What are the different types of citizen developers?

Key Highlights

• Citizen developers are business users who build applications using enterprise software without relying heavily on IT departments.
• Citizen development is gaining popularity due to the increasing demand for faster application delivery and the rise of user-friendly low-code platforms.
• Different types of citizen developers emerge based on skill level, role, and the specific software ecosystem they operate within.
• Organizations should be aware of the challenges and considerations surrounding governance, compliance, quality, and security when managing citizen developers.
• The impact of citizen developers on businesses is significant. They can accelerate digital transformation efforts, foster innovation, improve operational efficiency and customer service, and reduce costs.

Introduction

In today’s fast-changing digital economy, businesses are always looking for ways to adapt and innovate quickly. Citizen development is a strong trend that gives business users the power to create software solutions without needing much help from IT teams. This citizen development is changing how companies improve their operations and information flows, enhance customer experiences, and stay ahead of the competition. As more organizations adopt this method, it’s important to know the different types of citizen developers and how they help make digital transformation successful.

Defining Citizen Development

Citizen development is when people who are not IT experts can make business applications using low-code and no-code platforms. These platforms are easy to use. They have simple visuals, drag-and-drop features, and ready-made parts for all types of enterprise software. This means that even those with little coding skills can create software solutions. Citizen development connects business users, who understand their field, with the need for quick application creation.

When companies allow business users to be involved in making software, they can use their special insights. This helps to create custom solutions for specific business needs. Citizen development speeds up the process of delivering enterprise system applications. It also lessens the load on the IT team and helps business units respond better to changes in the market.

The Rise of Citizen Developers in the Digital Age

The growth of citizen developers is closely tied to advances in information technology, especially in cloud computing. Cloud-based tools have made it easier for people and businesses to use powerful software without large costs upfront, with services such as data analytics becoming far more accessible. As companies move towards digital transformation, there is a higher need for custom software.

Traditional IT teams often have a hard time keeping up with this need, which leads to delays and unhappy business partners and users. Citizen development helps by allowing more people in the company to help make software. With low-code and no-code platforms, business users can use their knowledge to create apps that meet their own needs. Such software and services lets IT teams work on more complicated projects.

This change is important for the future of work. Companies now see the benefit of giving their staff digital skills. Understanding and using technology is no longer just for a few. It is an important skill for all teams and job roles.

Key Characteristics of Citizen Developers

Citizen developers are known for their problem-solving skills and love for making things better. They really understand their work areas. They want to make things easier, automate tasks, and improve how well their teams or departments run. Even though they might not know how to code very well, they understand data and how it helps in making good choices.

They are good at working with data and looking for trends, from the supply chain to customer data. They use business intelligence to get useful information that helps them when creating applications. Plus, citizen developers often have strong project management skills. They can define what a project needs, break down big tasks into smaller steps, and work well with others to meet common goals.

While citizen developers add a lot of value to their companies, their success relies on the help they get. IT departments are important because they provide the right tools, create rules, and encourage teamwork and sharing knowledge. The need for infrastructure support of enterprise software packages and devlopers is still very much in demand.

Types of Citizen Developers by Skill Level

Citizen developers can be placed into different groups based on their skills and experience in using low-code or no-code platforms. This grouping helps companies see what each developer can do and how to support them better. By knowing the different skill levels, businesses can create better training programs and mentoring to help citizen developers grow and use their abilities fully across different functionalities.

Understanding these differences is very important for companies. It allows them to give the right support, training, and resources to help their citizen development talent thrive.

Novice Citizen Developers

Novice citizen developers are just starting their journey in citizen development. They usually have little or no coding experience. However, they are comfortable using technology in their daily work. They are excited to learn how to make simple applications using low-code platforms, but far from ready to build an enterprise software solution.

These newbies often begin by creating basic apps that help with simple tasks. For example, they might automate things like data entry, report generation, or approval workflows in ERP software. They find it very helpful to use user-friendly platforms that have drag-and-drop features, pre-built templates, and good learning resources.

