Low-code and no-code software development (LCNC), a method of simplifying development by eliminating much of the need for linear coding, is an absolute mystery for many C-suite executives.
This is according to a new report from software company CLEVR, based on a poll of roughly 1,000 C-level executives at Western businesses, which states that more than a quarter (27 percent) of North American respondents are unaware of the concept.
Even among Chief Technology Officers, “traditionally the savviest tech people within an organization”, 38 percent know nothing about low-code and no-code. European CTOs performed slightly better, with 24 percent unfamiliar with the practice.
For Angelique Schouten, CLEVR CEO, being in the dark about low-code and no-code means operating at a disadvantage. She believes the practice is “at a forefront of a silent revolution” among developers and managers looking for more streamlined processes and cheaper solutions.
“The environment feels a little like when cloud technology was beginning to take off and many businesses thought it was the same thing as iCloud or Dropbox. They had no understanding of the kind of impact it would have on their organizations,” Schouten said.
“Back then, there was little understanding of the cloud’s power and what it could bring to larger organizations and start-ups alike. LCNC is on the same track. Only through better understanding of LCNC can leaders extract all the value the technology has to offer.”
For context, analyst house Gartner predicts that 75 percent of enterprises will use the technology by 2024.
Among the respondents that already use low-code and no-code, speed, cost, flexibility, simplicity and scalability were the top advantages, while 16 percent simply said it was “more fun”.