In today’s dog-eat-dog business landscape, companies that can iterate product development faster and get products to market quicker are those that stand the best chance of success. Thanks to the growing trend of digital transformation, these faster speeds are usually due to better applications and technologies.
Software developers have traditionally used a “waterfall” model of development, in which the application is created in stages and requires specialized roles with high levels of technical knowledge. However, this framework is increasingly outmoded in the face of rapidly changing business requirements. Developers and users both need a process that improves accessibility, communication, and responsiveness to new demands.
Previously, organizations were restricted to business software that they purchased from a third party or that their developers created in-house. App development isn’t just for the IT side of the business anymore, however. By using “low-code” software development platforms, even users without advanced technical knowledge can get useful, valuable applications up and running with just a few clicks.
Instead of requiring developers to learn an arcane, low-level programming language, low-code platforms use a drag-and-drop, declarative methodology. Saved from having to struggle with thousands of lines of code, users can easily see how their creations will appear on the screen before pushing them out to the masses.
Even better, the app can be almost instantaneously deployed across the business as soon as design and development are complete. Mature, sophisticated low-code app development platforms also include support for the application throughout its entire lifecycle: not only design and development, but also testing, deployment, and management. The right low-code platform will unify IT and business teams under a common mission, making development faster and more collaborative.
From retail and manufacturing to finance and healthcare, there are dozens of industries that can benefit from the increased speed and accessibility offered by low-code development platforms. Anywhere that businesses are looking to boost their agility and automate their manual processes is a place where low-code development platforms can thrive. The extra time that employees save by deploying applications quickly can be devoted to more useful strategic activities that contribute to your core business functions.