By Mathana Prithviraj
Ideate, design, and implementation have been the mantra in the landscape of software development when they were made in labs till the software was getting built in work-from-home. This has been profoundly altered by the emergence of low-code and no-code platforms, a new era of democratized software development.
Evolution of Business Technologist
The decade that began in 2010 witnessed the emergence of a new player in the business world – the Business Technologist. the Business Technologist. Unlike in the past, where the IT department held sway over software decisions from problem identification to procurement, the business technologist has redefined this dynamic. Recent research by Gartner, conducted in 2022, reveals a significant shift, 74% of the decisions to adopt or purchase software or technology is made at the business unit level and funded directly by the business unit.
As business technologists distanced themselves from the IT department, they assumed direct roles within business units. Initially tasked with generating reports, they soon leveraged low-code and no-code platforms to create sophisticated business applications. Armed with business acumen and the ability to translate it into software, they became agents of positive disruption within organizations.
Low Code and No Code Platforms
Low code and no code platforms offer pre-built components and intuitive click-and-configure interfaces, enabling the swift creation of enterprise software applications within a matter of hours. These platforms eliminate the complexities of managing 1000s of extensive codebases, streamline deployment processes, and uphold robust security standards. Notably, the BFSI sector, renowned for its demand for high-complexity software, has been at the forefront of adopting these platforms, harnessing their capabilities even for tasks requiring substantial computational power.
According to Future Market Insights, in 2023, it is anticipated that the global low-code and no-code platform market will be worth $4,094.7 million. The report further highlights that the market is expected to develop at a CAGR of 28.3% from 2023 to 2033, reaching $49,481.0 million. Furthermore, the previously formidable barriers related to coding skills are quickly disappearing as AI-powered no-code platforms enable a new generation of “business technologists” to create complex applications without the need for a thorough understanding of conventional programming intricacies.
No Code Platforms Upskilled by AI
The dawn of the 2020s saw an evolution in no-code platforms, propelled by several AI models like generative AI LLMs. A few of the many features that upskilled the no-code platforms are as follows:
Document AI: Extracting content from the uploaded document and generating dynamic documents through intelligence.
Process Mining: Analysing data patterns to identify process gaps and support process re-engineering.
Sentiment AI: Processing text to discern human emotions and utilising them for automated decision-making.
Analytics AI: Automatically generating key stats and reports, enhancing data-driven insights.
And more
Using AI, no-code platforms go beyond simple utility by utilizing AI’s cognitive powers, becoming dynamic, evolving entities. Complex tasks are automated as a result of the intelligence infusion, which enables apps to comprehend user behaviour, forecast demands, and enhance user experiences.
Evolution of Business Apps with AI and No-Code!
The combination of AI-driven no-code platforms marks a pivotal milestone in the development of business applications. This evolution shatters the business technologist boundaries, ushering in a democratized environment where innovation is available to everyone. With AI-infused tools, software solutions are improving in intelligence, adaptability, and responsiveness to user needs. This change not only expedites development and lowers costs, but also heralds a future where companies can easily customize their digital solutions, bringing in a new era of innovation and productivity.
The author is co-founder and product head, Workhall