Citizen developers are non-IT employees who create applications or enhance existing systems, often without formal training in software development. Typically, these individuals leverage no-code/low-code platforms or other approved tools to build solutions that meet business or personal needs.
We have been told time and again that the world runs on apps and this is especially true in business. To stay competitive, today's companies need to be able to rely on an extensive toolbox of customised digital solutions for supporting and enhancing the capabilities of their human employees. Unfortunately, when it comes to building these custom tools, the responsibility generally falls to overburdened IT departments.
Thankfully, new tools are taking some of the pressure off IT and putting application development into the hands of those who need it most: the employees. Citizen development democratises app delivery, expanding the company's pool of potential developers.
How is a citizen developer different from a professional one? Professional developers and citizen developers both play pivotal roles building business applications, yet they come from different backgrounds and often have distinct objectives and responsibilities.
Probably the most significant difference is professional developers typically have formal training in computer science or a related field and are fluent in a range of programming languages. They engage in complex software development projects, optimising for performance, scalability and security and should be equipped to guide an app through the entire software development lifecycle. These developers are capable of designing and deploying applications from scratch.
By comparison, a citizen developer is usually an end-user from outside the IT department who has no formal programming training, but who possesses the tools and platforms to create applications that meet their needs. They have limited understanding of data security or software architecture; their focus is on addressing immediate business concerns, often using low-code or no-code platforms. These platforms are designed to be user-friendly, enabling those without a technical background to develop functional applications quickly.
Simply put, while professional developers bring depth and a wealth of expertise to the table, citizen developers provide agility and immediacy, addressing niche requirements within an organisation. Both roles are vital, but they cater to different spectrums of the software development landscape.
Organisations are starting to notice the increased business value when citizen developers participate in app delivery. There is a growing demand for applications, one that highly skilled developers simply do not have the resources to fill. In fact, IDC (International Data Corporation) predicts that there will be over 750 million apps developed by the year 2025 (Source: IDC). Additionally, Gartner research predicts that by 2026 at least 80% of users of low-code development tools will consist of those who are operating outside of formal IT departments—significantly higher than the 60% of non-IT users that were identified in 2021. (Source: Gartner)
Digital business models are becoming increasingly more mature, which is creating a never-ending IT backlog. IT is constantly under pressure to modernise tech infrastructure and applications to advance digital agendas and IT can't do it alone. Citizen developers assist in the development of business-critical applications, freeing up IT departments to focus more of their energies on projects that demand technology expertise.
In many cases, project managers and other departments outside of IT may become frustrated that IT teams cannot deliver applications quickly enough to meet immediate demand. With the right citizen development policies, training and tools in place, business users may simply build their own solutions, rather than waiting for professional in-house developers to work through their backlog.
However, it is worth recognising that, if left unchecked, citizen development can result in application quality and security issues that IT cannot see. It is therefore essential that project managers work with citizen developers and IT departments to ensure that all development projects adhere to established governance frameworks.
Intentionality about planning has immediate and long-term benefits for whatever application you want to build. As you prepare to use citizen development practices to build an application, first consider the following questions:
What are the objectives, goals and outputs of the application? What problems are you looking to solve?
Who will use the application?
Do you want users to have the ability to see and edit fields, or will users need different degrees of access?
How will users use the application? Does it provide information, collect information, route information, look up information, request information or collaborate information?
Will users enter the data into the applications? Does the data need to be imported from an external source?
How are users going to interact with your application? Will they be using a mobile device or a computer? Will they be interacting through a conversational interface such as a chatbot?
How will stakeholders report on the application?
- How will admins manage updates and improvements to the application?
Planning should begin with the end of the process in mind. Outputs tend to be the drivers for inputs and if you are looking to speed up the process, an understanding of output metrics can help identify what to measure.
This is the step where you begin to build out your data. Ensure that the proper people have the right level of access to the data. First, create or open your application record, then create your data model with relevant tables and fields and finally secure and import your data.
During the design step, your focus shifts to identifying and constructing the right end-user experience and channel. Decide what functionality is needed for each user experience, whether it's web, mobile, chatbot etc.
Logic is what makes an application a useful tool. It comes in forms ranging from what people can and cannot see, to rules that govern what happens to the data when you enter, update and delete it, and what makes users aware of the conditions and events within the application.
- Form logic: When you control what users see when they visit a form, you can increase responsiveness and productivity. Ask yourself: is this a suggestion or enforcement? Suggestions make the form easier to complete, while enforcement forces the user to complete certain actions to complete the form.
- Business rules: Logic and validation that run when records are created or when they are changed or deleted. This is useful for building conditional logic to run when the form has been submitted.
