What is a Citizen Developer?
Citizen development enables non- or semi-technical workers to become a type of software developer that creates business tools or applications.
Citizen Developer Definition
According to Gartner, a citizen developer is someone who “creates application capabilities for consumption by themselves or others, using tools that are not actively forbidden by IT or business units.” Gartner also wisely points out that citizen developers are not “a persona, not a title or targeted role. They report to a business unit or function other than IT.”
Citizen development enables non- or semi-technical workers to become a type of software developer that creates business tools or applications. These citizen developer creations can be used to meet a user’s specific needs and improve a company’s operational efficiency.
There has been massive growth in this arena over the past decade as “no-code” and “low-code” development tools have grown and matured. These tools enable non-technical users to create applications as soon as ideas emerge, and their benefits can grow exponentially when combined with advanced data analytics.
Benefits of Citizen Development for Businesses
Citizen development has emerged as a game-changing approach for businesses, offering a range of advantages that can boost productivity, foster innovation, and streamline processes. By enabling non-technical employees to build and deploy applications, companies can reduce their reliance on IT teams, resulting in several key benefits:
1. Improved Agility
Citizen developers can not only build new applications but also update and enhance them as needed. Since they are closer to the business processes and understand the needs of their teams, they can implement changes and improvements without having to wait for IT involvement. This continuous cycle of iteration and adaptation helps businesses stay agile and responsive in a competitive landscape.
2. Faster Development and Deployment
Traditional application development can be slow, often requiring months of planning, coding, and testing. Citizen development accelerates this process by allowing business users to create their own applications using user-friendly, drag-and-drop tools. With less dependence on IT for every request, teams can quickly develop and deploy solutions to meet new demands or address challenges.
3. Increased Innovation
By giving business users, the tools to create their applications, citizen development encourages a culture of innovation. IT teams are often bogged down with essential, long-term projects, leaving little room for exploring new ideas or experimenting with new solutions. Citizen developer platforms allow employees to create apps that directly address business challenges or automate routine tasks, sparking creativity and new ways of doing things without the need for specialized coding knowledge.
4. Cost Reduction
One of the most appealing advantages of citizen development is its ability to lower costs. By having non-technical users build their own solutions, organizations can reduce the time and resources spent hiring external developers or relying on IT departments for every app request. No-code and low-code platforms enable these “citizen developers” to create high-quality applications with minimal expense, cutting down both development and maintenance costs.
5. Better Alignment with Business Needs
Employees who are involved in day-to-day business operations have valuable insights into what works and what doesn’t. Citizen developers are familiar with the unique challenges their teams face and can design applications tailored to specific needs. This direct involvement ensures that applications are more closely aligned with the actual demands of the business, reducing the risk of miscommunication or poorly designed solutions that don’t meet expectations.
6. Boosted Efficiency
Empowering non-IT staff to take on development tasks increases their sense of ownership and satisfaction at work. Furthermore, citizen development fosters greater efficiency across teams. For example, many employees can contribute to the development process, whether they are working remotely or on-site, ensuring that projects continue to move forward even when IT resources are stretched thin. This collective contribution leads to time savings and more streamlined operations, giving businesses a competitive edge.
7. Cost-Effective Resource Management
Citizen development allows businesses to make better use of their existing resources. By enabling employees to build apps independently, companies can avoid outsourcing and eliminate the need to buy third-party software. The ability to quickly create and update applications in-house means that businesses can save both time and money while leveraging the skills of their workforce to solve problems and meet demands.
8. Reduced Pressure on IT Teams
IT departments often have a heavy workload, juggling creating new systems, managing existing ones, and supporting the company’s digital transformation efforts. Citizen development alleviates some of this pressure by allowing non-technical employees to develop their solutions. With fewer requests coming from business users, IT teams can focus on higher-level, more complex projects that require specialized expertise. This balance helps maintain a healthy and efficient IT environment.
9. Increased Transparency and Collaboration
With citizen development, the app development process becomes more transparent. Business users can share their creations, collaborate with others, and ensure that solutions meet the needs of the organization as a whole. This openness reduces instances of shadow IT, where unapproved apps are created and used without proper oversight.
The Future of Citizen Development
In the past, citizen developers primarily relied on basic, user-friendly tools to build apps. Today, low-code platforms are evolving constantly, offering new features and updates that allow even more complex applications to be built with minimal effort. As these platforms advance, it will become easier for non-technical employees to create solutions that integrate with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and automation.
One key factor driving this adoption is the ongoing shortage of skilled software developers. With many companies struggling to find qualified IT professionals, citizen development offers a practical way to bridge the skills gap. By empowering employees to create their solutions, businesses can continue to innovate without being slowed down by staffing shortages.
Moreover, citizen development is no longer limited to certain industries.
Companies in sectors like healthcare, finance, retail, and manufacturing are embracing these tools to drive their digital transformation efforts.
The benefits are clear: citizen developers report higher job satisfaction, increased productivity, and a greater ability to innovate.
However, as citizen development continues to grow, businesses must address challenges like security, governance, and system integration. IT teams will play a crucial role in ensuring that these new applications meet the required standards for compliance and safety.
Many citizen developer tools help employees with limited coding knowledge create software seamlessly. Cincom Smalltalk is one such citizen developer framework, supporting both individuals and businesses in developing applications effortlessly.
Are you a citizen developer? Do you have citizen developers in your business?
- To hear a Cincom Smalltalk citizen developer story, watch this video: Are YOU a Citizen Developer?
- To read how Cincom Smalltalk can be used for citizen development and how to become a citizen developer, visit: Citizen Development
- To learn about “No-Code Low-Code” tools available in Cincom Smalltalk, visit: What “No-Code Low-Code” Tools are Found in Cincom Smalltalk?