A Complete Guide to Citizen Development: Role, Benefits, and Importance [Updated for 2025]

What is citizen development?

Citizen development is a process where non-IT employees, known as citizen developers, use low-code/no-code platforms to create business applications. These applications are created without extensive coding knowledge and are approved and supported by IT departments to ensure they meet security and compliance standards.

This differentiates the meaning of citizen development from shadow IT. Citizen developers are non-IT experts who seek solutions for their unique problems and use low-code/no-code to create the solutions themselves.

As digital agility continues to advance, more employees are becoming citizen developers and creating applications on their own. In many organizations, citizen developers are found in departments like HR, research & development, finance, and customer service.

Why citizen development now?

The inevitable changes in the corporate environment force enterprises to revisit their business strategies every now and then. With companies undergoing constant digital transformation, CIOs face severe pressure to digitize and modify existing operations, resulting in IT backlogs. Here’s where citizen development comes to the rescue.

Citizen-led development has been adopted by companies worldwide, as it provides non-IT experts with the appropriate technology and IT support to build the basic apps they need. When employees build their own apps, they perform their jobs more efficiently, reduce the company’s operating costs, and lessen the IT backlog.

It speeds up app development, cuts costs, and improves productivity and work effectiveness by making application development faster and less costly.

There’s a growing need for citizen application development in every organization. However, IT departments can’t build new apps on time because they have a huge backlog of work. This means that even simple apps take months or years to build. For this reason, businesses around the world have started using no-code and low-code platforms that allow citizen developers to build software in days and weeks.

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What does a citizen developer do?

Citizen developers build applications to solve business problems with the backing of IT. They use no-code and low-code app development tools to build new business applications for consumption by themselves and other employees. They have a profound knowledge of an organization's or a department’s processes and also possess advanced digital skills. This allows them to create efficient business apps and automate workflows easily with the help of citizen automation.

Citizen developers are different from professional developers who use pro code to build solutions. Pro code platforms rely only on code, while no-code systems have a Graphical User Interface that allows users to build solutions without coding.

Learn more: Citizen Developers vs Professional Developers

Why do you need citizen development in an organization?

In most organizations, IT departments have such a huge backlog of work they don’t respond to new requests promptly. They are overwhelmed by an unending request pipeline and keeping up is impossible. This is where the need for citizen-led development comes in.

• 71% of business leaders agree that IT teams have a lot of new solution requests they aren’t working on.
• A study by 451 Research revealed that integrating low-code/no-code tools can boost development efficiency by 50%-90%.
• 41% of respondents have active citizen development programs, while 20% plan to start them.
• By 2023, the number of citizen developers will be four times more than that of professional developers

According to a Gartner report, many organizations have active citizen development initiatives or plan to have them. Business users can create innovative, time-saving apps for their organizations using no-code or low-code platforms.

Learn more: Citizen Development Stats and Trends to Watch in 2024

What are the skills required for a citizen developer?

To build an effective citizen development model, here are four essential skills that business users must possess:

1. Complete know-how of business operations

2. Enhanced level of digital skills

3. Ability to collaborate with inter-departments

4. Highly motivated to upskill

Complete know-how of business operations

To build efficient business apps, a citizen developer must have in-depth knowledge of various business processes, their inefficiencies, and bottlenecks. This will help them analyze and create the right processes and apps that are aligned with their organizational goals.

Enhanced level of digital skills

To ensure a sustainable citizen development framework, a profound knowledge of business processes must be combined with advanced levels of digital skills. This includes being conversant with workflow analytics, document generation, and no-code bot automation.

Ability to collaborate with inter-departments

One of the main focuses of low-code and no-code platforms is to maximize citizen developers across departments. In such a case, a citizen developer must act as a link, ensuring seamless collaboration between business and IT, to collectively achieve organizational objectives.

Highly motivated to upskill

The concept of citizen development is recently picking up, paving the way for the digital revolution. In that case, being motivated to upskill is important and the business users must take the initiative to self-educate themselves and master the no-code skills.

How to create a citizen development framework?

Creating a citizen development framework enables organizations to leverage the innovative potential of business users while maintaining governance and oversight by IT teams. A successful framework combines the right tools, collaboration, governance, training, and cultural alignment to empower employees and drive productivity.

Choosing the right platform

Selecting an appropriate low-code or no-code platform is the foundation of any citizen development framework. A platform should be user-friendly for business users but also include advanced features that allow IT teams to maintain control. Solutions like Kissflow offer intuitive tools for application building while ensuring robust governance and integration with existing systems. Prioritizing platforms with flexible customization options and seamless integration reduces barriers to adoption and increases scalability.

