The potential business value of Low-code platforms

Low-code / no-code platforms have gained popularity in organisations that are tackling challenges such as:

  • many manual and paper-based processes
  • lack of insights
  • process bottlenecks
  • app-sprawl
  • overwhelmed IT centres

Low-code development has grown from a tool for departmental applications to a strategy to support widespread digital transformation, with many organisations adopting a ‘Centre of Excellence way of thinking and creating what Microsoft call ‘citizen developers’ within different departments, solving inefficiencies holistically across the board, connecting silos and departments where information often exists disparately across a variety of systems. This becomes one single supportable platform, not many different end-point solutions, which empowers business users to take responsibility for delivering solutions to their own challenges, reducing IT dependency.

High-priority challenges reported by IT in the Dimensional Research’s “Digital Disconnect” survey indicate that 50% of IT report inadequate budgets, with a further 59% citing issues in supporting legacy systems.

Combating this, Power Platform provides one large toolbox that allows IT, and business users, to create, iterate and release applications in a fraction of the time it takes with traditional development methods, giving IT full governance and robust security, as the Power Platform forms part of the Microsoft security stack.

Forbes notes that “organisations simply cannot spend years trying to get their IT shops in order so that they can compete. Low-code provides a proven way for organisations to develop new digital solutions much faster and leapfrog their competitors.”

Pinpointing Business Value

These are metrics that you could consider when measuring the business value of low code:

  1. Increased development speed + efficiency
  2. Improved agility
  3. Retiring outdated legacy systems
  4. Reduced IT Complexity
  5. Number of apps needed
  6. Assisting in digital transformation progress

See more about these metrics and how to measure them: https://www.ec.co.za/2022/09/19/the-potential-business-value-of-low-code-platforms/

Where to start

Microsoft has structured an Envisioning process called Microsoft Catalyst, aiming to accelerate organisations beyond ‘Analysis Paralysis’ by strategically identifying and prioritising the most valuable projects, getting the right stakeholder input and buy-in, matching suitable technologies, and steering the organisation in the right direction, with an option to apply for funding. Download our Catalyst Brochure to see more about this process or schedule a 30-min discovery call if you would like to discuss it further.  

You can read the full article here: https://www.ec.co.za/2022/09/19/the-potential-business-value-of-low-code-platforms/ or email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.