Citizen vs. Traditional Development: Key Differences and Benefits
Let’s start this discussion with a survey by Gartner. The study says that by the end of 2023, the number of Citizen Developers will be four times that of traditional developers. This shows a clear ascending trend for Citizen Development. Citizen Development also helps in the rapid development of applications. And if you are looking after speedy development and deployment, you might be interested further in exploring low-code platforms that empower even non-technical business users to create applications using low-code platforms.
In short, Citizen Development involves non-IT professionals using low-code or no-code platforms to build and deploy applications. Traditional development, on the other hand, typically involves professional developers using complex programming languages to build custom applications from scratch.
In this blog, let us explore the differences between citizen and traditional development, including the pros and cons. When you finish reading, you’ll better understand which approach is best suited for your organization.
Differences Between Citizen Development and Traditional Development:
Citizen Development and traditional development are two different approaches to application development. Citizen Development uses visual drag-and-drop interfaces, pre-defined modules that essentially involve Low-code or no code. And for that reason, it is suited even for non-tech geeks. On the other hand, Traditional development is the process of building applications by technical experts, typically using programming languages and complex development tools.
Benefits of Citizen Development:
Faster time to market: Citizen Development enables businesses to build and deploy applications rapidly, quickly responding to changing business needs and market demands.
Lower development costs: Citizen Development can significantly reduce the costs associated with application development, eliminating the need for dedicated IT staff and also reducing the time required.
Increased productivity: Citizen Development empowers business users to take control of application development, allowing them to build applications that meet their specific needs and streamline their workflows.
Drawbacks of Citizen Development:
Lack of expertise: Citizen developers may need more technical expertise to build complex applications, which can result in suboptimal application design and functionality.
Governance and control: Citizen Development can lead to issues with governance and control, as business users may build applications that do not align with organizational standards or best practices.
Integration challenges: Integrating applications built using low-code platforms with existing systems can be challenging, as these applications may not be compatible with legacy systems or require significant customization to integrate correctly.
Final Words:
Citizen and traditional development are two completely different approaches to application development, each with benefits and drawbacks. Citizen Development has indeed emerged as a viable alternative to traditional development. But that doesn’t mean you should dive straight into low-code without carefully evaluating its capabilities and limitations. By leveraging the strengths of both Citizen Development and traditional development, businesses can build robust and scalable applications that meet their unique needs and drive business growth.
