Are you thinking about establishing a low-code platform in your company, but can’t decide due to the large selection of solutions and providers? 

In this blog post, we’ll explain why you should make your choice wisely and give you a guide to the criteria you should evaluate when making your decision – so that you end up investing in a low-code platform that will also help you succeed in the long term!

(Reading time: Approx. 5 min.)

A shorter time-to-market, capacity bottlenecks in the IT department or the desire for more flexibility on the market: The motivations for implementing a low-code platform are manifold. In any case, however, companies are faced at some point with the all-important question: Which platform is right for me?

ROI, acceptance, vendor lock-in: why you should invest wisely

However, this decision is not that easy because of the numerous providers and solutions. In one of our partner webinars, “Setting the right course – How to find the low-code platform that will really help you in the long term”, low-code expert Dr. Christian Straube from adesso Schweiz AG explains why it is extremely important to consider a broad range of criteria when making a choice. The investment in a low-code platform should, after all, also offer real added value.

Profitability as a success factor

The recurring fees that companies pay for the use of a low-code platform include rich benefits. Specifically, this is often either a ‘Software as a Service (SaaS)’ or alternatively a ‘Platform as a Service (PaaS)’ model. To ensure that the return on investment (ROI) is attained quickly, companies must also extensively utilize the services that are offered with the platform. “If the low-code platform is not actually used as a platform, the cost/benefit calculation is usually negative,” explains Christian Straube.

It doesn’t work without employee acceptance

The use of a low-code platform democratizes software development. This means that more users are able to develop applications. “This requires clean governance, which is sometimes challenging. Without acceptance within the company, it won’t work at all,” emphasizes Christian Straube.  The IT department must therefore set limits for the Citizen Developers without restricting them too much in their creativity. For this to succeed, a high level of employee acceptance is essential.

A long-term commitment needs to be well considered

Last but not least, the implementation of a new technology is also related to long-term commitment – keyword: vendor lock-in. Before companies invest in a new solution, they should therefore evaluate the fit well. The advantage of low-code technology is that, thanks to rapid application development, companies can also determine in a very short time whether the platform meets the relevant requirements.

Five critical questions companies should ask themselves to consider during the selection process

When it finally comes to the selection process, it is important that representatives from both the business departments and the IT department are involved in the decision-making process. This is the only way to unleash the full potential. The following five questions help to mutually gather all requirements and ideas to finally choose the most fitting low-code platform.

  • For what purpose should the low-code platform be used?

    There are basically three typical scopes of application: The optimization of inefficient, manual and paper-based processes, the modernization of organic, grown IT landscapes and the providing of digital experience with the shortest time-to-market. In the first step, focus on your individual application scenario.

  • What objectives do I want to achieve with a low-code platform?

    Shorter time-to-market, increased employee satisfaction or higher internal efficiency: Consider well in advance which objectives are most important to you when implementing a low-code platform. Here if not before, ask yourself whether you simply want to digitize workflow-centric processes or whether you actually want to use the comprehensive functions of a low-code platform for the development of web and mobile apps.

  • Who are the users of the platform – keyword: Citizen Development?

    Before you decide which low-code platform to use, you should identify who the users (no-coders, low-coders and/or pro-coders) of the platform are and what technical expertise they should have. Based on this, you can decide which platform is appropriate for your required level of Citizen Development.

  • What is the impact of your IT strategy and landscape?

    With regard to the existing IT systems and the overarching strategy, there are a few more questions that need to be answered: Cloud or on-premise? Requirements with regard on scalability? Pre-built ERP interfaces? What are the roles and capabilities? How does the release process work? For this, ideally create a detailed requirements catalog so that you get the best cost-benefit ratio from your chosen low-code platform.

  • Does the vendor’s corporate culture fit my business?

    Another factor that should not be neglected is the importance of the personality of a business relationship. Of course, tastes are different. To ensure the same level of expectation, it is important that your chosen platform vendor also fits your company with regard to corporate culture.

However, you do not have to face these questions alone. If you are currently at the beginning of your selection process and want to involve an expert, contact us now to schedule a meeting with Dr. Christian Straube from adesso Schweiz AG. He will support you in finding the most fitting platform for your individual requirements.

Evaluate Simplifier now!

You have already discovered the advantages of our low-code platform and are interested to watch a multi-experience development platform and its possibilities live in action? Then start now and book a Simplifier web demo or schedule a meeting call with our experts!

Please ask yourself the following questions:

  • Does your company have more than 500 employees?
  • Do you need at least three business applications?

Can answer all these questions with YES?
If so, let’s discuss the following topics in an appointment:

  • What are your challenges in the digitization process?

  • How can your business values (time-to-market, ROI, etc.) be significantly increased with Simplifier?

  • Which companies use Simplifier and what have they achieved with it?

  • Short introduction to Simplifier as well as an overview of the next steps