Low code for enterprise architects

Forrester has some advice for company ‘enterprise architects’ (IT system designers) on how to use ‘low code’ in its paper “Five Customer Facing Scenarios Shape Low code Platform Choices”.

It says Low Code platforms can work better on small / individual projects, but not so well on massive company wide applications.

So often Low Code platforms work side by side with bigger company wide platforms.

Forrester also points out that if you need to build sophisticated software integrations, including connecting transactional systems, you will probably need to do it with hand code, and won’t be able to get it as part of low code systems.

Low code platforms might be best for applications following “well established user experience design patterns.”

But if you are doing coding yourself, of course you get more control and flexibility.

Forrester says that Low Code platforms will be good if you want to make an application which can work both on PCs and smart phones – you can design it once for PC and the low code system will adapt it for smart phones automatically.

All this makes a lot of logical sense. We could use a transport analogy – handcoding is equivalent to getting to your destination by foot or by car, and low code the equivalent of travelling by bus or train. If a lot of people want to go to the same place at the same time (equivalent to a lot of people wanting the same sort of software), then it is more efficient overall to get there by bus or train than to walk. But if only one person wants to go somewhere, a bus is more expensive than a car.