Building IT and business collaboration

Collaboration between IT and business units is essential to ensure citizen development aligns with organizational goals. IT teams manage security, compliance, and complex development tasks, while business users focus on creating applications that address specific needs. Clearly defining roles and responsibilities prevents shadow IT and encourages synergy between departments, ensuring that citizen development serves as an asset rather than a liability.

Establishing governance

Governance is a critical component of any citizen development framework. Clear guidelines should define role-based access, application development processes, and compliance protocols. Regular audits ensure adherence to these standards. A structured governance model protects organizations from risks while providing the framework for creativity and innovation. This balance is key to sustaining a successful program.

Providing training and support

Citizen developers need adequate training to maximize their potential. Partnering with platform providers to deliver targeted training programs ensures users are equipped with the skills they need to succeed. Additionally, offering continuous learning opportunities and creating an internal support network fosters confidence and maintains program momentum. Ongoing support helps business users adapt and thrive in their roles as citizen developers.

Enhancing agility

Citizen development programs should focus on fostering agility in business processes. Low-code and no-code platforms enable rapid prototyping and deployment, allowing businesses to respond quickly to changing requirements. Integrating automation with agile practices ensures that processes evolve efficiently and effectively.

Promoting a culture of innovation

A successful framework promotes a culture where innovation is recognized and celebrated. Sharing success stories and recognizing the contributions of citizen developers inspires broader participation and strengthens program adoption. Highlighting the tangible impacts of citizen development on organizational goals reinforces its value and builds enthusiasm across teams.

Measuring impact

Measuring the results of citizen development initiatives is essential to understanding their effectiveness. Metrics such as IT backlog reduction, faster application deployment, and improved user satisfaction provide actionable insights. These data points should inform adjustments to the framework, ensuring it remains aligned with organizational goals and continues to deliver value.

Learn more: Why Do You Need Governance In Citizen Development?

What are the benefits of citizen development?

Citizen development helps in building business agility and enhances sustainability. Some of the top benefits of implementing citizen development in an organization are,

• Innovation and Efficiency

• Speed

• Reduces the Risk of Shadow IT

• Cost-Effective

Innovation and efficiency

The world of application development is growing day by day. A company that wants to keep up must create new applications regularly. LCNC and citizen development enable organizations to build apps that adapt to new requirements, and market demands much faster than before. Citizen application development motivates innovation and fosters creative thinking.

Speed

Citizen development reduces the time it takes to launch new apps. For example, citizen developers updating an app can get feedback directly from their colleagues who use the app. If something needs fixing, they can handle the adjustments independently. Non-IT experts understand business needs and challenges, so the solutions they build usually address problems better and offer an enhanced customer experience.

Reduces the risk of shadow IT

Shadow IT happens when employees go outside IT-sanctioned boundaries to do their work. When non-IT employees are given the tools to develop their own solutions, they can create viable solutions within the IT-approved space. Because they have the tools they need to make their ideas a reality, there’s improved process efficiency. This yields higher overall business productivity.

Cost-effective

Building apps using citizen developers lower development costs. Apps can be created a lot quicker, sometimes in days instead of months. Less coding means less time spent on app development, which results in lower costs. Also, providing non-IT experts with the tools, support, and training needed to build new apps is more affordable than outsourcing.

The risks and challenges of citizen development: What to watch out for

Citizen development allows organizations to be creative and respond swiftly to business needs. However, it also throws challenges that require careful management to ensure successful outcomes.

Governance and compliance risks

When citizen developers create applications without IT oversight, they may inadvertently bypass organizational standards and regulatory requirements. This can lead to compliance violations and potential legal repercussions. To mitigate these risks, organizations should establish clear governance frameworks that define the scope and limitations of citizen development activities. Implementing approval processes and regular audits can help maintain compliance and uphold quality standards.

Security concerns

Citizen developers often lack formal cybersecurity training and might not implement adequate data protection measures. This oversight can expose sensitive information to unauthorized access and breaches. Organizations must provide comprehensive training on security best practices and ensure that all citizen-developed applications undergo thorough security assessments before deployment.

Integration and scalability issues

Applications developed in isolation may not integrate seamlessly with existing systems, leading to data silos and operational inefficiencies. Additionally, these applications might not scale effectively as the organization grows. To address these challenges, IT departments should collaborate with citizen developers to ensure that new applications align with the organization's IT architecture and scalability requirements.

