Implementing new software can result in enormous benefits, but creating a new software application can take from several months to many years requiring software developers (coders) and IT (Information Technology) services, hence costing a large amount of money; in addition, a Korn Ferry report indicates that there may not be enough global talent to cover more than 85 million jobs by 2030, which will potentially cause businesses to lose $8+ trillion in revenue. Despite recent layoffs, this trend may make it difficult and expensive to recruit future tech talent to implement and maintain software using the conventional software development approaches.

Moreover, the people who need the software know and understand the requirements best, so if they could directly develop their own software instead of handing off the requirements to software developers and coders, this can potentially create better software applications, and the development times and expense could be greatly reduced.

The Citizen Developer Movement is comprised of this disintermediation of the software development process by the direct creation of software applications by the conceiver of the software idea instead of using software developers and coders operating from requirements documents.

What is Citizen Development?

Citizen Development is a new way to develop software apps that can be done by anybody with average computer skills because it does not require coding or IT services; as such, the Citizen Development approach can create new software apps at a fraction of the expense and time commitment of traditional software development. People who develop software using this approach are called “Citizen Developers.”

Citizen Development is done using no-code software with user-friendly, intuitive interfaces that allow any non-technical individual with average computer skills to use customized technology options and directly develop customized software applications themselves with no coding, bypassing the conventional approach of having others (software developers and coders) implement the application. By this direct development approach, Citizen Developers can potentially create better software because they know and understand the requirement better than a software developer or coder.

Citizen Development can be done by anyone with average computer skills including business managers, entrepreneurs, legal, medical professionals, politicians, artists, et al.

Benefits of Citizen Development

Even though Citizen Developers lack conventional coding skills, they are empowered problem-solvers from various areas who can lead, resolve, and drive the process of customized app development.

1.   Citizen Developers can develop custom applications in days or just hours versus months or years for traditional software development using intuitive no-code software with pre-built software “building blocks” to speed application development.
2.   As the end user, the Citizen Developer knows and understands the requirements best; as such, the Citizen Developer can potentially create better software because they know and understand the requirement better than a software developer.
3.   Employees can build the apps they need directly, hence enabling them to become more productive and effective in a timely manner.
4.   Enables companies to address the digital skills gap, accelerate digital transformation, effectively broaden the pool of application developers, and reduce IT and software development backlog.
5.   Free up software developers and IT staff for creative, new high value-added research projects.
6.   IT-sanctioned no-code development platforms give people the freedom to create specialized solutions instead of relying on unapproved or risky apps, hence also helping to decrease instances of Shadow IT. As such, employees can continue to adhere to IT requirements and organizational rules while rapidly implementing creative solutions to maximize their productivity and effectiveness.
7.   Creatives can directly implement their ideas in software, which may not be possible to afford with the conventional software development processes.

Bottom Line

As it democratizes software application development by empowering of non-software developers to directly create their own software applications through disintermediation of the software development process, the Citizen Developer Movement encourages innovation by providing the resources and tools needed to create custom software solutions and apps to meet the specific needs of widely diverse people from all walks of life, while reducing software development cost and time compared to conventional software development processes, including enabling creative new software applications that may not have ever happened due to cost using conventional software development approaches.

Have you ever wanted to develop your own software, but thought it required coding or IT skills? Here is the good news: you don’t have to be a software guru to do that. Thanks to the Citizen Developer movement, non-technical users can now create software apps and digital tools with no coding or IT skills. And with DataJamDB, a PC-based software tool, anyone can become a Citizen Developer and unleash their creativity and innovation.

What is The Citizen Development No-Code Movement?

The Citizen Development Movement is a DIY way to develop software apps. It's a low-code/no-code approach to building applications, using intuitive, user-friendly visual interfaces, pre-built software “building blocks,”, templates, or other tools to make software development without coding fast and easy. Citizen development software can be used by anyone who wishes to build their own digital tools but does not want to learn complex coding. With Citizen Development, anyone can create custom applications to meet specific needs and solve unique problems, without relying on professional developers.

Why is Citizen Development Important?

Citizen Development is important because it democratizes software development and puts the power in the hands of non-technical users. These kinds of software are available for anyone regardless of their technical background. Whether you are an individual contributor, manager, creative, independent professional, or a personal user, citizen development tools like DataJamDB can help you to turn your ideas into reality.

The DataJamDB Solution

DataJamDB is a PC-based software tool that makes it easy to create databases from scratch with no coding or IT skills. It’s for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and hobbyists who are looking to build a customized database with ease. With DataJamDB, you can create a database to store any kind of data by using data “building blocks” easily available through its user-friendly, intuitive visual interface. DataJamDB combines the functions of relational, graph, and NoSQL databases all in one; moreover, DataJamDB also makes it easy to create relationships between data, and automatically adjusts the relationships as data is deleted and new data is added with its built-in relationship engine. All with no coding or tech knowledge needed. With its intuitive visual interface, pre-built data “building blocks”, and relationship engine you can create a custom database in minutes. Here are some ways DataJamDB empowers Citizen Developers:

• No Coding or IT Skills Required:  With DataJamDB, there is no need to know technical programming languages like SQL, JavaScript, Java, C++ or any other programming language. And DataJamDB uses no complicated forms such as JSON or XML, like other databases use. DataJamDB is a no-code database solution that enables anyone to create any kind of database without technical expertise.
• Intuitive User-Friendly Interface:  Enter all data and relationships between data with a simple “building block” approach. DataJamDB automatically creates and maintains all data structures and relationships, automatically building and architecting the database as you go.
• Automatic Data Housekeeping:  DataJamDB automatically performs “housekeeping” as you add new data and delete old data; for example, if you have a data item that is related to 14 other pieces of data, and you delete the data item, DataJamDB automatically updates the other 14 pieces of data to let them know that the data item that you deleted does not exist anymore. Other databases require complex coding to do this, but DataJamDB does this automatically as a built-in, native function.
• Easy Integration:  DataJamDB integrates with a range of other software tools, including Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, MongoDB, MySQL, MariaDB, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, and many more. This makes it easy to import and export data, and to collaborate with others on your digital tools.

Who Can Benefit from DataJamDB?

DataJamDB is an ideal solution for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and hobbyists who want to build a custom database quickly and easily. It's perfect for those who need a database to manage contacts, inventory, or projects, but don't have the time or resources to learn complex coding. With DataJamDB, you can create a digital tool that meets your specific needs, without relying on professional developers. So have you got an idea for a custom database to store your important information and relationships? Try DataJamDB now!