The new platforms aren’t just for non-techie professionals, according to a recent developer survey.
According to a recent study by Mendix, low-code and no-code solutions are not just for non-IT professionals. They are also tools for developers themselves. It seems these platforms make their own jobs easier and enables them to put together business-critical pre-built application components rapidly. So says the Mendix study, The State of Low-Code 2021: A Look Back, The Light Ahead,” is the industry’s most comprehensive study of low-code adoption among IT leaders and developers.
The research confirms what many in the technology industry have experienced over the last 18 months. The global pandemic dramatically accelerated the interest in and use of enterprise low-code, a technology trend that had already been well underway prior to the pandemic. The findings reveal that 77% of enterprises in six countries have already adopted low-code, and 75% of IT leaders said it’s a trend they can’t afford to miss.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the digital business world, requiring businesses to move their activity online while responding to fast-changing needs. Although those pressures appear to suggest that IT professionals are worried about digital disruption, the Mendix report shows that 58% of IT are actually excited by the acceleration, and among 45%, it has brought an urgency for faster and more collaborative development.
The survey findings illustrate the trend
The survey found that nearly six in 10 (57%) IT professionals said the number of staff needed for software development is increasing. It also found that 76% said the demand for developers has reached a fever pitch.
Meanwhile, the cost of software development is rising (61%). Mendix found that two-thirds of software projects are being delivered behind schedule. And despite working tirelessly, the backlog is increasing at 62% of organizations.
The pressure to transform enterprises to be ‘digital-first’ has led to great enthusiasm among IT professionals for new solutions and different ways of working. IT departments are embracing opportunities to democratize software development beyond IT: 64% of organizations have relied on non-technical staff to relieve pressure on the IT department during COVID-19.
Low-code is central to achieving this, as reflected in the 77% of organizations that already use it.
The study also revealed that 64% of IT professionals agreed that low-code is their go-to work-around development solution. Moreover, as many as 59% of projects using low-code are a collaboration between business and IT groups.
Mendix commissioned the research to gauge the pandemic’s impact on low-code adoption, use, and benefits. The 2,025 individuals who participated included 1,209 IT professionals and 816 software developers in the U.S., China, UK, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
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