Businesses everywhere are adopting low-code development. But what’s behind the rise of low-code platforms? What are the benefits that organizations are so eager to harness? If you want to know the answers, you’ve come to the right place.
The new demands of the “new normal”
In a June 2021 survey from Salesforce, 88% of the IT leaders said that IT workloads had increased in the past 12 months. It’s a fair bet that much of this is due to demands placed on technology infrastructure, and IT departments, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Facilitating effective and secure remote working and collaboration has been a top priority for IT teams, who have become a crucial enabler of business continuity. The survey also found that 92% of IT leaders said their work “increasingly impacts on the business”.
That’s a big responsibility – and it comes with a hefty workload. As ways of working have become more remote-centric, and therefore more digital, organizations have needed to adapt and update in a hurry. 96% of the IT leaders surveyed said there was increased demand from business users for new apps and processes. So, how does an already-beleaguered IT department meet these needs while also keeping up with all other existing demands?
The appeal and benefits of low-code development
Low-code development is less dependent on technical expertise than other kinds of software development. That means non-technical personnel can play a greater, more autonomous part in creating the tools and processes they need. The things they need can be created without dedicating otherwise-prohibitive levels of IT resource and time to the task.
In a nutshell, that’s what’s fueling the rise of low-code platforms. These tools allow organizations to respond to users’ needs more quickly, easily, and economically – without stacking excessive amounts of work on the shoulders of IT.
The benefits of low-code developments are becoming so obvious and accepted by IT decision-makers that fears of low-code shadow IT and IT sprawl are becoming a thing of the past. Salesforce’s survey found that an impressive 92% of IT leaders “are comfortable with use of low-code tools by business users with proper training, governance, and processes”. Previous wariness has been swept aside as organizations rush to seize the huge potential on offer. Low-code’s time is now.
Choosing your low-code platform
You may now be eager to start low-code development at your own organization but not sure which platform to choose. Released in May 2021, a report from Forrester Consulting may help you to make your decision.
In Forrester Wave: Low-Code Development Platforms for Professional Developers, Q2 2021, the consultancy named Microsoft Power Apps as a “leader”, placing it in the top quadrant with only a handful of comparable competitors. They said Power Apps was “fast becoming a standardized low-code platform of choice”.
Let’s look at some of the reasons Forrester gave for Power Apps’ strong position in the market:
At the core of Microsoft’s powerhouse ecosystem
Forrester describes Power Apps as the “low-code lingua franca” at the center of Microsoft’s “powerful and unique” aligned technology strategy. It’s very likely your organization already uses many Microsoft tools and services – from Microsoft 365 apps like Excel and Outlook to the Azure cloud platform. Power Apps’ position in this ecosystem means it works seamlessly with the rest of Microsoft’s roster – and this will only become more so in the future.
“Standout” integration capabilities, big possibilities
Power Apps doesn’t just integrate well with Microsoft’s ecosystem. With hundreds of connectors on offer, the platform also combines with a wide range of third-party apps and services, including Google Workspace and Amazon Web Services. The list of connectors will only grow with time, becoming more and more useful across your entire technology infrastructure.
Strong AI capabilities that are easily implemented
Forrester also recognized Power Apps’ powerful AI capabilities. AI Builder makes it simple to use AI models to make predictions, process data in digital forms, and more. Components from AI Builder can easily be embedded into apps and workflows created via Power Apps, harnessing data from Dynamics 365, Microsoft 365, and the Microsoft Dataverse.
Ready to join the rise of low-code platforms?
We hope this article has helped to explain the benefits of benefits of low-code developments, and some of the factors that have led to the rise of low-code platforms such as Power Apps.
There’s one thing that should be pointed out before we come to an end. While these platforms put a great deal of power into the hands of organizations and users, software development isn’t something where most businesses can “go it alone”. Non-technical personnel can now take an unprecedented role in creating the tools and processes they need – but it’s still advisable to bring in the experts to help, supervise, and advise.
Bauen Solutions contributes deep expertise and experience to all kinds of low-code development projects. We’re Microsoft experts, with everything you need to ensure that Power Apps delivers the maximum benefit for you. So, if you like what you’ve read here, and you want a piece of the action – let’s discuss the possibilities together.
If you want to learn more about low-code development or Microsoft Power Apps, or anything else we’ve explored in this article, get in touch with our team today.
