Technical debt accumulates like financial debt, resulting from shortcuts in software development. Managing technical debt becomes crucial for sustained success as businesses face growing demands for digital solutions.
IT leaders can leverage low-code and no-code platforms to tackle technical debt head-on. These platforms enable citizen developers to modernize applications swiftly and align with IT teams seamlessly. These platforms reduce reliance on outdated systems and enhance organizational flexibility.
Citizen developers are vital in modernizing legacy systems and collaborating with IT teams to improve performance and scalability.
Low-code platforms also streamline the setup and operation of Centers of Excellence (CoE) dedicated to citizen development, fostering collaboration across IT and business units. With careful planning and clear ownership, these programs drive innovation and improve organizational landscapes.
This chapter explains how developers contribute to modernizing applications and establishing Centers of Excellence (CoE), fostering innovation and collaboration across IT and business units.
1. What strategies can IT leaders implement to manage technical debt effectively?
IT leaders can encourage collaboration to ensure that technical decisions are guided by the real needs of the business, leading to solutions that directly tackle organizational challenges. This not only improves communication but also deepens the understanding of business requirements among IT teams.
Prioritizing faster app development techniques enables organizations to swiftly upgrade their systems and streamline processes, reducing the buildup of technical debt. This focus on speed and adaptability empowers IT teams to swiftly address evolving business needs and market trends, minimizing the risk of outdated technology and inefficiencies.
Moreover, IT leaders require robust platforms that empower both business and IT teams to contribute seamlessly to app development. Low-code and no-code (LCNC) platforms are particularly effective in this regard, providing user-friendly interfaces and pre-built components that expedite development cycles. By facilitating quick development and deployment of applications, LCNC platforms play a vital role in effective technical debt management.
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2. How can citizen developers help modernize applications?
Citizen developers can rapidly develop and modernize applications without extensive coding knowledge by leveraging intuitive visual interfaces and pre-built components.
They can help with:
A. Process optimization
Citizen developers can identify inefficiencies in core systems and create custom workflows to streamline processes and reduce manual tasks. For instance, they can automate purchase order approvals and develop self-service portals for employee updates.
B. Integration enhancements.
Citizen developers can enhance ERP functions by developing custom integrations with other systems, ensuring smooth data exchange and reducing complexity.
C. Legacy system modernization.
They can collaborate with IT to modernize legacy ERP components, including re-architecting modules and migrating data to cloud platforms, improving system performance and scalability.
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3. How can low-code platforms help reduce technical debt for shared services?
Low-code platforms improve shared services by enabling rapid application development, streamlining process integration, and enhancing team collaboration, leading to greater efficiency, flexibility, and reduced costs.
For example, a multinational corporation uses a low-code platform to develop a centralized expense reporting system. This system allows employees across various departments and regions to submit and track expenses, integrates with the company's financial system, and automates approval workflows, improving efficiency and reducing processing time.
Low-code platforms also assist shared services in managing technical debt by providing built-in features. These platforms often include features like drag-and-drop tools, reusable templates, and pre-built integrations, which streamline development and reduce the risk of introducing new technical debt.
4. What will happen if shared services don’t innovate faster?
If shared services don't innovate, they'll fall behind the curve, failing to keep up with the changing demands of the business. This means they'll likely offer outdated services that don't meet modern standards or efficiently serve the organization's needs. Without innovation, they risk losing their competitive edge, struggling to remain cost-effective and responsive to customer needs.
5. How does a low-code platform help facilitate COE through citizen development?
Low-code platforms facilitate COE setup and operation for citizen developers by providing a structured framework for implementation and management. Instead of viewing citizen development as a standalone endeavor, organizations should approach it as a maturation journey, ensuring readiness across IT and business units.
Unlike traditional Centers of Excellence (CoE), which can sometimes become bureaucratic bottlenecks, the focus should be establishing a program rather than a separate governing body. This program requires careful planning, including citizen developer training, application development processes, approval mechanisms, and platform ownership.
Low-code platforms help clear technical debt for Centers of Excellence (CoE) by enabling rapid application development and modernization of legacy systems, and minimizing the complexity and cost of maintenance.
For example, a COE in a financial services firm uses a low-code platform to develop a risk assessment tool. This tool standardizes risk evaluation processes across departments and can be quickly updated to reflect new regulatory requirements, improving compliance and operational efficiency without extensive coding or IT intervention.
