In this blog, Roger, CTO of Fenêtre Online Solutions, explains what a low-code tool can do for your organization and what you should pay attention to when selecting such a tool.
What is Low-Code?
Low-code is a software development method in which large parts of the software are generated based on visual diagrams and definitions. I have gained extensive experience with these types of tools in recent years and have learned a great deal from them. Others have also seen the potential and the number of low-code possibilities has grown enormously in recent years. Is low-code the holy grail of software development?
Inefficient secondment
In the IT world, there is still a lot of secondment based on ‘hourly billing’. Not very innovative and often not very efficient. The ICT secondment agency logically has little interest in the business model of doing as much work as possible in as few hours as possible. Efficient working is not inherent in the project approach. Software is rarely reused across projects and developers often develop software that has existed for a long time or can be generated. Organisations are often happy if the job is done well, but they usually do not know that it can be done cheaper and with less risk: a missed opportunity!
Working smarter
If you give guarantees about the results to be delivered, you have to work smart and agile. Think of things like applying the Scrum approach, intensive knowledge sharing, reusing software across projects, using AI, intensive software generation and applying open source or paid modules, whether or not in the cloud. A good low-code platform supports these possibilities and therefore ensures a huge acceleration of software development. Developers can focus on the difficult parts and customers see results at an early stage, so that you can truly collaborate agilely.
Avoid vendor lock-in
Of course, this all sounds great,, but there are also disadvantages; make sure you don't get locked-in with your low-code tool. A good low-code tool generates software code in a professional language such as C# or Java, which can be maintained and modified without the tool itself. Independence is therefore an important selection criterion. This way you are never stuck with one supplier who suddenly changes his conditions, increases prices or, worse, goes bankrupt.
An efficient and accepted tool
Not every employee is happy with low-code. This often depends on the flexibility and the working method of the chosen platform. Developers do want to use these types of tools, provided that they meet the right requirements.
Nice words, but what does this mean in concrete terms? The generated code must in at the very least be set up modularly, preferably based on functional domains. In addition, the code must be able to be regenerated without overwriting existing adjustments. It must also be possible to code the more complex problems instead of drawing them, because that is often ultimately more efficient and easier to maintain.
"In other words: with a low-code tool you want to automate dumb tasks and support intelligent tasks as best as possible without disadvantages."
Don't believe in fairy tales
Some low-code suppliers paint an oversimplified picture of reality, in which internal employees will quickly click together an application. This will certainly apply to information analysts and developers. However, do not expect financial employees to quickly click together a truly professional application. I have seen low-code applications that destroyed entire server farms because they were not created by a professional.
Even with low-code, good information analysts and people with an ICT helicopter view remain necessary; experts who can structure. The 'garbage in, garbage out' rule also applies here. So do not believe in fairy tales; IT is and remains a profession.
Experience counts in low-code
The larger low-code business applications are complex software, with hundreds of tables and thousands of business rules. Therefore, do not choose a tool that has just come onto the market and has not yet proven itself. When selecting, do not only look at the development of the application, but also at the management. The best advice here is: do a test with multiple low-code tools on a somewhat more complex case, so that you can make a well-considered decision.
Initial and licensing fees
What do these tools actually cost? The differences are large. When choosing, pay particular attention to the type of pricing model, for example whether it is a user-based license and what the annual costs are. In terms of numbers, take into account where you want to be with your organization in 10 years and also any external users who use the application.
Our own Silicon Low Code platform consists of a one-time price, based on the initial project size, with an annual fixed fee for new versions, fixes and security updates. If a project can be developed 2x or more faster, this makes a significant difference to the overall price and growth can be achieved without additional costs. A nice prospect.
Conclusion
Low-code offers a huge number of advantages and the possibilities are virtually unlimited. It makes distinctive customization affordable again, without much risk and it is fun to work with. And unlike a lot of standard software, it perfectly matches the specific wishes of employees and relations. Our conclusion is therefore: within the right preconditions, low-code can certainly come close to the holy grail of software development.
Our solution
Our years of experience in developing low-code custom software have been brought together in the Silicon Low Code platform. Without vendor lock-in, with standard components, extensive software generation, an Agile process and focus on the right things, we deliver well-fitting and very user-friendly software. And that at least 3 times faster than old-fashioned customization. This way, our customers and their relations can quickly get started with software that works, because that is what it is all about in the end. Our advice: try it once and be pleasantly surprised.
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