The future belongs to the curious.
In this article, we provide an introduction to citizen development, a groundbreaking approach that's reshaping the world of software development.
We'll explore its definition, uncover how citizen developers build applications, and delve into the benefits of citizen development for businesses.
Discover how organizations can implement low-code and no-code platforms in 2024, how to run successful citizen development programs, and witness the transformative power of applications created by citizen developers.
You'll also learn how citizen development is democratizing technology and why it's crucial for staying competitive in the digital age.
What is Citizen Development?
Citizen development is a growing trend where business users, not just professional software developers, take part in the development process to build applications.
It's a relative new approach to software development that empowers non-technical employees to create the tools they need without relying on IT departments.
This innovative concept has gained traction in recent years as organizations seek to speed up their digital transformation efforts.
By enabling business users to build and modify applications, citizen development has been adopted by companies looking to improve efficiency and agility.
Now, you’ve learned what is citizen development, but who are the people behind this?
Who Are Citizen Developers?
Citizen developers are typically:
- Field-specific users like business analysts or project managers
- Employees with limited coding or development skills
- Individuals who understand their department's needs and workflows
These citizen developers use no-code or low-code platforms, vetted by their IT departments, to create applications that solve specific business problems or streamline processes.
In short, citizen development democratizes the application development process, allowing more people within an organization to contribute to digital transformation efforts.
Professional Developer vs. Citizen Developer
So, what's the difference between a professional developer and a citizen developer?
In a nutshell, citizen developers are non-IT professionals who use low-code or no-code drag-and-drop platform interfaces to create applications, something like visual development, as opposed to writing code.
Typically, citizen developers are business users with domain expertise but limited coding skills.
On the other hand, professional developers have formal training and follow formal development processes.
While citizen developers and IT professionals can work together to create powerful solutions, it's crucial to establish clear guidelines and definitions to ensure smooth collaboration and maintain security standards.
The Growing Need for Citizen Development
Organizations are turning to citizen development to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for software solutions.
Gartner predicts that by 2026, developers outside formal IT departments will account for at least 80% of the user base for low-code development tools, up from 60% in 2021.
Traditionally, when a department required specific functionality, they would need to contact IT and hope that the organization had a suitable tool in their stack.
However, IT departments often struggle to keep pace with the growing business needs, leading to prolonged development times.
According to a report by Goodfirms, 61.60% of development companies established an average development time of 4–6 months, often exceeding initial budgets by at least 75%.
An Example: Marketing Team Leverages Citizen Development
Imagine a marketing team in a mid-sized company that needs a custom application to manage their community engagement campaigns, analyze user data, organize events and generate reports.
The team requires a solution that integrates with their existing systems, to make data-driven decisions.
Traditionally, the marketing team would need to submit a request to the IT department, which is already overwhelmed with a backlog of projects. The development process could take several months, and the final product might not fully meet the team's specific requirements.
Instead, the marketing team decides to use a no-code development tool like LoftOS to create the application themselves 10x faster.
The pre-built templates enable them to quickly deploy a custom community management solution that fits their exact needs, saving time and resources.
Why Is There Is a Rise of Citizen Developers?
Citizen development helps organizations adapt to changes in the business landscape more quickly.
Here are 4 reasons why citizen development popularity keeps growing
- Software developer workloads are continually increasing, making it challenging for IT departments to keep up with demand.
- Non-technical users can create websites and business apps faster using low-code development tools.
- No-code and low-code development is more cost-effective than traditional development, with platforms like LoftOS starting at just 700 euros per month, compared to 38.50% of the IT firms charging around $40,000 - $60,000 for a sophisticated software project.
- Citizen development allows for an agile approach to software development, enabling organizations to respond quickly to changing business needs.
The Impact of Citizen Developers In Society
The rise of citizen developers within organizations has far-reaching consequences that extend beyond the realm of technology.
As more individuals gain access to low-code and no-code platforms, the impact of citizen development on society becomes increasingly apparent.
Here are 3 ways citizen development contributes to society
- Citizen development initiatives democratize software creation, empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds to bring their ideas to life using citizen development tools. This inclusive approach fosters innovation and creativity, encouraging novel problem-solving approaches
- The citizen development model also plays a crucial role in bridging the digital divide by providing non-technical individuals with access to user-friendly development platforms and the tech they need. This promotes inclusivity and equal opportunity, ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital revolution.
- Citizen developers may create customized applications tailored to the specific needs of their local communities. By establishing a center of excellence that supports and guides citizen developers to build solutions, organizations can foster localized problem-solving, leading to more effective and sustainable solutions that directly impact people's lives.
The global low-code platform market revenue was valued at almost $22.5 billion in 2022 and is forecasted to reach approximately 32 billion U.S. dollars in 2024.