Managing shadow IT

The rise of citizen development can lead to shadow IT, where employees use unauthorized tools and applications. This practice poses significant risks, including data leaks and compliance breaches. Organizations should foster a culture of transparency and collaboration between IT and business units. They can reduce the inclination toward shadow IT by providing approved platforms and tools for citizen development.

Professional developer vs. citizen developer

Professional developers have in-depth technical knowledge and experience in building, maintaining, and upgrading applications for businesses. They employ their coding skills to develop custom, complex, and scalable applications.

Citizen developers are business users who don’t have any coding experience, but they leverage low-code/no-code platform with visual interfaces and drag-and-drop editors to build applications without any coding.

Instead of choosing one over the other, businesses are now involving both professional and citizen developers in the app-building process to manage the growing demand, speed up app development, and cut costs.

How low-code helps citizen developers build apps

Low-code platforms enable citizen developers and business users without formal coding experience to create functional applications that address specific organizational needs. These platforms provide intuitive visual interfaces that allow users to design applications through drag-and-drop components, significantly reducing reliance on traditional coding methods.

By simplifying the development process, low-code platforms reduce the time required to build and deploy applications, allowing organizations to respond quickly to market changes and internal demands. Forrester reports that low-code development can deliver applications up to ten times faster than traditional methods, giving organizations a critical competitive edge. These platforms also promote collaboration between business units and IT departments. Citizen developers create applications that meet specific requirements, while IT ensures adherence to organizational standards and easy integration with existing systems, resulting in efficient, well-aligned solutions.

Gartner projects that by 2025, 70% of new applications developed by enterprises will utilize low-code or no-code technologies, a significant increase from less than 25% in 2020. This shift shows the growing importance of low-code platforms in modern software development. These platforms facilitate rapid prototyping and iteration, enabling organizations to test and refine new ideas and processes without substantial investment. This approach allows businesses to adapt swiftly to changing market demands.

Who are citizen integrators and how are they different from citizen developers?

Citizen integrators and citizen developers play essential roles in modern organizations, each contributing uniquely to digital transformation initiatives.

Citizen Developers:

Citizen developers, typically from non-technical backgrounds, use low-code or no-code platforms to build applications that solve specific business challenges. They apply their deep knowledge of departmental processes to create solutions that improve efficiency and directly meet operational needs.

Citizen Integrators:

Citizen integrators, on the other hand, focus on connecting various systems, applications, and data sources within an organization. They use visual integration tools and pre-configured connectors to enable seamless data flows and workflows across multiple platforms. Their work ensures that applications function cohesively and support enterprise-wide goals.

Key Differences:

• Primary Focus: Citizen developers create standalone applications to address specific problems, while citizen integrators ensure integrating and harmonizing existing systems and tools.

• Skill Set: Both roles require a strong understanding of business processes. However, citizen integrators also need expertise in integration tools and methodologies.

Outcome: Citizen developers produce new applications tailored to immediate needs, while citizen integrators enable these applications and existing systems to work together effectively, supporting broader organizational objectives.

Examples of citizen integrators

Some examples of citizen integrators are,

• Customer Support Manager
• Finance Specialist
• Sales Manager
• Outreach Specialist
• Marketing Lead

Citizen developers and IT teams: Strategies for effective collaboration

The rise of citizen development programs is changing how organizations approach application development. Business users or citizen developers can now access tools to create custom applications without relying entirely on IT teams. Collaboration between citizen developers and IT teams is essential for these programs' success. By working together effectively, both groups can achieve scalable, secure results and are aligned with organizational goals. Here are strategies to support this partnership.

Define goals and responsibilities

Clear expectations are the starting point for collaboration. Citizen developers should focus on creating solutions for specific departmental needs using tools like low-code platforms. IT teams must provide technical expertise, ensure compliance with governance policies, and maintain scalability. Both teams must align on objectives, ensuring solutions solve immediate challenges while meeting long-term business requirements.

Use collaborative teams for development

Combining citizen developers and IT professionals into fusion teams helps streamline development. Citizen developers bring practical knowledge about workflows and challenges within their departments, while IT professionals contribute technical skills and a broader perspective on integration. These teams can create applications that meet organizational standards and solve real business problems efficiently.

Establish governance frameworks

IT teams should set clear guidelines for citizen development to maintain security and compliance. These guidelines include rules for data security, system integration, and performance standards. Rather than stifling creativity, governance ensures applications are consistent with enterprise policies and operate without creating technical debt. Regular reviews and automated compliance checks can support this structure.

