and in warehousing settings.

LCAPs may also construct systems for effectively tracking and processing employee costs, automate the deployment of demo settings for sales people, and establish data connections that combine sales leads under a single application interface.

Reduce IT Burden and Drive Productivity for Your Organization

In order to advance company plans and spur growth, forward-looking executives should consider low-code solutions created to provide business technologists the freedom to create their own systems and applications. Not only will this help address the growing tech talent shortage and skills gap, it will free up existing IT teams to help accelerate innovation and drive greater value for the business.