When entrepreneur and software engineer Marc Andreessen said, “In the future, every company will become a software company,” he knew exactly what he was talking about.
These days, tech startups and no-code providers are rolling out new apps and software tools utilizable for the everyday professional.
The future is increasingly mobile and digital, and organizations and companies are racing their way to conformity, making sure they keep up with the times.
All that acknowledged, the question now is who will develop all this software?
The internet holds no shortage of news when it comes to addressing the stunning lack of IT professionals. The burgeoning demand for relevant apps and progressive software is apparent, and with the rate of how things are going, there just aren’t enough experts to build more programs.
What’s more, IT managers and CIOs are vocal about how corporate and internal projects are consistently pushed back because of talent scarcity.
Fortunately, no-code providers are stepping up.
While the idea of drag-and-drop app development isn’t new, it certainly still is novel to a lot of commercial groups.
Citizen development is designed to help
Sustaining tech momentum and bridging IT gaps are issues brands and companies continue to wrestle with. Even massive corporations like General Electric—a brand that employs thousands of technicians—are finding it hard to keep abreast. In a Forbes interview with GE’s global CIO, Chris Drumgoole, he mentions that citizen development is key to lasting solutions.
He explains that, not too soon from now, people from finance, for example, will be empowered and skilled enough to build their own programs despite not having a thorough background in coding per se.
True enough, DIY methodologies anchored on user-friendly no-code platforms like Bubble, for instance, are indeed helping the modern worker come up with tech strategies on their own.
One IBM report cites that 80% of leading enterprises are collaborating with citizen developers to seal progressive partnerships, allowing innovation in organizations as a whole.
How can the citizen developer make an impact?
Upskilling your workforce may sound like a major project, but it certainly is very feasible. While there are tons of online courses about how to build apps without code, non-coders don’t need to immediately jump at the chance of taking these classes.
Quite frankly, users are very much welcome to begin the “skill acquisition” journey by exploring automation processes and software solutions wherever they are and without having to neglect the core duties of their work positions.
Here are four crucial steps to remember when becoming a citizen developer:
- Start with what you know
More often than not, we fail to notice how off-the-shelf digital products like Dropbox or Squarespace are tech solutions within our reach. These apps are largely unmonitored by IT, and depending on what our roles are at the office, coming across these solutions may not be too far off.
Explore the simple wonders of automation, and find out how else you can harness these technologies by streamlining them with other digital tools.
Whether it’s mastering an Excel sheet or linking your company website to your Facebook page, building what you know how to build, and starting from there is a huge step.
2. Learn the art of visual programming
As the name suggests, visual programming is programming reliant on what you graphically have access to. Whereas professional coders work on software from the back-end of the equation, visual programmers approach tech projects by working on the front-end.
Again, drag-and-drop platforms like Bubble and DIY website-builders like Zyro, for instance, can be incredibly helpful. The more comfortable you are with dragging and dropping, the easier it will be for you to understand how elements and workflows fuel the logic behind programs.
3. Partner with no-code agencies
Although it’s helpful to learn how to build apps on your own, partnering with no-code agencies works to your advantage because they help you get started in the right direction.
Whereas learning the ropes on your own can take a while, collaborating with no-code app development agencies gives you a fresh perspective about how these things work.
Furthermore, they hasten app development projects all while allowing you to stay in the loop of how the products work. As a result, you learn as your apps are being built.
Doing so becomes extra advantageous especially if you’re a business owner. Not only do you pick up new skills and insights as your apps are being developed, but you also afford yourself more time to focus on business-centered problems, such as customer service concerns and logistical issues.
What’s next?
The times have never been stranger in that we’re all treading on new ground together.
Thankfully, we have technology to help us guide the way as we brave a pandemic-stricken world. Additionally, access to building enterprise and brand apps has become more affordable today too.
Gone are the days when these products are exclusive only elite companies and expensive startups.
Citizen development is the future of the workplace, and until we learn to pick up and adapt, our organizations aren’t going anywhere.
Do you have an app you want to build? We’re the agency for you!
