A Closer Look at Citizen Development
Citizen development is a business practice where a user who is not trained as a developer or has minimal technical knowledge creates business applications that others can use. They do not report directly to IT, and they mostly use no-code platforms (and some low-code platforms) to build their apps.
The citizen development concept is a game-changer for organizations that want to accelerate digital transformation. Citizen development allows them to tackle the ever growing backlog of applications by enlisting the help of all employees, not just a small team of IT developers.
There is a misconception that citizen developers are a homogeneous group, usually ignorant of development processes. However, in the real world, their skills and backgrounds vary. In fact, Gartner found that about 41% of employees are business technologists and already involved in some form of digital development. Understanding and appreciating this diversity is crucial for any organization that wants to build a successful citizen developer program.
Diversity is just one example of the citizen development nuances you need to understand if you want to use it successfully for digital transformation. This blog explains the patterns of citizen development that OutSystems has witnessed when working with customers, shares how it transforms innovation, and provides a glimpse into the future.
Blueprint for effective citizen developer programs
Paradoxically, a successful implementation of citizen developer initiatives actually relies on IT to execute a deliberate set of actions. These actions typically follow a specific pattern that serves as a blueprint for effectiveness.
1. Build a low-code foundation
Companies that have seamlessly integrated citizen developers into their workflows usually start after acquiring a robust understanding of low-code platforms like OutSystems. This clear understanding is critical to guiding the program effectively.
2. Construct a solid base
Before going all in on citizen development, focus on providing citizen developers with crucial stepping stones. Develop essential components like style guides, integration frameworks, and practical examples before beginning work of any significance.
3. Establish a COE and governance
A knowledgeable center of excellence (CoE) steers citizen developers towards organizational objectives and helps ensure they adhere to best practices. Combined with clear governance, a COE ensures scalable, maintainable, and secure solutions. According to Deloitte, a CoE combines technical application development and software lifecycle management expertise with softer communication and collaboration skills. As a result, you get cross-functional team buy-in and everyone is more willing to commit to scaling and adopting citizen development.
4. Choose individuals with STEM backgrounds
People who have worked in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, along with technology power users, are often well suited to the citizen developer role. These are typically the people who have the acumen to create advanced spreadsheets to address issues, indicating an inherent understanding of how technology can transform processes. Their analytical skills and familiarity with logical structures make them well-equipped to imagine and implement tech-driven solutions.
5. Empower through training and community
Continuous learning, facilitated by training, certifications, and a supportive community, is fundamental to citizen development growth and success. Deloitte recommends a talent growth model that integrates business and technology to help citizen developers learn required skills and foster a culture of employee empowerment.
6. Enable seamless integration with IT
IT plays a critical role in citizen development; without it, there will be problems with maintaining and sustaining the applications created. When it’s clear that an application built by citizen developers needs to be used more widely, IT must enable its sustainable growth and integration in the organization's technological landscape. Gartner research shows that distributed, simultaneous initiatives with broad-based involvement can progress 2.5X faster than centralized, sequential efforts. Teams with representatives from IT and the business are key elements in this type of distributed digital delivery model.
The transformative impact on innovation
Citizen development can significantly amplify an organization’s innovative capabilities when there is a strategic approach for it—and when you are using a platform like OutSystems. For example, an oil and gas company from Malaysia trained approximately 2000 citizen developers in about a year. The citizen developers are involved in the development of 225 applications, with at least 25 of them already in production. This company wants to increase the number of citizen developers to 10,000 in the next two years. Their long term goal is to enable the majority of the company (which is around 50,000 employees) to do some form of citizen development.
By empowering individuals from different departments to address challenges and optimize processes, this oil and gas company has unlocked a wealth of innovative solutions that are grounded in real-world needs.
Looking into the future: AI and the evolution of citizen development
The role of AI in transforming citizen development in the future is undeniable. Combining natural language and prompts with low-code and no-code will significantly simplify the app development process, enabling those with minimal technical training to contribute effectively. AI's capability to automate complex aspects of development further reduces the need for in-depth technical skills. While there are many ways in which this is good, it also means that the risks associated with ungoverned citizen development (from bad UX to data security and everything in between) will increase—and that the importance of central IT governance of citizen development programs will only grow.
The future of citizen development, bolstered by the integration of AI into low-code platforms like OutSystems, promises greater accessibility and innovation, while also minimizing risk. By 2026, Gartner foresees generative AI (GenAI) for design automating 60% of the design effort for new websites and mobile apps. Citizen developers stand to benefit the most from GenAI. As generative AI matures in low-code platforms, it lowers barriers to app development, paving the way for a surge in creative and diverse digital solutions. This evolution signifies a shift in the very definition of a developer and the approach to technology creation.
Moreover, the anticipated integration of AI in citizen development is set to enable non-technical developers to play a greater role in building applications. By 2027, Gartner predicts that nearly 15% of new applications will be generated automatically by AI without human intervention. This prediction points to a future where citizen developers can create sophisticated applications simply by writing a prompt or speaking to a GenAI interface. In this future, the involvement of IT and their oversight of citizen development programs will be absolutely critical to the health of not only those programs, but of the entire organization.
As a result, citizen development is likely to be a crucial element of organizational innovation. Organizations that anticipate and adapt to these changes can harness the full potential of citizen development, unlocking new avenues for growth and innovation.
Empower your future: Start investing in a citizen development strategy now
With all the upheaval that AI and GenAI have caused, if you embrace citizen development now and establish the right guardrails around it, you can set your organization apart as a leader. A strong foundation is key: equip a capable IT team to provide essential training and manage ongoing projects, and select technology that’s adaptable for future advancements, especially AI integration.
Many companies are still gearing up for this shift. By focusing on these core elements today and with the OutSystems low-code platform, you can position yourself at the forefront of the citizen developer wave, driving innovation and securing a competitive edge. Act now to lead the change in this dynamic tech landscape. Try OutSystems for free and get started today.
