Faster prototyping, better feedback, reduced time to market – these are only examples off the top of our heads of how the design teams can leverage a no-code approach.
In December 2020, Microsoft announced the implementation of the LAMBDA function into Excel, making the Excel formulas a fully functional (i.e. Turing complete) programming language. The feature was long expected by millions of users worldwide. The press release has also stated the obvious – Excel formulas are the most popular and widespread programming language in the world, overshadowing Python and Javascript. The secret behind its popularity is that Excel is like a Swiss army knife for many use cases – from Marketing, HR, or Accounting teams, where access to a trained coder is limited, yet building internal micro-tools is necessary.
What is no-code and what is low-code
The no-code and low-code ideas are the direct evolution of this approach – the user starts with a need and later uses a pre-made tool and adjusts it to their needs. In the same way, Excel or any other spreadsheet can be used (and is frequently used) to track projects, build reports, deliver analytics, or even plan one’s vacations. A no-code and low-code tool gives one a set of building blocks for an application and makes it run.
What is low-code
Low-code platforms usually go with drag-and-drop interfaces that consist of premade blocks of code and can be arranged as a graph or another comparable graphic representation. These platforms target individuals with some coding experience, yet without formal training, including business analysts or project managers. On the other hand, delivering a full-scale and working application using a low-code tool may require support from a software developer to ensure that blocks are well-fitted and the project is running smoothly.
What is no-code
While low-code requires users to have at least basic knowledge about programming, the no-code platform can be used by a person with no real understanding of programming at all. The graphic user interface enables one to simply drag and drop elements of code and a set of existing features can be implemented with no knowledge of coding at all.
Nevertheless, support from a programmer can be required when facing some more unique challenges or when one needs to connect with a more exotic platform or service.
No-code and low-code platforms are increasingly important trends to observe in the IT and high-tech industries – and for a reason. According to data gathered by Kissmetrics, low-code and no-code tools can reduce app development time by up to 90% and no-code solutions consume up to 70% fewer resources when compared to traditional development.
No-code advantages
The savings in time and materials mentioned above come from direct and measurable advantages provided by these platforms for tech development (not quite software development) teams.
Faster prototyping
First and foremost, the no-code or low-code platform, when used by a skilled non-coder who also happens to be a professional in another field (for example, accountant, HR professional, or, in Tooploox’s case, UX and UI designer), can be used to build a product.
The prototype may be a bit stiff or lack certain features, but it will work. It may underperform compared to an app delivered by a skilled programmer, but it can be delivered faster and without the need to assemble a cross-functional product team. Which leads to the next advantage:
Low cost (compared to a full-fledged app)
Every hour of a programmer’s work significantly increases the cost of a whole project. If a software developer doesn’t need to carefully craft every piece of code and the work can either be done by a less skilled team or with minimal support, the overall cost of the project drops. As mentioned above, the savings may reach up to 90%.
Low maintenance cost (at the start)
It is common for these platforms to come with multiple plan types, allowing companies to pick what works best for them – either a high-scale startup plan or an internal app model that may be better suited for smaller-scale projects.
This comes with lower maintenance costs compared to the need to pay a specialist to oversee and run them either in the cloud or on-prem. All the tedious administrative work is handled by the platform provider.
Easy to set up (integrations)
Last but not least – the platform is suitable for building multiple types of apps with integrations with popular software, be they enterprise-scale tools like Hubspot, payment providers, or other external tools. As such, composing a new product may be way easier compared to building even the simplest of apps – the building blocks are already there, tested and adjusted for user needs.
No-code disadvantages
So why does anybody need software developers at all? The answer is simple – there are multiple limitations to these platforms. Among these, one can name:
Low scalability
With the growth of the product, the scalability of the system diminishes – the platform can be well-fitted at the beginning, yet for a full-fledged product with thousands of users, it may be too clunky and slow-working due to suboptimal coding. Also, a skilled software engineer is unable to fix or improve the product – it will simply work “as is.”
Platform limitations
These platforms are usually flexible and scalable and come with multiple built-in features. Yet building a custom integration (for example, with some in-house systems) can be extremely challenging and require a lot of the coding work one seeks to avoid when picking the no-code or low-code platform.
Also, platforms of this type come with multiple limitations regarding the tech, such as product availability on mobile platforms.
The perfect spot for no-code
The list of advantages and disadvantages provided above clearly shows that no-code finds some perfect use cases in companies. These include:
- Prototyping – the company may leverage the ease of use and speed of building products when delivering prototypes, for example, to share with investors or a closed client base.
- Design – the design team can leverage a no-code platform to combine the design testing phase with prototyping. Thus the team can deliver not only designs but also a working environment to test them with target groups.
- Fast launch – the platform may be insufficient to launch a full-scale product, yet it is sufficient to build the first version of a product. With the reduction of time and materials required for development, the company may reallocate resources to spend in another channel – for example, to gain clients.
- Agile product development – using no-code solutions can be a blessing when building products in an agile environment. The reusable blocks can be rearranged and reused in a more comfortable manner than traditional code.
- Data gathering – last but not least, the no-code approach makes the whole process smoother and faster, enabling one to enter the market earlier and launch the validation of the product. This results in better market feedback and gaining business knowledge – and that is something of great value in itself.
Summary
The Tooploox design team is developing its no-code skillset for a reason. Doing so enables the team to run the first prototyping rounds and ensure that the product vision shared by the client fits with the true vision.
