Citizen Developers: Pioneers of Digital Transformation and Enhanced Business Functions

The era of Digital Transformation (DX) can be daunting, filled with technology buzzwords and ambiguities. However, simplifying it down to its essence - enhancing business functions with technology to create a more efficient work environment - makes DX more approachable. Citizen developers play a pivotal role in catapulting businesses towards DX's ultimate goal with their deep understanding of the organization and innovative mindset.

Professional developers often have to invest a significant amount of time learning the intricacies of a department or business they're creating software solutions for through thorough interviews and research. Only after understanding the underlying processes, objectives, and considerations can they apply appropriate technologies for impactful DX.

On the other hand, citizen developers are non-technical employees with hands-on experience in their department's operations. Their familiarity with the organization and its processes allows them to adopt Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) that provide them with a user-friendly drag-and-drop approach to developing applications. This intimate knowledge of the company's inner workings ultimately leads to a more streamlined, effective, and cost-efficient application development process.

DX is often associated with great expense due to new hardware, software, and infrastructure investment. Large budgets are allocated to developers who build new applications from the ground up, and the entire organization undergoes upgrades. Citizen developers defy these traditional connotations, focusing on the core principle of DX: improving efficiency by making tasks more enjoyable and cost-effective.

Since citizen developers work with existing processes, their targeted approach to developing applications eliminates the need for many of the financial burdens associated with DX. They examine whether new hardware or infrastructure is necessary on a case-by-case basis, ensuring a efficient process. In some instances, the end product from an IDE may be suitable as-is, and in other cases, it serves as a foundation for professional developers to build upon, expediting development time. According to Forrester, this collaborative approach has the potential to make software development up to 10 times faster than traditional methods.

Not only does this decrease the cost and time spent on each project, but it also frees up professional developers to tackle their backlog of requests, which in turn accelerates the development and deployment of essential applications across the organization.

Perhaps the most significant benefit of citizen development lies in its ability to forge stronger collaborative relationships among employees and IT departments. Frustration with slow response times can lead to impulsive, non-compliant purchases made by departmental managers, resulting in additional challenges for IT departments as they grapple with the consequences of Shadow IT activity.

Citizen developers bridge this gap by collaborating with both department managers and IT managers, ensuring efficient progress on all projects. Their position within the department encourages them to deliver exceptional results to benefit their colleagues, juggle IT concerns, and produce innovative solutions adapted to their specific organization’s needs.

This collaboration promotes innovative thinking among other team members and enables the IT department to become more integrated with the core business operations. As a result, citizen development acts as a catalyst for fostering a united, effective team working towards a common goal.

Studies suggest that between 50% and 75% of businesses are already utilizing citizen developers in some capacity, with many more planning to follow suit. The true value in citizen development lies in understanding its potential for transformative change across organizations and embracing it as a driving force for the successful implementation of digital transformation.

Platforms like AppMaster make it easier for citizen developers to create impactful backend, web, and mobile applications through an intuitive no-code interface. With a vast user base and accolades from G2, AppMaster plays a vital role in the continued growth and adoption of citizen development as a crucial component of digital transformation strategy.

Companies should leverage the power of citizen development to propel their organizations to new heights, optimizing business functions for greater efficiency and improved satisfaction among employees.