This growth highlights the increasing adoption of citizen development across industries.
How Citizen Developers Shape the App Development Sphere For Businesses
Citizen development is a business strategy you can't miss.
As the demand for software solutions grows, businesses are turning to citizen development to stay competitive. Citizen development is quickly becoming a game-changer for companies looking to accelerate their digital transformation efforts.
By empowering non-technical employees to create applications using user-friendly application development platforms, organizations can reduce their reliance on IT departments and foster a culture of innovation.
When Should Companies Use Citizen Development?
Citizen development is particularly useful in the following scenarios:
- Filling the IT Gap: In environments where there is a shortage of professional developers, citizen development allows organizations to leverage the skills of non-technical staff.
- Alleviating IT Backlog: According to ZDNet, 72% of IT leaders say that project backlogs prevent them from working on strategic projects. Effective citizen development can help reduce the software demand on developers and promote collaboration across the organization.
- Enhancing Employee Productivity: Citizen development benefits employees by empowering them to create tools that streamline their tasks, leading to significant time savings and better resource utilization.
As organizations recognize the citizen development benefits, the adoption of low-code development tools will continue to rise, revolutionizing the way businesses approach application development.
Pros and Cons of Citizen Development
While citizen development offers numerous advantages, it's essential to consider both the citizen development benefits and potential drawbacks before diving in.
On the positive side, using citizen developers can significantly speed up the development process, as discussed above, freeing up IT departments to focus on more complex projects.
However, there are also some cons to keep in mind.
Without proper oversight and governance of the IT department, there's a risk of creating subpar or insecure applications. Apps developed by so-called citizen developers without proper training might not scale well, leading to technical debt.
Additionally, unregulated development can result in shadow IT, causing a lack of coordination and potential security vulnerabilities.
Which we will discuss below
What’s the Difference Between Citizen Development vs Shadow IT?
While both citizen development and shadow IT involve non-IT professionals creating applications, there are crucial differences between the two.
Shadow IT refers to the unauthorized use of IT resources, software, and services by employees without the approval of the IT department.
Now, what are the dangers of shadow IT?
Shadow IT can pose significant risks, including security vulnerabilities, data breaches, and compliance issues. Shadow IT often lacks visibility and control, as employees lack the support of the IT department to monitor the application development process.
How Does Citizen Development Work?
On the other hand, citizen development is a sanctioned approach that enables citizen developers to create applications using approved no-code or low-code application development platforms.
These platforms are inspected by the IT department, which maintains oversight and governance throughout the development process.
Good citizen developers work closely with IT, ensuring compliance with organizational policies and regulatory standards. By empowering business users to develop solutions within a controlled environment, citizen development promotes innovation and improves productivity.
Low-Code/No-Code Platforms Speed Up Business Application Development
Who wouldn't want to streamline business processes and enable faster development projects?
One of the key advantages of citizen development is the ability to rapidly prototype and deploy applications.
In fact, 83% of business adopting no-code citizen development tools do so for task-oriented reasons.
For example, our customer Audoora, used LoftOS to build 'Netzwerk Hörgesundheit,' a B2B networking portal for hearing professionals to access a wide range of services, from purchasing and e-training, all in a one-stop-shop.
By allowing citizen developers to create applications using visual, drag-and-drop interfaces, these citizen development tools can make software development turnaround times up to 10 times faster than traditional methods.
Looking for a No-Code Platform for Your Citizen Development Journey?
When embarking on your citizen development journey, choosing the right no-code platform is crucial.
Here are five key factors to consider:
1.Ease of Use: Look for a platform with an intuitive interface to make it accessible and reducing the learning curve for citizen developers to handle application development.
2. Customization and Flexibility: Ensure the citizen development tools you choose allows for sufficient customization to meet your specific business needs and can scale as your organization grows.
3. Integration Capabilities: Choose a platform that offers robust APIs and integrations with automation tools or services you already use, enabling seamless connectivity and data exchange.
4. Security and Compliance: Assess the platform's security measures and ensure it complies with relevant industry standards and regulations to protect your data and maintain compliance.
5. Support and Community: Reliable customer support and a strong user community are essential for getting help, finding best practices, and fostering collaboration among citizen developers.
By considering these factors, you can select a no-code platform that empowers citizen developers to build applications efficiently and effectively, accelerating your practice of citizen development.
Take the Code Out of Coding
Now that we've gone through the definition and alternatives of citizen development, let's talk about LoftOS.
Buying a no-code solution beats building software from scratch every time. It saves time, resources, and allows your team to focus on solving business problems rather than getting bogged down in complex code.
At Innoloft, we believe in the power of no-code solutions to drive digital innovation. Our platform enables users to create any type of web application and launch 10x faster than traditional methods.
