The Low-Code No-Code Movement in Government

The words government agency and fast do not generally go hand-in-hand. However, the low-code/no-code movement opens new avenues for government agencies to achieve their mission quickly and efficiently.

What is the Low-Code Movement & No-Code Movement?

The low-code/no-code movement started with the creation of apps. It allows software developers to create a quality enterprise-class mobile app without manually inputting a single line of code, making code application and software development accessible to nearly everyone.

Now, small and large businesses benefit from the movement and platforms. Traditional programmers and non-programmers have the code tool to create, modify, and integrate software without coding (or very little). The move means freeing up IT departments to tackle more complicated tasks.

What is the Difference between Low-Code & No-Code?

Developers benefit from low-code application platforms because they do require some technical knowledge. Low-code tools allow skilled coders to work faster.

No-code development platforms mainly target business users and help non-coders develop solutions to real-world problems. For example, no-code tools for employees may only include internal communications and time and task tracking.

What is a Citizen Developer?

A citizen developer is not a title or targeted role. It is an employee that creates software applications for themselves or others using IT-approved tools but is not part of the IT department.

Most citizen developers have no coding experience, which is why the low-code/no-code movement is more than just hype.

Professional developers can spend more time focusing on critical solutions because of no-code citizen developers.

What does the Low-Code / No-Code Movement mean for Government Agencies?

Low-code and no-code platforms allow government agencies to build basic applications that directly solve problems and issues affecting that specific agency that streamlines otherwise complicated processes.

Government agencies are often married to their legacy IT systems and are resistant to low-code/no-code development platforms due to security concerns.

Low-Code & No-Code Use Cases

Government agencies require no-code technology specifically built for that purpose—including integrations from Velosimo which specifically address inner systems used by staff and citizens. And because they are no-code, agencies can enable and enjoy the same-day benefits, without programming and costly delays.

Examples of government agencies reducing complexity, saving money, and delivering modern, connected digital experiences with Velosimo are Macomb County, MI and Paso Robles, CA for e-signature solutions DocuSign and Adobe Sign; Culver City, CA and Olmsted County, MN for electronic document management solutions Laserfiche and Microsoft SharePoint; DuPage County, IL and the State of California for electronic document review solutions Bluebeam and e-Plan Soft; Mesa, AZ and El Paso, TX for payment solutions iNovah and CyberSource.

Benefits of Low-Code Development & No-Code Development

The benefits of the low-code/no-code movement for government agencies are no different from those of businesses.

Building and Deploying Applications

Applications make life easier, and that includes government agencies. The integration of low-code/no-code streamlines otherwise tedious processes.

The Accela Civic Platform is a low-code solution that allows citizens to submit applications and documents, track their status, and schedule inspections while providing government staff all they need to process permits, licenses, complaints, and more.

Designing Time-Saving Workflow Processes

Low-code/no-code development platforms allow non-coders to start automatic workflows and apps that make things more efficient.

Laserfiche optimizes document scanning, data capture, and the tools to automate time-saving workflow processes. And, it's not just for the government, either—every industry, from small businesses to large enterprises, benefits from Laserfiche.

Reporting Tools

Reporting tools should provide insight into governmental operations and facilitate and support change. It does not always have to come in the form of graphs or charts.

The introduction of touchless digital services has made e-Signatures the norm. It is not only a secure digital signature but also automates and tracks every process, including archiving the final product.

Digitizing Paper Processes

Government agencies love paper trails, which leads to mistakes and wastes time. When employees can utilize low-code/no-code platforms, they can streamline business processes in real-time without an IT request.

Day-to-day government processes are made easier with Document Management software solutions. Because it is a no-code platform, a government leader has a way to set up mapping and use it on the same day.

Limitations of Low-Code & No-Code Platforms

Custom code and overall customization are the number one limit of low-code-/no code development platforms. And it has everything to do with the vendor a government agency uses.

Risks to Government Agencies

Security threats and concerns are the most significant risk regarding the low-code/no-code movement. And the level of that worry mostly depends on the third-party vendor a government agency uses.

• • • Low visibility or lack of transparency. The software consumer doesn't know about the source code space, possible vulnerabilities, and the level of testing the development platform has undergone.
    • Insecure code. Vetting any SaaS low-code development platform is essential because it could expose an agency to unnecessary risk. And government agencies use low-code/no-code platforms to develop applications that could disclose sensitive government information.
    • Shadow IT. A shadow IT team happens when departments or individual people create applications that expose the company internally and externally.
    • Disruption of government business. Relying on a low-code/no-code platform can disrupt business because of unexpected outages.

The Future of the Low-Code / No-Code Movement in Government Agencies

As with all technology, low-code/no-code development platforms are constantly maturing to be more efficient and secure. Experience with traditional programming is no longer a necessity.

The future of the low-code/no-code/no-code movement means saying goodbye to inflexible and complex legacy systems. The rapidly evolving movement makes it possible for citizen development teams to address agency-specific issues without having to have coding skills.

The days of us filling out spreadsheets, sending them to the central office, and filing them away are over. Instead, automated systems reduce the risk of error and speed up government processes.

And the new breed of no-code integration connectors is making connected experiences available for government of all sizes.