Accelerate development with tailored tools and resources

IT teams should provide access to user-friendly development platforms and create training programs for citizen developers. Low-code and no-code platforms allow business users to design functional applications, reducing reliance on IT for simpler tasks. Training ensures citizen developers can use these tools effectively, minimizing the risk of poorly designed applications and encouraging productive outcomes.

Measure and communicate success

Tracking the outcomes of citizen development programs highlights the value of collaboration. Metrics, like reduced IT backlogs, faster application delivery, and improved operational efficiency, demonstrate the effectiveness of this partnership. Sharing these successes across the organization reinforces the importance of collaboration and helps secure ongoing support for citizen development initiatives.

Organizations can achieve faster innovation and operational improvements when citizen developers and IT teams collaborate with defined roles, shared goals, and structured processes. This partnership unlocks citizen development's potential while maintaining the standards and scalability required for enterprise success.

The role of IT governance in citizen development

IT governance is essential to the success of citizen development, as it ensures that applications built by non-technical users adhere to security, compliance, and organizational standards. IT teams are crucial in establishing clear guidelines and approval workflows for citizen-developed apps. They can empower citizen developers by providing training and ongoing support while controlling the organization’s digital ecosystem.

Continuous monitoring and regular audits are necessary to evaluate the performance and security of citizen-built applications. Kissflow supports these efforts by offering integrated governance tools that allow IT to oversee application development and enforce compliance standards. This balance of empowerment and control ensures citizen development contributes to organizational goals without introducing unnecessary risks.

How citizen development accelerates digital transformation and adds business value

Citizen development significantly drives digital transformation by enhancing agility, fostering innovation, and reducing costs. Organizations can quickly adapt to changing market demands and operational needs by enabling employees to create their applications. This agility translates into faster response times and improved efficiency.

Innovation is another key benefit, as empowering employees to solve challenges encourages creative problem-solving and experimentation. Cost savings are achieved by reducing the reliance on IT resources and accelerating development timelines. For example, a traditional IT-led project might take months, while a citizen-developed application can be deployed in weeks or even days. These advantages make citizen development vital to any organization’s digital transformation strategy.

Real-world examples: How companies benefit from citizen development

Organizations across various industries have successfully implemented citizen development programs, empowering employees to create applications that enhance efficiency and drive innovation. Here are some notable examples:

Shell's DIY program

Shell introduced the "DIY" (Do It Yourself) program, enabling over 4,000 employees to develop their own applications. This initiative is a key component of Shell's digital transformation, fostering a culture of innovation and agility. The program operates under a federated governance model, with a centralized Center of Expertise and hundreds of distributed DIY coaches. This structure ensures that while employees have the freedom to create, there is oversight to maintain quality and alignment with business objectives.

Accenture's citizen development initiative

Accenture empowered its workforce by implementing the Microsoft Power Platform, allowing employees to customize and develop applications without extensive coding knowledge. This approach has led to increased productivity and innovation, as employees can tailor solutions to their specific needs. By decentralizing application development, Accenture has reduced reliance on traditional IT processes, enabling faster response to business challenges.

Globe telecom's low-code program

Globe Telecom in the Asia-Pacific regiode development approach, enabling employees to address unfulfilled application and automation needs. This strategy has allowed the company to rapidly develop solutions that meet specific business requirements, enhancing operational efficiency and responsiveness. Globe Telecom has fostered a more agile and innovative organizational culture by democratizing development.

Wesco's automation program

Wesco International implemented a citizen development program to accelerate its automation efforts. By empowering employees to develop automation solutions, Wesco has improved operational efficiency and reduced manual processes. This initiative has enabled the company to scale its automation capabilities effectively, leveraging the insights and expertise of its workforce.

How Kissflow can help in your citizen development journey

IT departments in most companies are overwhelmed. They have a huge backlog, and new requests for solutions never seem to stop. That’s why empowering citizen developers is important. They promise a solution to both budget and staffing woes, and all they need is a good citizen development platform.

Kissflow's low-code platform is an easy-to-use work platform that can help business users quickly become citizen developers. Its visual drag-and-drop form builder and pre-built templates allow business users to streamline workflows and build custom business apps with minimal to no coding. While Kissflow allows business users to build applications independently, IT still controls and governs the data to ensure security and compliance.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) on citizen development

1. What is citizen development?

Citizen development is a business process that enables non-IT employees (also known as citizen developers) to create business applications using low-code/no-code platforms. These platforms allow employees to build apps and workflows with minimal or no coding experience, while ensuring that the applications are approved and governed by IT to maintain compliance and security standards.

