Citizen developers have emerged as a popular choice to scale application development. Alexander Ancipov, head of development at Appery.io, explores what citizen developers are, what’s driving the market for them, and the pros and cons of citizen developers.Â
Over the past few decades, software development has significantly evolved. Complex coding practices have been widely replaced by streamlined development frameworks that are simplifying programming for technologists around the world. Citizen developers represent a significant step in this direction.Â
This new way of working is transforming software development in the 21st century. Citizen developers emerged as a popular choice to scale application development by relying on a simpler development format. The applications developed by citizen developers are user-friendly and focused on a deep understanding of customer requirements. Let’s dive deeper into what citizen developers are and their pros and cons.
Simplifying the Concept: Who are Citizen Developers?
Citizen developers are non-technical individuals, typically with no formal experience or training in software development. These developers rely on no-code and low-code tools to develop customer-oriented applications. Citizen developers work with IT departments to ensure that the final product aligns with customer requirements.Â
Citizen developers often have access to visual integrated development environments (IDEs). These environments allow citizen developers to adopt a drag-and-drop approach throughout the software development process. Components can be connected to create unique applications while relying on a largely no-code approach.
Citizen development offers a viable way to accelerate the development of applications that meet visual and functional requirements for usability. Soft skills such as logical thinking and problem-solving also help create effective applications.Â
Citizen developers ensure that the development process is largely focused on bringing together the business goals with the company’s technology goals.Â
Who Are Citizen Developers and What’s Driving Their Market?
The citizen development model resulted from rapidly evolving market requirements. Businesses now can accelerate product development by training a diverse range of employees that lack formal programming training and expertise. The rise in citizen developers is further fueled by increased expectations for organizations to create user-centric applications. Â
See More: Why Gen Z Is the Future of Citizen Development
Evaluating the Benefits of Citizen DevelopersÂ
The citizen development model provides a diverse way for companies to accelerate their software development and improve customer interactions. Here are some of the key benefits of citizen developers:
1. Agile DevelopmentÂ
Traditional development can be complex and time-consuming due to the many layers involved in the development process. Modern businesses need to be agile to innovate and reach business goals rapidly. Citizen developers enhance resources already on-hand and allow companies to speed up their development cycles. The ability to rapidly update functions and features is invaluable for most modern companies.Â
2. Covering the Developer ShortageÂ
One of the biggest problems faced by the industry today is the great resignation. There is a massive shortage of talented human resources around the world. Especially in the tech sector, demand has surged for technical talent as companies adapt to remote working cultures from the pandemic. Businesses increasingly leverage their non-technical human resources with upskilling programs to cover the shortage of developers. With adequate training, citizen developers can eliminate bottlenecks and speed up the development process. Companies can train these developers to cover workforce shortages and improve contingency planning.Â
The Downside of Employing Citizen Developers
Even though citizen developers can provide significant value for most IT departments, there are several downsides to them as well. Here are the key downsides of using citizen developers:Â
1. Quality of Applications
Even though citizen developers contribute to application development, they usually lack the rich technical expertise to develop high-quality applications. Reliance on low-code/no-code products can cause a significant deterioration in product quality. A major reason behind the decrease in quality is often inadequate training for these developers. To bridge this gap, it is essential to hire up-to-date developers with the latest development tools and trends.
2. Security Risks
The evolution of technology is causing a shift in application security dynamics. The nature of digital threats is getting more sophisticated with time. It can be challenging for citizen developers to adequately follow security protocols while developing applications. No-code platforms also limit the level of security programming that can be done to secure the applications. Without adequate contingency management, the approach can result in significant security risks.Â
The Way Forward: A Hybrid ModelÂ
In leading organizations, citizen developers are not considered an alternative to traditional IT departments. Instead, these developers work in liaison with conventional programmers to accelerate product development and enhance development efficiency. Successful deployment models incorporate these developers to improve user-friendliness in applications and bridge the human resource gap in areas where technical skills are in high demand. In the future, citizen development is expected to be a critical aspect of most modern enterprises. Basic programming and logical thinking skills are expected to lead the way toward creating this hybrid future.Â
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