No-Code platforms - market survey

This survey has taken a long time to compile (we also have a day job!), initiated by our own experiences with a no-code platform.  We have discussed No-Code options with over a 1,000 members of LinkedIn, primarily Business Analysts.  Thanks to all who contributed - we were often overwhelmed by the BA Community's willingness to share! The summary feeling we gathered was that many BAs were excited about the concept of no-code, but sceptical about the capability and manageability of the platforms on offer.

No-Code is a compromise.  The easier you want the system to be, the less it can do.  For example, if you want a system that has to comply with a tight branding manual, the more likely you'll be to need a coder! On the other hand, if you can put up with a few idiosyncrasies AND have the time to learn a new process, I can guarantee you will experience a new sense of freedom.

There are four categories of software system being marketed as No-Code;

  1. Application - platforms that present lots of pre-developed modules that can be added together / configured.
  2. Forms and Workflow - enable creation of Forms which can subsequently be passed through a Workflow.
  3. System Model - platforms that provide a framework to develop a system from scratch, with no code at all required.
  4. Robotic Process Automation - primarily a means of hooking together existing applications and using them as part of an automation sequence.

We used a case of a project we built for a Water Utilities Company, to manage the Tasks, time and costs for water pipe connections as the comparative basis for each no/low code platform.  The Functional and non-functional requirements were reviewed in comparison to the assessed capabilities of each platform and a simple checkbox form used to count the matches.  We offer this in good faith and without prejudice.  For our systems we have used a specific no code platform, which met all of the requirements.

Hopefully this review may help you focus your efforts to find a platform suited to your application.

Our opinions are offered freely. If we've missed anything, or you think we are wrong - just open and edit the details concerned - or add an entirely new Platform in yourself.  Don't worry about breaking things.

We have researched, tested and summarised as many Low / No Code platforms we could find (and that looked vaguely commercial).  This is provided in good faith and without prejudice (for the legal people!).  We are not recommending any of them - that's your problem!

 

Firstly, thanks to all the BA practioners who contributed to this survey - an eclectic bunch of bright, keen and fresh-minded people, tempered by an equally opinionated collection of experienced cynics!

The idea of a No-Code platform fundamentally challenges the status quo, providing the ability to develop a completed solution, without needing to write a line of code or SQL - but can you really believe what Software vendors claim?

The commonest concern raised by BAs is that "The easier software claims to be to use, the less capable it is".  Our survey tends to support this.

Experienced BAs offered the most pragmatic concern.  "Whilst building a single form might be easy, how do I understand my system with hundreds of forms?"  Usually a successful system will involve a lot of forms, actions and data.  Can you realistically understand your system even a few weeks after you've finished it?