Since low-code has gradually become popular in 2020, research on its trend has been going on. Gartner predicts that the market for low-code development technologies will grow by 20% in 2023. In addition, they estimate that by 2026, developers in the informal IT sector will account for at least 80% of the user base of low-code development tools, up from 2021. 60%.
This is also one of the reasons why in recent years, the digital transformation of enterprises has paid more and more attention to automation. So, how can low code help automation? How does it help companies change the way they do business in real life?
1. What is low-code automation?
Low-code development is a development technique that allows you to build applications faster, with less time and effort than coding from scratch. A variety of codes are packaged and packaged in the low-code development platform, and displayed to users in the form of code blocks, and users only need simple drag-and-drop operations to configure and integrate, avoiding writing each line of code in person.
The core of this method is to avoid various complex problems that may be faced during the application construction process. Using low-code will also make application development faster, and it is simple and easy to use, which can save a lot of learning time.
Simplify business automation with a low-code platform
For enterprises, low-code automation is an extension of the low-code movement. It's like using Lego bricks to create computer programs that help with business tasks like finances, sales, and human resources. Instead of building each block by hand, you can use pre-made blocks that snap together easily to build your tower faster. This helps businesses save a lot of time and money as they don't need to hire as many developers and don't overburden their existing ones. So with low-code automation, businesses can get more things done faster and easier, saving time and money.
2. What challenges do business process automation face?
Regarding business processes, many companies have misconceptions that process automation is to sort out existing processes and automate high-repetition and low-value processes through applications. In fact, business process automation is not that simple, nor can it be easily achieved with the previous set of tools.
Businesses in the pursuit of process automation face several issues and constraints that limit the effectiveness and scope of traditional process automation. It is mainly reflected in the following aspects:
1. Problems and limitations of traditional process automation
Traditional process automation often adopts custom development methods, requiring extensive coding efforts and complex integration processes. This leads to long development cycles and high costs. Enterprises need to hire professional development teams to design and build customized solutions, which limits the scalability and flexibility of process automation. In addition, due to the heavy development workload of traditional process automation and the high reliance on developers, once problems or changing requirements occur, more time and resources need to be invested in modification, resulting in insufficient adaptability of process automation.
2. Highly complex business processes require automation
The business process of an enterprise is often very complex, involving multiple departments and links. These complex business processes require automated systems that can process a variety of data, business rules, and decisions. Traditional approaches to process automation are often unable to meet the demands of this complexity because they require extensive manual coding and integration efforts. This results in a long process implementation cycle and difficulty in adapting to rapidly changing business needs. In addition, when there are many different systems and platforms in the business process, traditional process automation methods often face challenges of data integration and system compatibility, which affects the overall effect of process automation.
3. Bottleneck and error risk of manual operation
In traditional process automation, manual operation is often the bottleneck of the process and the main cause of errors. There may be errors and delays in manual operations, which affect the efficiency and accuracy of the entire process. For example, in a manual approval process, approvers may be busy or inattentive and delay processing, delaying the process or missing important deadlines. In addition, manual operations face high-risk issues such as data inconsistencies, omissions, or incorrect processing. The human element can easily introduce errors that can disrupt processes or create quality issues.
3. The benefits of using low-code to automate processes
Low-code, as an application development technique, can be of great help in automating business processes. For enterprises, low-code automation is an extension of the low-code movement. It's like using Lego bricks to create computer programs that help with business tasks like finances, sales, and human resources.
1. Reduce development cost and time investment
Automating processes using traditional custom development methods often requires a significant investment of time and resources. In contrast, low-code technologies employ a visual development environment, guided scripts, and pre-built connectors, which greatly reduce development costs and development cycles. Developers can quickly build applications by dragging and dropping components and configuring integrations without writing every line of code from scratch. This rapid development feature makes the implementation of process automation more efficient and economical, and enterprises can save a lot of development costs and time.
2. Improve production efficiency and business response speed
Low-code technology makes process automation easier and easier to use, lowering the technical threshold. With a visual development environment and simplified workflow, non-technical personnel can also participate in the application building process. This enables business users to directly participate in the implementation of process automation, improving production efficiency and business response speed. Business users can quickly create and modify their own applications according to actual needs, without relying on cumbersome development processes and technical teams. This autonomy and flexibility help companies adapt faster to changing business environments, enabling rapid innovation and competitive advantage.
3. Strengthen business user participation and innovation capabilities
Traditional process automation often relies on professional development teams for customized development, and the participation of business users is low. However, low-code technologies put the power of application development in the hands of business users, enabling them to gain a deeper understanding and control of business processes. Business users can independently build and optimize process automation applications according to their own needs and understanding. This increased engagement not only strengthens business users' sense of control over process automation, but also stimulates their ability to innovate. Through low-code technology, business users can quickly test and implement new processes and improvement solutions to promote continuous innovation and improvement of the business.
4. How to use low code to realize process automation?
Low-code technology provides an easy and efficient way for enterprises to automate processes. Here are the key steps to automate your process with low-code:
1. Prioritize and automate key processes
Before starting to automate processes with low-code, businesses should clearly identify the priorities and key processes to automate. Assess the complexity, frequency, and impact of individual processes to determine which are best suited for automation. Focus on time-consuming, repetitive, and error-prone processes to maximize efficiency and accuracy.
2. Choose the right low-code platform and tools
According to the needs and goals of the enterprise, choose the appropriate low-code platform and tools. Consider factors such as ease of use, scalability, integration, and security of the platform. Make sure the chosen platform meets the process automation needs of the business and provides a rich set of components and features to simplify the development process.
3. Design and build automated processes
After choosing the right low-code platform, start designing and building the automation process. First, draw a flow chart or process model to clarify the various links and steps of the process. Then, use the visual interface, drag and drop components and configure integration on the low-code platform to build the automation logic of the process. Ensure processes are designed with every possible scenario and business rules in mind for accurate and efficient automation.
4. Test, optimize and deploy automated processes
After the automated process is built, test and optimize. Test every aspect and function of the process to ensure that it functions properly and meets expected results. Through testing, potential problems and defects are found and resolved. Optimize processes to further increase their efficiency and reliability. Finally, deploy the automation to production and ensure that relevant personnel are trained and mentored for a smooth transition to the new automation.
All in all, low-code technologies bring enormous value and impact to enterprises in automating processes. Through low-code platforms and tools, enterprises can build automated processes at a faster speed and at a lower cost to achieve efficient operation and optimization of business. Low-code technology reduces the complexity and technical threshold of development, enables non-technical personnel to participate in the construction of applications, and improves the participation and innovation capabilities of business users. In addition, the flexibility and scalability of low-code technologies enable enterprises to adapt to changing business needs and achieve continuous innovation and competitive advantage.
As digital transformation accelerates and enterprises' need for automation continues to grow, low-code platforms will also evolve and improve to meet the changing needs of enterprises. In the future, low-code technology will surely become one of the important tools for enterprises to achieve digital transformation and enhance competitiveness.