The popularity of low-code
According to Gartner, 65% of software developments will take place in three years’ time using a low-code approach. This way of programming is therefore something that is increasingly being used by companies in a wide range of sectors. Many well-known platforms already offer some form of low-code, such as Microsoft Power Platform or Salesforce. The popularity of low-code is partly explained by the speed with which you can develop IT applications.
In addition to the growing demand, there is also a great deal of interest among IT staff to embrace low-code. For people with a high-code background, such as .NET or Java, this is a realistic and often pleasant transition. After all, it takes a great deal of time and effort to keep up to date with developments in these high-code areas of expertise. For profiles that specialize in a somewhat outdated technology, such as mainframes, AS400 or Visual basic, low-code is also the perfect opportunity to take the step towards a more modern technology.
Due to the nature of low-code, it can even be interesting for people without a real IT background. Low-code feels intuitive. In addition, these employees have very often taken on a role as an analyst programmer for customers. Their experience by working in a combination of these knowledge domains is very useful in a low-code context, where thorough analysis is one of the basic principles. So it’s a perfect new challenge for anyone who feels that they have reached the peak of their expertise elsewhere.
With positive signs on both sides, we are preparing our people to ride this wave.
From mainframe to low-code, Peter tells his story
Peter Delrue is one of our people who has made the transition from mainframe to low-code. He tells us what he wanted and how he experienced taking the step.
"I had felt for some time that there was less and less demand for mainframe expertise. During one of my conversations with my manager, I was asked whether I was interested in low-code. I took a look at the Appian and Mendix websites, both leading suppliers of low-code platforms. Our company is also a recognized partner of Appian and Mendix. Low-code immediately seemed like an interesting option for me. I really wanted to do something else, but I never quite knew how or what. I like to program too much to become a functional or technical analyst; low-code proved to be the perfect way to go. In the meantime, I’ve completed some online training courses and an intensive boot camp at Mendix and received my certificate.
The biggest challenge was letting go. Unlike how I programmed before, with low-code, you no longer have 100% control over what happens under the hood. You have to approach it like a box of building blocks. The blocks are already there, the difference you make is by what you do with them. You need to think about the whole process. What do you want to do with the application? What do you need it to be able to do? What steps are required to reach a particular outcome? The emphasis is therefore different from my previous job. The experience I already had certainly still has value. You’re just challenged to use it in a different light."