A novice developer might make an app to track customer orders or to handle online payments. They can use easy integrations with payment systems. As they grow more confident and gain experience, they can start building more complex applications. These could involve using multiple data sources or connecting with other systems.

It is important for organizations to support novice citizen developers. They need clear instructions, good documentation, and access to mentors. This way, they can better navigate the early steps of their citizen development journey.

Intermediate Citizen Developers

Intermediate citizen developers understand low-code and no-code platforms well. They have built and launched several applications. They know about data structures, application logic, and user interface design. With these skills, they can solve more complex business problems and create applications that have better functionality and can work well with other systems.

These developers are skilled at using workflow automation tools. They can help improve business processes and make work more efficient. They’re not just automating simple tasks; they can create applications that use conditional logic, check data, and connect with other systems. For example, an intermediate developer may build an app to help with employee onboarding or supply chain management. This can include tasks like collecting data, checking documents, and sending automated emails, all while working with existing project management software.

Organizations should support intermediate citizen developers. They can share their knowledge by mentoring new developers, participating in internal practice groups, or leading training sessions. This peer learning encourages collaboration and helps citizen developers to get better at their skills. It also speeds up the organization’s efforts in citizen development.

Advanced Citizen Developers

Advanced Citizen Developers are the trailblazers in the world of low-code and no-code development. They have a deep understanding of advanced concepts like integrations, APIs, and security protocols. These developers can create complex applications that interact seamlessly with various systems and databases.Advanced Citizen Developers are adept at optimizing performance and scalability within their applications. They can identify bottlenecks, fine-tune code, and ensure that their solutions can handle large amounts of data efficiently. Moreover, they have a keen eye for user experience design, creating intuitive interfaces that enhance usability.

Types of Citizen Developers by Role

Citizen developers can be grouped not just by their skill level, but also by the roles they play in a company. They come from different departments and bring their special knowledge. Knowing what these roles are helps companies connect their citizen development projects with bigger business goals. It also ensures that the solutions created really solve actual problems.

When IT teams work together with citizen developers from different business units, companies can open up new chances for innovation, improving processes, and achieving growth.

Business Analyst Citizen Developers

Business analyst citizen developers are experts who work with data. They help connect business and IT teams. These professionals understand business operations well. They can spot how technology can make things better, save money, or help with decision-making. They use their analytical skills to build applications using low-code or no-code platforms to meet business needs.

For example, a business analyst in finance might build a budgeting and forecasting tool using a low-code platform. This tool would pull data from different sources, like enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, and spreadsheets. Their applications often handle complex data tasks, calculations, and visuals to give actionable insights to those who need the information.

By supporting business analyst citizen developers, companies can boost data-driven decision-making. They can simplify reporting processes and gain a competitive edge with better business intelligence.

Project Manager Citizen Developers

Project manager citizen developers are great at planning, organizing, and managing resources to reach specific goals. They know a lot about project management and can lead teams well. They coordinate tasks and make sure projects stay on track. As citizen developers, they use low-code or no-code platforms to create applications. These help make project management easier, improve teamwork among team members, and give real-time updates on project progress and performance.

They can make apps that collect all project documents, keep track of tasks, manage budgets, or help communication between different business units. These apps make workflows smoother, boost communication, and serve as a central place for all project info. Their good understanding of project lifecycles, task dependencies, and resource allocation helps them spot possible problems. They can come up with solutions that improve project efficiency and results.

When organizations support project managers with citizen development tools, they can speed up project delivery, use resources better, and encourage informed decision-making in project management.

Citizen Developers in the Software Ecosystem

Citizen developers play a special role in software development. They usually focus on certain parts of the software world. This focus matches their skills and what they enjoy building. We can group citizen developers based on what they focus on in this area.

By specializing, citizen developers can get really good at their chosen fields. This helps them make valuable contributions to software projects in their companies.

