How is no/low-code adoption helping product teams?

The rise of low/no-code technology has transformed the traditional software development process, enabling businesses to build sophisticated products without the need for extensive coding expertise. This has redefined the way businesses create digital products, as they can now focus on enhancing the customer experience, rather than worrying about the underlying technical architecture.

What is Low/no-code?

Low/no-code technology is a term used to describe software that can be created without needing to write code. This type of technology can be used to create everything from websites and apps to complex systems and databases. These platforms offer pre-built templates and components that can be customized and configured easily, helping product teams build prototypes and test ideas much faster than traditional methods.

Low-code solutions allow developers to create multi-platform applications with the same code. This means that the same code can be used to create apps for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac OS, and other platforms. This greatly reduces the amount of time needed to create the application, as developers do not have to write separate code for each platform. These solutions are also beneficial because the code is written in a more secure way, making the applications more secure than traditional coding methods. Furthermore, low-code solutions allow developers to quickly and easily update their applications, as changes can be implemented with drag and drop capabilities. This means that developers can update their applications quickly and easily, without having to rewrite the entire code. These low-code platforms also provide access to app analytics so that developers can quickly identify areas of improvement.

CX design using low-code

Your product designers no more need to run to software developers for every little iteration. Let’s understand how these platforms serve as a friendly tool for your UX teams:

1. Automate tedious tasks: No/low-code solutions enable UX teams to automate tedious and time consuming tasks, such as user feedback analysis, user journey mapping , and user experience testing for improved workflows. This can save teams valuable time and resources while improving user experience.
2. Develop prototypes quickly: UX teams can quickly develop and test prototypes and new features in a fraction of the time it takes to code a feature. This helps to speed up product development and improve the user experience.
3. Easier maintenance: No/low-code solutions make it easier to maintain products, as updates can be applied quickly and with minimal resources. This helps to ensure that users always have access to the best version of the product.
4. Error prevention: The reduced risk of errors in the final product is another

significant advantage of low/no-code technology. Teams can use pre-built components and avoid custom code, which can minimize the chances of making mistakes that could negatively impact the user experience.

Some challenges

While low/no-code technology provides many benefits to businesses, there are still some challenges that need to be addressed. For example,

• These platforms can sometimes be restrictive, and businesses must carefully consider which platform is the best fit for their specific needs.
• Another challenge is that these platforms can sometimes be buggy and unstable, which requires careful research and preparation before use.
• These platforms often lack established security measures and architectures, which can put an organization’s data at risk. Additionally, the lack of an established support system can make it difficult to address issues that arise during development.

To make the most of low/no-code solutions, businesses should consider some best practices. These include carefully selecting a platform that best fits their needs, getting everyone on board with the change, experimenting with different features, and pairing experienced developers with those new to the platform.

Many successful businesses are already using low/no-code technology to enhance their user experience, including -

HubSpot uses low/no-code to help with their sales and marketing processes. They have created a tool called the “HubSpot Flow” which allows users to easily create workflows and automate tasks.

Uber, a ride-hailing platform that utilizes a low-code platform to automate its operations. It is able to quickly and easily develop new features and incorporate them into its platform. Uber leverages low-code technology to streamline processes such as payment processing, customer management, and analytics.

Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) makes content creation easier by using components and templates. It has basic components to provide basic functionality, and its default template caters to most common needs. It also allows users to manage metadata screens and schema without having to request assistance from IT.

Intercom is a customer support platform that uses no-code to help businesses communicate with their customers. They have used no-code to build a number of features, including a live chat system and a customer messaging system.

Zapier is a workflow automation tool that helps businesses automate their tasks. They use low/no-code to help users create workflows and automate tasks.

Overall, low/no-code adoption provides businesses with a way to reduce the time and money it takes to build digital products. No-code technology has the potential to democratize product development, allowing non-technical team members to take an active role in building and testing products. This can lead to a more diverse and inclusive product development process, resulting in a better end product.

Looking for more such insights on developing the products of tomorrow? Understand how can your product team can collaborate with marketing to design high-growth products.

Originally published at https://www.onething.design on Feb 22, 2023