2. What is the role of IT in citizen development?

The role of IT departments in citizen development is to provide oversight, ensure governance, and maintain security while empowering non-IT employees to build applications. IT's responsibilities include:

1. Establishing guidelines for using low-code/no-code platforms.
2. Reviewing and approving applications to ensure they meet security, compliance, and integration standards.
3. Providing training and support to citizen developers.
4. Monitoring applications for performance and security risks.
5. Ensuring smooth integration between citizen-built apps and existing enterprise systems.

3. Why should businesses encourage citizen development?

Businesses should encourage citizen development for several key reasons:

1. Accelerated innovation: Empowering employees to create their own solutions fosters creativity and faster problem-solving.
2. Cost savings: Citizen development reduces reliance on costly IT resources and accelerates time-to-market for new apps.
3. Increased agility: Non-technical employees can quickly build and adapt applications to meet changing business needs.
4. Enhanced productivity: Automating repetitive tasks and creating custom solutions increases overall operational efficiency.
5. IT resource optimization: By offloading simple app development tasks to citizen developers, IT teams can focus on more complex and strategic initiatives.

4. What are the benefits of citizen development for businesses?

Citizen development provides several key benefits to businesses:

• Faster app development: Non-technical employees can quickly create solutions without waiting for IT teams.
• Cost savings: Reduces the need for expensive custom software development and IT resources.
• Increased innovation: Empowers employees to solve problems in creative ways using business-specific knowledge.
• Improved productivity: Automates repetitive tasks and streamlines workflows, improving efficiency across the organization.

5. What are the risks of citizen development?

While citizen development offers many advantages, there are risks to consider:

• Lack of governance: Without proper oversight, applications may lack consistency or security.
• Security vulnerabilities: Citizen-developed apps may not meet company security standards.
• Integration issues: Apps built outside the IT framework may have trouble integrating with existing systems.
• Compliance concerns: Applications created by non-IT employees might not adhere to industry regulations.

6. How can IT ensure governance in citizen development?

IT departments can ensure governance in citizen development by:

• Setting clear guidelines for the use of low-code/no-code tools.
• Establishing approval workflows for any citizen-built applications.
• Monitoring and reviewing applications for security, compliance, and functionality.
• Providing training to citizen developers on best practices, security standards, and application lifecycle management.

7. What skills do citizen developers need?

While citizen developers do not need formal coding skills, they should possess:

• Problem-solving abilities to identify business challenges that can be solved with technology.
• Basic knowledge of workflows and data to understand how to design applications that streamline processes.
• Familiarity with low-code/no-code platforms to utilize the features of these tools effectively.
• Collaboration skills to work with IT and other teams to ensure that applications meet business and technical requirements.

8. How can businesses get started with citizen development?

To get started with citizen development, businesses should:

1. Select the right low-code/no-code platform that fits the organization's needs.
2. Train non-technical employees on how to use these platforms to create applications.
3. Establish clear governance protocols and IT oversight to ensure security and compliance.
4. Start with small projects to build confidence and prove the value of citizen development.
5. Create a feedback loop for continuous improvement and innovation.

9. What types of applications can be built through citizen development?

Citizen developers can create a variety of business applications, including:

• Workflow automation: Streamlining manual tasks such as approvals and document routing.
• Data management: Creating custom databases and dashboards for tracking business performance.
• Customer-facing apps: Building client portals, mobile apps, or service request forms.
• Internal Apps: Developing employee tools for HR, finance, or case management.

10. What are low-code/no-code platforms for citizen development?

Low-code/no-code platforms are software tools that enable non-technical users (also known as citizen developers) to create applications with minimal or no coding. These platforms offer drag-and-drop interfaces, pre-built templates, and visual workflows, making it easy to design and deploy business applications. Examples of popular low-code/no-code platforms include Kissflow, OutSystems, Mendix, and Zoho Creator. They are often used for automating business processes, managing data, and creating customer-facing applications, all without requiring extensive programming skills.

11. Why should businesses encourage citizen development?

Businesses should encourage citizen development for several key reasons:

1. Accelerated innovation: Empowering employees to create their own solutions fosters creativity and faster problem-solving.
2. Cost savings: Citizen development reduces reliance on costly IT resources and accelerates time-to-market for new apps.
3. Increased agility: Non-technical employees can quickly build and adapt applications to meet changing business needs.
4. Enhanced productivity: Automating repetitive tasks and creating custom solutions increases overall operational efficiency.
5. IT resource optimization: By offloading simple app development tasks to citizen developers, IT teams can focus on more complex and strategic initiatives.