Front-End Citizen Developers

Front-end citizen developers love making engaging and easy-to-use interfaces. These interfaces help customer satisfaction and strengthen customer relationships. They are good at creating clear layouts, interactive parts, and good-looking applications that give users a smooth experience. These developers understand user interface (UI) design principles well. They use their creativity to make both beautiful and functional interfaces.

They may use low-code or no-code platforms to create online forms, surveys, customer portals, or interactive dashboards. These tools help gather important data and show how customers behave. Their focus is on user-friendly design. This ensures that applications are simple to use, easy to navigate, and match the organization’s brand style.

By supporting front-end citizen developers, organizations can improve their customer-facing applications. This can boost brand perception and help them collect valuable feedback. This feedback allows continuous improvement in products and services.

Full-Stack Citizen Developers

Full-stack citizen developers understand the whole software lifecycle. They know more than just front-end or back-end work. They are skilled in both client-side and server-side programming. This enables them to create applications that use the complete technology stack. Their skills might not be as deep as those of specialized developers. However, their full-stack abilities let them make complete solutions for complex business needs.

They often use low-code or no-code platforms to connect to databases, APIs, and other enterprise application software. For example, a full-stack citizen developer could build an e-commerce site that manages product listings, online orders, inventory management, and customer payments in a single application.

By supporting full-stack citizen developers, companies can speed up the creation of solutions. This helps decrease the need for specialized developers on some projects. It also promotes teamwork between IT and business units.

Tools and Platforms Used by Citizen Developers

Citizen developers use many tools and platforms that help them create software without needing to write a lot of code. These tools offer easy-to-use interfaces, ready-made components, and drag-and-drop features. This makes it simple for people who are not in IT to turn their ideas into real software.

These platforms meet various needs and skills. They can help build simple workflows, automate tasks, or even create advanced applications with unique features and integrations.

Low-Code and No-Code Platforms

At the center of citizen development are low-code and no-code platforms. These tools help business users create software without needing much coding knowledge. They offer visual development spaces. Users can easily drag and drop components, link data sources, and set up logic flows to make custom applications that fit their needs. Rapid application development (RAD) methods are often used with these platforms. This approach allows for quick changes and speeds up how fast solutions can be used.

Some well-known low-code and no-code platforms are:

• OutSystems: A complete platform to build enterprise-level web and mobile apps.
• Mendix: A platform that is great for visual modeling and teamwork.
• Salesforce Platform: This expands Salesforce’s CRM tools into application development.

These low-code platforms often have built-in security, options to grow, and links to popular third-party services. This makes them good for both small departments and larger company needs.

Workflow Automation Tools

Workflow automation tools help make business processes easy and fast. They can reduce the amount of manual work and lower the chance of mistakes. With these tools, people who are not IT experts can create automated processes that include steps, approvals, notifications, or connect to other systems. They are great for tasks like data entry, managing documents, onboarding in human resources, and order processing.

Here are some popular workflow automation tools:

• Zapier: Connects different apps to automate tasks and share data.
• Microsoft Power Automate: Works well with the Microsoft 365 suite of products.
• UiPath: Provides robotic process automation (RPA) to automate tasks.

By using these tools, businesses can let their employees work on more important tasks, improve data precision, and boost overall efficiency.

Impact of Citizen Developers on Businesses

Citizen developers are changing how businesses work, create, and react to market changes. They not only help reduce the IT workload but also provide a new viewpoint and a solid understanding of business needs during software development. As more companies adopt citizen development, it is important to grasp its different effects.

In today’s fast-moving business world, being able to adapt quickly, innovate, and respond to market demands is very important. Citizen developers help organizations reach this flexibility.

Accelerating Digital Transformation

Citizen developers are very important for speeding up digital transformation in many industries. By allowing business users to create software solutions, companies can close the gap between IT and business. This also means they rely less on the long, traditional software development cycles. With quicker results, businesses can adjust more easily to the changing needs of the digital economy.

