In our last digital transformation article we talked about how manual processes can become embedded in an organization, causing huge yet unseen losses through wasted time and energy. In this article we’ll talk about how to fix all of that by enabling people to build the right tools on their own.
In our custom commissioned study from Forrester, we discovered that 67% of analysts and managers have tools that are supposed to help them manage their workflows, but they’re too hard to get started with. If these tools were actually the right tools for the job, it would not be challenging for a company’s embedded innovators to get started with them, especially because they’re motivated by how much time and effort these manual processes are costing them.
The right solution does not require coding
Programmers are not usually the ones doing the work they’re programming software for, and that disconnect can often leave gaps in software functionality. There is no way a software company can know exactly what fields, forms, and workflows their customers will need. Even if the vendor provides the ability to configure the software, it usually is only ‘configurable’ up to a certain point. Often, the lack of configurability leads end-users to a roadblock that forces them back into ‘workarounds’ or manual processes.
Put yourself in the shoes of a small business administrator. Your business has a unique market, unique customers, specific regulatory requirements, and a specific internal process for getting things done. These processes have grown organically along with the business. As the administrator, you’ve got this process nailed down. However, with all of the floating requirements, there is no one software system that can address 100% of your workflow. You have to skip back and forth between multiple systems, spreadsheets, emails, and maybe even paper to execute your unique process. Imagine if you could take everything that you’ve nailed down to perfection over the years and put it all into one simple system that you could design and continuously enhance yourself. You would easily be able to eliminate manual processes and likely get rid of the need for multiple systems. That is the power that a good no-code platform provides. It puts the power of process improvement directly into the hands of the person who owns the process.
Software doesn’t have to be complicated
When you break down a software solution into its component parts, it’s really not all that complicated. Maybe if you’re looking at the code it is but looking at it differently makes it much simpler. When you’re building the software in a way that allows you to build it from its core parts (instead of code), you gain the power to easily create something that works for your needs, no coding required. This is a new model that is all about the end user who knows the job and the best way to execute it. This is putting the power in the user’s hands to build the system they want, instead of buying one that is almost what they need, but not quite (or buying multiple systems where one should be able to work).
If you can draw workflows out on paper, you can create them in a no-code workflow platform. You never needed to be a programmer to perform your workflow. With no-code platforms, you also don’t need to be a programmer to automate your workflow.
Kick starting your digital transformation
Going back to our study, it found that 67% of analysts and managers are holding back on their digital transformation because the tools they have are too hard to get started with. There is no good reason digital tools should make things more complicated, especially if the alternative is to easily design them yourself.
What people need to kick start digital transformation is having the right tools for rapidly defining and digitizing their processes, their way. They need something that works for them, not something they work for. In the past, this was an incredibly challenging process that could take years of custom development from software companies. But that is no longer the case.
No-code application platforms offer a clear path to overcoming the hurdles of digital transformation. They are the keys that can unlock better productivity and the elimination of slow, disjointed, and painful processes that many companies are unfortunately used to dealing with. Of course, making the switch to digital transformation takes resources.
In our next article, we’ll show how no-code platforms actually help you free up more resources for creating organizational change.
