5 signs your business needs a low-code development platform
Feeling the burn of sluggish application development?
Does it seem like new ideas get stuck in a backlog longer than a forgotten gym membership?
If your business is yearning for a shot of innovation but traditional coding feels like a dead end, then low-code application development platforms might be your secret weapon. These visual tools are transforming the way businesses build apps, and they could be the key to unlocking your full potential.
But how can you tell if low-code is the right fit? Keep reading because we’ll explore five telltale signs that your business is primed to jump on the low-code bandwagon.
Sign #1: Slow development cycles and backlogs
Imagine you have a brilliant idea for a new app that could revolutionise your business, but it gets stuck in development purgatory for months. This is the pain of slow development cycles. They can seriously hurt your business by:
- Crippling agility: The market moves fast, and slow development means you miss opportunities to capitalise on trends or respond to customer needs.
- Innovation on hold: Great ideas get buried under a pile of ongoing projects, stifling creativity and progress.
So, what causes these slowdowns? It could be:
- Not enough developers: Finding and keeping talented programmers is tough, and your team might be stretched thin.
- Building from scratch: Every app needs a foundation; coding everything yourself takes time.
- Change is constant: New features or tweaks are inevitable, and rewriting code can be a real drag.
Here’s where low-code platforms come in as your development knight in shining armour. They offer:
- Drag-and-drop magic: Think building blocks for apps. Low-code lets you visually assemble pre-made components, saving tons of coding time.
- Prototyping on steroids: Quickly test and refine your app ideas with low-code tools, allowing for faster iterations and better decision-making.
- Freeing up the developer heroes: Low-code handles the simpler tasks, allowing your developers to focus on the intricate stuff that truly needs their coding expertise.
Sign #2: Reliance on shadow IT and workarounds
Ever feel like you’re running your own mini-IT department within your team?
Maybe you use spreadsheets cobbled together from different sources or rely on free online tools that just don’t quite fit the bill. This is the world of shadow IT – unauthorised apps and workarounds that pop up to fill the gaps in your existing systems. While these workarounds might seem like a quick fix, they can be risky:
- Security gaps: Shadow IT tools often lack robust security features, leaving your data vulnerable to breaches.
- Data silos: Information gets scattered across different systems, making it hard to get a complete picture and hindering collaboration.
But why do people resort to shadow IT? Often, it’s because:
- The app abyss: They can’t find the exact application they need through traditional IT channels.
- Development delays: Getting a new app built through official channels can take ages, leaving them stuck waiting.
Low-code platforms offer a solution by empowering what are called “citizen developers” – business users with little to no coding experience. These platforms allow them to build simple, secure applications that address their specific needs.
This reduces reliance on shadow IT while keeping everyone within a safe, controlled environment. Of course, with citizen development, proper IT governance and security measures are still crucial to ensure everything runs smoothly and securely.
Sign #3: Limited IT resources and budget constraints
These days, every department seems to have a brilliant app idea, but building them all can strain your IT resources. Hiring and keeping a giant team of developers is expensive; even then, they might be swamped with existing projects.
Low-code platforms can be a budget hero in this situation. Here’s why:
- Less code, more speed: Low code uses drag-and-drop and pre-built components, which means less coding is needed. This lets you leverage existing IT resources more efficiently.
- Subscription savvy: Low-code platforms often offer subscription-based pricing, making them easier to budget than hiring new developers.
- Faster ROI: With faster development cycles thanks to low code, you can get your apps up and running quicker, leading to a faster return on your investment.
Sign #4: Need for increased business agility and innovation
Today’s business world demands agility – the ability to adapt and innovate quickly. This means:
- Launching new ideas faster: Capitalise on hot trends and customer needs by quickly bringing new products and services to market.
- Streamlining for success: Unclog inefficiencies with custom apps that automate tasks and improve internal workflows.
- Responding to the beat of the market: Quickly adjust to changing market conditions and customer feedback to stay ahead of the curve.
Low-code platforms are your agility booster shot. They allow you to:
- Build apps at lightning speed: Drag-and-drop functionality and pre-built components mean faster development cycles so that you can adapt to changing needs in a flash.
- Citizen developers to the rescue: Empower business users to build simple apps that address their specific needs, freeing up IT for more complex tasks.
- Prototype like a pro: Low-code tools make testing and refining app ideas easy, ensuring you’re building the right features for maximum impact.
Sign #5: Desire to automate repetitive tasks and improve efficiency
Do you feel like your team spends more time on copy-and-paste than creative problem-solving? Maybe your desks overflow with paper forms, or your inbox is a graveyard of repetitive emails. These manual tasks are productivity killers that can lead to:
- Employee burnout: No one enjoys mind-numbing chores. Automating repetitive tasks frees your team to focus on more strategic work and boosts morale.
- Error gremlins: Manual data entry is a breeding ground for mistakes. Automation ensures accuracy and consistency in your processes.
- Scaling roadblocks: As your business grows, manual tasks become a bottleneck. Automation helps you scale your operations efficiently.
Low-code platforms are your secret weapon against tedious tasks. They allow you to build custom automation solutions that can:
- Automate away the mundane: Free your team from repetitive tasks like data entry, form processing, and sending routine emails.
- Streamline teamwork: Build automated workflows that connect teams and departments seamlessly, improving communication and collaboration.
- Say goodbye to data errors: Automated processes ensure data accuracy and consistency, giving you reliable information to make smart business decisions.
Final words
If any of these signs resonate with you, then low code application development platforms might be the key to unlocking your business potential. Don’t wait!
Take a moment to assess your development needs and see if low-code could be your path to faster innovation and agility. Head over to our blog for more information on low-code solutions and see how low-code can supercharge your development process!