Citizen development is changing the way businesses create software by empowering non-technical employees, known as citizen developers, to build applications using low-code application development platforms. These platforms not only allow people who aren’t professional developers to create and customize software but also help meet the rising demand for faster and more efficient enterprise-class app development.
Low-code platforms make the process of developing applications much simpler and faster by offering user-friendly interfaces that don’t require deep coding skills. Instead of writing lines of code, citizen developers can drag and drop pre-built components to design and build apps. This opens up opportunities for business users, process owners, IT leaders and developers to create the applications they need, without always depending on the IT department.
Understanding Citizen Development
Citizen development refers to the ability of employees within an organization to design and develop software solutions, even if they don’t have formal programming knowledge. These individuals can be professionals from various departments—such as HR, finance, or sales—who understand the specific needs of their team or business unit. Using a low-code platform, they can create applications that solve day-to-day development challenges, without needing the constant support of the IT department.
For example, someone in the marketing department might use a low-code platform to build an app that helps track campaign performance in real-time or a business analyst might create a tool for automating data reports, saving time on manual and repetitive work.
In the case of low code application development platforms like iLeap , the process is made even easier. This platform provides a visual interface where users can drag and drop different parts that constitute as the building blocks of the application, making development more intuitive. Additionally, it includes pre-built modules that allow users to quickly assemble applications tailored to their needs. The platform also seamlessly integrates with legacy systems, which means it fits smoothly into the company’s current software setup.
Why Enterprises Should Embrace Citizen Development
Easing the Load on IT Teams: IT teams are often overwhelmed with requests for new software or updates to existing systems. By enabling citizen developers to take on some of the simpler or more department-specific projects, low-code platforms can help reduce this burden.
According to the latest studies, many businesses face significant IT backlogs, with requests sometimes taking months to be addressed. Low-code development lets other departments help themselves, speeding up the creation of new tools. For instance, Gartner predicts that by 2026, 80% of low-code tool users will come from outside IT.
Reducing Development Costs: Hiring experienced software developers is expensive, and the demand for tech talent is only increasing. Using citizen developers helps companies save money by leveraging their existing workforces’ untapped talent. Instead of hiring more developers, businesses can train their employees on low-code platforms, which reduces both development costs and the time it takes to get new apps up and running. iLeap platform, for example, can reduce development time by over 80%, allowing companies to launch applications quickly while keeping costs down.
Increasing Flexibility and Innovation: One of the key benefits of citizen development is that it encourages innovation from within the company. Employees closest to problems or inefficiencies can now design solutions tailored to their specific needs. This makes the process faster and more effective than traditional approaches, where every new tool had to go through the IT department. iLeap’s low-code platform is designed to be flexible and scalable, meaning that these applications can grow and evolve as the business changes.
For example, companies can modernize older systems or build new ones using the same platform, making it easier to adapt as new business challenges arise. iLeap’s platform supports seamless integration with existing systems and offers tools that make upgrading legacy applications smoother & more efficient.
Encouraging Cross-Team Collaboration: Citizen development not only empowers individual departments but also fosters better collaboration between IT and non-IT teams. IT can focus on more complex projects and ensure that the applications being built meet company standards for security and scalability. Meanwhile, employees from other departments get to take ownership of the solutions they create, leading to more engagement and better alignment with business needs. This creates a sense of partnership, where IT provides governance and support, while citizen developers bring their business insights to the table.
iLeap’s low-code platform offers a centralized control system that allows IT teams to oversee the development process, ensuring that all applications built by citizen developers are secure, compliant, and integrated with existing systems.
Scalability for Growing Organizations: As businesses expand, their needs change, and so do the tools they use. Low-code platforms make it easy for organizations to scale their applications. Whether they need to add new features or integrate with other tools, low-code solutions provide the flexibility to grow without having to start from scratch each time.
iLeap’s low-code application development platform is designed to be scalable, offering a multi-tenant architecture that works for both on-premises and cloud setups. This ensures that as your business grows, your applications can grow with it.
Conclusion
Citizen development is reshaping the way enterprises approach software development by empowering their employees to create the tools they need to work more efficiently. With the help of a modern low-code application development platform like iLeap, organizations can encourage innovation, reduce costs, and alleviate the pressure on IT teams, all while ensuring that their software solutions are scalable, secure, and aligned with business needs.
Empower your team with iLeap’s low-code automation platform! Say goodbye to IT bottlenecks and drive business success. Talk to our solution experts today and start your low-code journey!