No-code Media
Research: Jonathan Harris
Originally published Oct 22, 2021
No-code development tools are the bridge that will help shorten the gap between “ordinary” people and coders. No-code takes the chaos of coding and programming and simplifies it into easy to digest and easy to understand graphical interfaces. These allowusers to build, design and customize websites, apps and databases on their own — no coding skills required.
No-code is like buying a chair from Ikea as opposed to building the chair using 2x4s and nails. Sure, building the chair yourself allows you to have full control over the end results but, it requires skills, tools and know-how. No-code, like the Ikea chair, provides you with everything you need in a nice package. You get to see the end results before you even begin by looking at pre-made templates and demos. In essence, you take care of the function, no-code will handle the form. Easy.
No-code allows you to bypass the middleman. You don’t need to spend money to hire an expert coder to build your new website, app or database or AI (yes — there’s no-code for AI).
Instead, you can just sit down and play with the different services until you have something you like. Most services have step-by-step guides that allow you to get a new site live in roughly 20 minutes. This also cuts out the need for multiple sit-down meetings with the expert coder to try and explain your vision using confusing jargon you found on Google and the drawing skills you’ve retained from the fourth grade. The no-code platforms allow you to be the agent of your business’ design and get your own needs up and running before that second pot of coffee finishes brewing.
Entertainment
No-code allows for rapid response and personalized specifications for real time audiences. This can mean creating a companion app to a popular game or show or creating new and engaging ways to tell stories. No-code programs such as Adalo.ai or Appgyver can be used to create a page-by-page “choose your own adventure” type game with simple template layouts. Or, you can create actual mobile games using Buildbox. This program allows users to create marketable mobile games with absolutely no coding experience or game building experience. Some of the games made using Buildbox include Spinny Fidget and Cyber Drive.
News and Information
Using no-code, you can create more targeted apps and services to cater to more niche audiences. This can be making tools to simplify database searches or creating specific AI tools that utilize “active learning” to curate specific results and information to lock in an idea or search topic. The beauty is that you can have multiple tools doing multiple different tasks up and running in the time it takes to code and create one website. And each tool can fulfill the need of the audience you are looking to capture, no matter how niche.
News organizations such as Time and PBS have utilized app integration services to eliminate wasteful hours of work. These no-code tools offer business multiple tools, all in one package that streamline workflow. These include alerts, tracking options and ways to simplify information going between the company and stakeholders or customers.
Positioning
No-code is like selling water in a desert. Why stop at making a one-glovef its all product when you can make individual applications that fit the desired customers interest or needs more accurately? Instead of treating everyone as the same, you can make 15 different services or packages for 15 different people.
No-code is a more streamlined service. Not only does it cut out the need to use coding, but you can also create “no-hand” codes using voice with products such as Alexa or Google Assistant. Just by speaking, you can create elaborate routines that would take hours to create with code.