Organizations can build and launch applications faster. This helps them respond to new market opportunities, improve internal processes, and provide better customer experiences. The growth of citizen development goes hand-in-hand with the rise of cloud-based enterprise software. These cloud platforms give the needed flexibility, scalability, and affordable costs to support citizen development efforts.

When companies encourage a culture of citizen development, they empower their employees to use technology and work together better. This reduces traditional barriers and drives innovation from within. Greater business agility gives companies a big edge, allowing them to quickly adapt to market changes, new technologies, and shifting customer needs.

Fostering Innovation and Creativity

Citizen developers can do more than make processes smoother. They can bring big ideas to organizations. When you let people who know the business challenges work freely—those who see the needs of their teams and clients—companies can tap into a source of creativity. This can lead to new and creative solutions that fix specific problems and open up fresh chances.

When workers can play with technology and create apps that tackle real issues, they tend to feel more engaged and motivated. This helps the organization do better. This approach to innovation, where ideas come from the ground up, can give companies a competitive advantage. They can spot and take advantage of new market trends faster.

By encouraging a culture of citizen development, organizations can build a place where innovation shines. This can lead to continuous improvement, more efficiency, and fresh solutions that stand out from competitors.

Challenges and Considerations for Managing Citizen Developers

Citizen development has many benefits. However, organizations should think about the challenges and risks that come with letting non-IT professionals create software. It is important to set clear rules, proper governance, and support systems. This helps reduce risks and supports the success of citizen development efforts.

By tackling these challenges early on, organizations can build a space where citizen developers can grow. This will also help keep their IT systems safe, secure, and compliant.

Governance and Compliance

One big concern with citizen development is that apps might be made without following the right rules and company policies. If development is not managed well, it can cause problems like data leaks, security risks, or different ways of storing and handling data in the organization. To reduce these risks, clear governance frameworks are important.

Organizations need to set clear roles and responsibilities for citizen developers. They should create guidelines for making and using apps and have steps to review and approve these apps before they reach more people. It’s also important to communicate data governance policies clearly. Citizen developers should know how sensitive the data is and why following rules like GDPR or HIPAA is important.

By creating a group or council to oversee citizen development, organizations can check for compliance, give help and advice, and make sure all developed apps follow industry best practices and company security rules.

Ensuring Quality and Security

Maintaining the software quality and cybersecurity of apps made by citizen developers is very important. Without proper care, apps might have bugs, security gaps, or performance problems. This can hurt data safety or disrupt business operations. Organizations should have risk management plans to solve these issues.

Code reviews by skilled IT developers can catch problems early. Using automated tests in the development process helps to make sure apps meet quality standards. Also, organizations should teach citizen developers about safe coding, data encryption, and other ways to stay secure to reduce risks.

Regular security checks on citizen-made apps should happen to spot and fix any weaknesses. By including security steps throughout citizen development, organizations can keep strong security and protect sensitive data.

Conclusion

Citizen developers come from different backgrounds and skills. They help businesses change digitally and encourage new ideas. There are various types, from beginners to experts, and each one plays an important part in creating software. They use low-code platforms and tools that automate tasks. This helps speed up projects and sparks new ideas. However, businesses need to handle issues like governance and security properly. By giving citizen developers the right help and resources, businesses can succeed in the fast-changing digital world. Adopting this trend improves efficiency and supports a culture of continuous improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What skills are required to become a citizen developer?

Citizen developers may benefit from being good at technical skills. However, they mainly need strong problem-solving skills. It’s also important for them to learn and adapt to using low-code platforms. Basic project management skills are useful too. Additionally, having a collaborative mindset is key.

How do citizen developers differ from traditional developers?

Citizen developers use easier methods and tools. They make simpler apps compared to traditional developers. Those developers create more complex enterprise applications. However, citizen developers are great at designing for users. They also speed up innovation by working closely with the IT department.

Can citizen developers work on complex software projects?

Citizen developers usually work on solutions for specific departments. They do not often handle complicated projects that need large-scale solutions or software for whole organizations. They might not have the skills needed for tough integrations or creating advanced features.