A Guide to Citizen Development: Empowering Innovators with Mendix Low Code

Citizen developers? They are the everyday innovators in the workplace. The employees who, without extensive coding skills, create applications using approved IT tools. It's a role open to anyone interested in problem-solving, technology, and teamwork, coupled with resourcefulness and a knack for collaboration. Pretty straightforward, right? 

Now, let us take a look at Gartner's definition of citizen development:

Businesses are diving into top-notch low-code platforms, offering pathways for developers of all stripes. Gartner backs this, highlighting the role of non-traditional IT in low-code systems. That is big – one of the critical aspects Gartner uses to size up vendors on the 2020 Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Low-Code Application Platforms.  

Now that it is clear that with the right tools and technology, the potential citizen developers hold is game-changing,  ldelve into its advantages. Afterward, we'll explore how Mendix low code solves the puzzle of citizen development with its capabilities.  

The Role of Citizen Developers in Modern Organizations  

What is a major challenge that businesses face in the fast-paced digital world today? It is the need to innovate swiftly to stay competitive in the industry. And how does the organization ensure that? Traditional development methods reliant on skilled coders and lengthy cycles may not match this pace. This is where citizen developers come into play. These business-centric employees are empowered to create software using low- or no-code platforms. This approach taps into their domain knowledge, accelerating innovation to meet the demands of an ever-evolving market.  

Citizen developers serve as the core between business demands and IT solutions, offering a heap of advantages:  

Faster Development: While speed isn't everything, developers consistently seek faster app development. The reasons are simple: to save time, costs, and resources. By enabling non-IT personnel to build and deploy solutions independently, citizen development reduces IT's workload, automatically accelerating the app development process.  

Enhanced Versatility: Citizen developers come with the advantage of swiftly handling updates and incorporating new features, ensuring businesses remain agile in responding to changing needs.  

Cost and Time Savings: Apart from faster app development, how exactly does citizen development save time and cost? Well, sharing resources and technical know-how, in this case, remains with the teams and reduces reliance on IT. This results in significant cost and time savings for enterprises.  

Cultivating Innovation: By relieving IT of routine tasks, citizen development liberates professional developers to innovate, fostering the creation of new solutions and refining existing processes.  

Mendix: A Low-Code Powerhouse  

Low-code platforms are a haven for citizen developers, offering a visual, model-driven environment that sends app development into fast-track mode. These platforms come packed with features like pre-built components, AI-assisted development, and swift deployment, streamlining the entire development cycle.  

Citizen developers and non-tech professionals often prefer platforms like Mendix app development. These low-code platforms enable them to easily create high-quality enterprise applications without needing formal coding expertise. This low-code giant enables them to innovate and automate business processes seamlessly.  

Still unsure if Mendix low code is the right platform for Citizen Development? Let's hear from the giant itself:   

Mendix low code enables both professional developers and citizen developers by streamlining the application development process. It offers tools and features that cater to a broader audience. Let's take a look at them:  

User-Friendly Interface: Owing to its visual drag-and-drop interface and pre-built components, Mendix app development is simple and caters even to individuals without coding expertise. Extensive training resources, including tutorials and instructor-led sessions, further aid this skill acquisition.  

Rich Features: Mendix provides a diverse range of features suitable for crafting various applications, from basic workflows to intricate enterprise systems – you name it, and Mendix makes it available. It also offers seamless integrations with popular cloud services and on-premises systems.  

Visual Development Interface: Mendix low code boasts an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, which aids citizen developers in visually designing applications. This approach allows them to craft user interfaces, define data models, and create logic without extensive coding while maintaining their focus on business problem-solving.  

Ready-Made Templates and Components: A library of pre-built templates and widgets is available to citizen developers in Mendix. These resources easily integrate into applications, accelerate development, and reduce the need for custom coding while boosting functionality.  

Collaboration and Compliance: Encouraging collaboration between IT and citizen developers, Mendix ensures governance tools maintain application security and compliance standards. This collaboration enhances efficiency while upholding data integrity and security.  

Scalability, Security and Integration: Mendix also supports complex, scalable solutions beyond simple apps. Citizen developers can create applications that easily integrate with existing IT systems and services, leveraging the organization's technology investments while encouraging innovation. When it comes to security, applications developed on Mendix are secure with features such as role-based access control and data encryption that ensure complete protection.  

Community Support: Excelling in any field demands continuous learning, and Mendix facilitates this by offering an array of invaluable resources at your disposal. With an active user and developer community, Mendix offers valuable resources like online forums, blogs, and tutorials. Mendix offers extensive learning resources that citizen developers can access to enhance skills and troubleshoot issues, thus fostering continual growth and improvement. 

Conclusion 

Citizen developers have mastered introductory tools and pre-built components, but their capabilities will expand with evolving technology. Continuous updates from low-code platforms ensure citizen developers are consistently challenged and engaged. In the future, AI (Artificial Intelligence), machine learning, automation, and real-time collaboration will be integrated into citizen development projects, fostering innovation and growth.  

While the rapid evolution of this technology might seem complex and overwhelming, there's a simple solution for businesses and their workforce: partnering with a trusted expert in the field. This partnership would simplify the process and ensure a smooth transition to incorporate the latest advancements. At EvonSys, we specialize in guiding your team through Mendix app development for citizen development. We'll make using Mendix a walk in the park, helping everyone in your organization create amazing projects effortlessly.  

So, what are you waiting for? Get started today!