- Flow Designer: Flow Designer is a tool that is used for building business workflows. When designing a flow, consider that each flow should have a singular goal, they should be reusable and they should be clear as to the purpose of the action.
- Integration Hub: A powerful tool that is available when building flows and using pre-built integration connectors and actions.
- Notifications: Most applications should have a type of multi-channel notification for things like when a task is assigned to a user or group, when a request is opened for closed and when approval is needed.
Although citizen developers provide effective resources for reducing IT backlog and improving development turnaround times, you cannot expect every citizen developer to have the same education and experience as a professional developer. As such, a successful strategy means providing citizen developers with the low-code application tools, capable of bridging the IT experience gap. Templates, code libraries, pre-built integrations etc. improve productivity, giving your citizen developers the resources they need to create powerful business applications.
Many applications may demand input and effort for both kinds of developers. As such, working within a platform that allows for increased collaboration between professional developers and low-code citizen developers helps ensure that the more complex elements are in the hands of those best qualified to address them, while still allowing citizen developers to handle less-complex issues using low-code resources.
Citizen developers have transformed the modern IT landscape, enabling organisations to bridge the gap between traditional IT processes and the growing demand for digital solutions. By harnessing the potential of low-code and no-code platforms, citizen developers empower businesses with faster, agile responses to ever-evolving challenges. Becoming a citizen developer offers an exciting avenue for growth and tangible business impact. If you are considering citizen development as a possible advantage in your career, here is how you can position yourself as a citizen developer within your organisation:
Begin by expressing your curiosity and eagerness to contribute in this space. By demonstrating your enthusiasm, you signal to the organisation that you are a proactive, forward-thinking individual. Organisations that already rely on automated processes are best suited to help their employees transition into citizen developers and some businesses may even already have programmes in place to make this possible.
If there are already citizen developers within your company, they may be able to provide valuable direction and support. Engage with any non-IT personnel who are already applying development skills and learn from their experiences, as this can help you understand the best practices of citizen development while avoiding common pitfalls.
Spend time understanding the ins and outs of any low-code or no-code platforms that your organisation may use, as well as any other tools that are authorised and available. Creating a foundation of knowledge will be crucial when you start developing apps.
At some point, you will need to start your first development project. Start small; use the platform to create basic apps or solutions. Determine which process you wish to automate or enhance. Outline the requirements of the process workflow, create a flowchart breaking the process down into individual steps and then work within the tool or platform to automate those steps. Once you are finished, compare the end product to the initial requirements to determine whether the project was successful.
As you dive deeper into citizen development, always ensure that your projects align with your company's strategic goals. This alignment is crucial to ensure that your efforts yield tangible benefits for the organisation. Improved speed and reduced complexity are two areas where citizen developers can provide major advantages to internal processes; look for these opportunities.
Continuous learning is key — as a citizen developer you need to be self-motivated to push yourself to improve. Attend workshops, sign up for online courses and take non-business opportunities to hone your skills. As the technology landscape evolves, staying updated will help you remain relevant and efficient.
Clearly delineate the responsibilities and roles of citizen developers and how they should interact with the IT department. Working with IT but not directly under them allows citizen developers to benefit from IT oversight, support and security requirements without simply becoming another arm of the department. Establish boundaries that determine what activities citizen developers can and cannot take on and help determine responsibility and ownership of tasks, planning and control. This clarity prevents overlap, ensures efficient task allocation and streamlines project management.
Before diving into development, set clear objectives. What do you hope to achieve with your application? This direction ensures that projects remain on course and align with larger business strategies. Work with stakeholders at every level to manage expectations and ensure they understand the project's purpose.
Identify and document the scenarios where the application will be used. Having defined use cases ensures that the software meets genuine business needs and provides genuine value to its users.
Instead of starting from scratch each time, develop a standardised framework for citizen-development projects. This not only speeds up development cycles but also ensures consistency across different applications.
Establishing governance in citizen development is essential to preventing issues like multiple app versions, unsupported apps and general inefficiencies. As previously addressed, oversight from IT and leadership teams, coupled with proper training and resources, is vital. The right approach to governance encourages collaboration and promotes an environment of creativity where citizen developers can experiment and improve — within established boundaries.
Every piece of software introduces potential risk, be it related to data security, compliance, finances, system integration or reputation. Citizen developers should be educated about these risks and taught how to take proactive measures to mitigate them.
As businesses evolve, so do their applications. Ensure there is a structured process to handle updates, iterations or discontinuations of software. The right approach to application updates reduces disruptions and keeps systems running smoothly.
