Breaking Down Barriers: 5 Lessons We Learned in Enabling Non-Developers to Create Apps

My journey continues as a citizen developer, but in this instance, it continues as a cohort lead slash program manager for a newly formed matrix group of individuals expected to provide low code/no code solutions to their businesses.

Let me give you the background for context. The program began in 2020 as a 4-person collaboration team from a Platform IT strategic initiative that has evolved into an Intelligent Automation cohort before the end of 2021. Its aim is to support smaller and more tactical automation projects to scale intelligent automation in the business and leverage existing talents. We had to promote, recruit and run basic introductory sessions to help equip the new members for what they were going to face.

We also spent a lot of 2022 creating the foundations, the processes with which to fortify the program's structure, and learning critical lessons that have helped us create actions to operationalize it for 2023. Know that all these were organic and experimental in nature, despite being affiliated to and sponsored by our Platform IT leaders.

We had 21 members hailing from nearly all functions in the business. Supply Chain, Analytics, Application Engineering, Customer Service, Marketing, and Sales. We walked them through the basics - roles, responsibilities, expectations, and basic knowledge regarding automation, limiting them to low-code and no-code applications specifically the MS Power Platform, value stream mapping, and process management.

Grouped and armed with their chosen use cases, they headed into discovery, and requirements collection. They moved from ideation, wireframing (including prototyping), and design into development.

Rubber, meet the road.

Sure, we did a lot in terms of ensuring that the groups have the right environment with which to thrive, but there were some critical lessons that we had to learn and I want to share them with you because these could either prove to be an entertaining read or (and this is what I'm hoping for) this article could provide insight into how to do it better for others who may be in the same journey.

My key takeaway is this: developing an app as a beginner is far easier than leading a team with near-zero knowledge of how to develop one. And your role of developing a solution has changed from ensuring that others develop that solution. It's a world of difference.

1. Equip them with the basics and stick to drawing within the lines. Training the mixed group on lean, value stream mapping, and process management was the most helpful in terms of giving them the ability to evaluate processes for ways to make them leaner. Most definitely, we had to use low-code/no-code applications. The group of individuals we had with us had varying levels of technical capacities when it comes to coding or even analytics. Providing a guideline for them, even picking out projects that fall into their hands will be helpful in making sure they are able to push through development into deployment. It also helps in ensuring agility and eventually building their confidence as citizen developers.
2. Leverage key partners, implement a governance structure, and ensure business sponsorship. Having a governance structure and key partners like the development team, IT, and business stakeholders are ultra-critical in the alignment of cohort programs. It distinguishes this program by amplifying and legitimizing its results as part of the broader group and prevents it from becoming a shadow IT initiative that will be unsustainable in the future.
3. Offer training, support, and peer mentorship. Training programs like on-demand training, peer learning programs, and mentorship are valuable in developing the group's competency. In essence, we had to introduce this as part of their competency development plans. And while this is likely a challenge for some members of the cohort, given their individual aptitudes when it comes to more technical aspects required to develop a solution, there is a wealth of roles required in order to successfully implement a project. Competencies in customer experience, human-centered design, user interface, graphics, project management, and communication with stakeholders are all required and can be fulfilled by a diverse set of individuals.
4. Collaboration and teamwork need to be closely managed and encouraged. The one thing I like about having a heterogenous group is that their ideas are more likely going to be innovative, granted they need to be grounded in the basics first, but just the way they look at problems will be different. We introduced group sessions, working with the development team, and a general assembly.
5. Embrace agile, but don't bog them down with it. Perhaps, this is one of the lessons that we had to pay the most attention to. Remember that our members came from different functions and were volunteers - they were from the operations. We knew that we had to deliver so we had to run it like a project, but we didn't want to stifle them too much with the rigor of agile project management. So we had to apply the simplest and most rudimentary form of it. Yes, it puts that burden on the program lead, but with a little flexibility and creativity, we made it work.

I think it also needs to be said that not all of our projects will make it to production. And for this team's stage, at this moment in time - that's okay. In year 1 we stressed that learning is the top priority. It was ultra-critical to move them into the mindset of hyper-efficiency - improvement and automation that utilizes advanced technologies, without the constraints of incremental progress reminiscent of the waterfall process and traditional six sigma principles which are more focused on controlling manufacturing defects and not holistically translated into business processes.

Before Six Sigma apostles even think of stoning me, consider the articles from KPMG about Intelligent Automation being the 7th Sigma and McKinsey's "The Future of Work after Covid-19" which clearly state how intelligent automation is a more comprehensive and forward-thinking approach to process optimization, incorporating the latest advancements in technology and data analysis to drive efficiency and productivity across an entire organization.

Sorry about that, it's a bone I often need to pick when intelligent automation is scaled down to its predecessor.

Let me get back on track.

There are still a lot of things we need to do - pipeline improvement, evaluation strategies, better screening of volunteers, improved ways to manage the members and their projects, and we will implement enhancements to them as we continue to move forward. Most likely, we'll capture that for my next article.

I wanted to share with you this piece of our team's journey together. If you're leading a similar program and have ideas to share, comment below or send me a message, it would be fun to connect with you!