Release your citizen developers
Brands are in an existential race to launch user-focused applications faster than their competitors. However, quality software can be expensive to build, and even more expensive to test. Many companies don’t have the right skills in-house, while finding the right developers is increasingly difficult.
Low code software development could be the right solution. New apps can be launched ten times faster than traditional full-stack development, with less than half the process steps needed. Employees can be trained to master low code quickly – becoming so-called citizen developers – meaning that business analysts and sales professionals can bring their user knowledge to the app. For businesses looking to replace legacy systems, low code offers a marked reduction in costs and a rapid return in investment.
However, low code does bring certain limitations, particularly around quality and testing. Ensuring the right level of personalisation, accessibility, security and performance require careful consideration. At Expleo, we are on hand to help clients find the right balance of speed and quality.
Quality at the centre
Our consultants help to drive quality right from the start and then throughout the whole process. For example, we will clearly set out the app requirements using a technique called behavioural driven development or BDD. This helps to promote collaboration between all the people involved, as well as readability, testability and customer buy-in.
Expleo与技术开发人员Micro Focusto provide clients with a specialist tool for testing low-code software. Targeted for citizen developers with few technical skills, theMicro Focus UFP1 tooluses artificial intelligence to take away the complexities of testing. Requirements written in BDD are turned into automated test cases.
We recommend that developers shift left quality as much as possible, and start testing from day one. Our innovation partner, Micro Focus, makes it easy to generate tests without the need to understand how testing works. This is low-effort testing to support low-code software. Expleo can help clients to set the tool up and get it working. If preferred, we can also do the software development and full testing.
Extend the right platform
Certain platforms and tools are better suited to certain industries, such as banking, retail, insurance etc. We can advise on the right low code platform to meet client needs, which will reduce onboarding time.
Low-code平台确实带来了一定的限制,so it’s often necessary to extend the capacity of an app with traditional coding. All of the platforms have some mechanism that allows the user to build new functionality. A hybrid low-code/full-stack approach may result in the right combination of speed, cost and quality. At Expleo, we have traditional software development teams that are ready to parachute in to fix clients’ technical issues.
In the race to produce software better and sooner than the competition, low code offers real potential, but don’t overlook the need for user focus and quality. With the right technology partner, you can gain all of the speed, while avoiding the potholes along the way.