Foster an environment where non-IT staff feel empowered to innovate and contribute. This can be achieved through training, workshops and promoting success stories. Be prepared to incentivise citizen developers so that they are more eager to identify high-value, low-effort project opportunities that solve real business problems. A thriving citizen development culture leads to a more agile and responsive organisation.
The advantages of citizen development are hard to ignore, but not everything about this non-IT approach is always positive. Citizen development also comes with certain disadvantages that, if left unacknowledged, may undermine the benefits. Here, we take a quick look at some of the pros and cons of citizen development:
Reduced burden on IT departments
While IT may play a central role in building simple automations and optimising systems, these professionals also have other, more strategic responsibilities they need to attend to. By allowing non-IT individuals to create their own applications, organisations give their IT department the extra bandwidth to prioritise more complex, large-scale projects, technical maintenance and put their expertise to the best possible use for the company.
Cost-effectiveness
The IT skill gap continues to grow and hiring new technical professionals to address the needs associated with scaling and digital transformation is not always feasible. Citizen developers expand portions of the IT skill set to those outside of the IT department, allowing organisations to accomplish more at reduced costs.
Increased productivity and efficiency
By enabling end-users to design their own tools tailored to specific tasks or challenges, solutions are often more streamlined and precisely aligned with business objectives, leading to improved productivity. Similarly, because most low-code/no-code platforms are designed for speed and ease of use, citizen developers can create effective solutions more quickly than has ever been possible.
Difficulty keeping citizen developers up to date
Technology is always evolving and keeping up with these changes can feel like a full-time job. Citizen developers may require near-constant training to remain relevant. At the same time, the rapid evolution of digital systems means that applications created by citizen developers may quickly become outdated or incompatible with new systems.
Potential need for extensive oversight
Without proper governance and guidance, citizen developers may create solutions that do not adhere to organisational standards, leading to potential inefficiencies, producing low-quality solutions or even introducing errors to existing processes. IT must remain involved in citizen-development projects to help ensure their success.
Security risks
Finally, given the sensitive nature of company and customer data, it is imperative that citizen developers not expose digital assets to unauthorised users. Lacking much of the expertise that IT departments have in terms of security protocols and accepted processes, citizen developers might inadvertently introduce vulnerabilities into their applications, posing potential risks to company data and systems. Again, thorough education and oversight from dedicated IT departments can help reduce this risk.
ServiceNow offers a series of citizen development tools, from low-code to no-code.
App Engine provides a single location where citizen developers can collaborate, compose customised workspaces and implement automation features, using simple, visual interfaces. Use templates and best-practice designs to hit the ground running.
The App Engine Management Center (AEMC) equips organisations with essential resources for expanding their low-code development capabilities. With AEMC, you can easily propose new app concepts, collaborate with fellow creators and transition projects to your IT team for testing and deployment, all seamlessly and within a cohesive workspace. Additionally, IT administrators can set up development guardrails to ensure effective governance and provide enterprise-grade support.
Flow Designer is a single interface for developing and testing flows while using natural language to describe flow logic. Use this tool to add workflows to custom applications, reduce the need for custom scripts and operate alongside Integration Hub.
An advanced enterprise application development platform, Process Automation Designer uses no-code playbooks, built-in third-party integrations and assigned triggers to deliver faster, more efficient workflows.
Easily create end-to-end digital workflows to automate processes across silos, systems or departments. Integration Hub uses application-specific sets of automation actions and subflows called "spokes" to simplify integrations and empower developers at any experience level with reliable no-code automation.
An AI-enhanced chatbot, Virtual Agent incorporates the NLU Workbench. This allows citizen developers to easily define intents, map entities and create advanced no-code models.
Enhance your workflows and automate repetitive tasks using advanced machine learning. No-code, pre-built templates make implementing predictive intelligence easy.
ServiceNow Performance Analytics uses purpose-built KPIs and dashboards, automated alerts and real-time information to help subject matter experts and stakeholders prioritise resources, anticipate trends and get the most out of automation and self-service solutions.
Even after the worst of the COVID-19 emergency has passed, the global impact of the Coronavirus pandemic is difficult to understate. In terms of application development, the ongoing shift from in-office to at-home work has made low-code development tools all the more relevant. Platforms promoting improved collaboration and increased application output are helping recreate the formal development processes that may have fallen into disuse during the transition.
More than that, citizen development is allowing organisations to better address the organisational challenges that come with remote and hybrid workforces. By expanding development responsibilities beyond professional developers, businesses can effectively lessen the load on overwhelmed IT teams. At the same time, the near-universal need for immediate solutions has helped incentivise many industries that have been slow to implement low-code solutions in the past. The result is a new IT landscape where citizen development is quickly becoming the standard. This landscape may well perpetuate far into the future.