The Impact of No-Code in the Digital Industry

The Impact of No-Code in the Digital Industry: From a Physical Industry to a Digital Industry.

Based on the idea that sometimes the best solutions to problems come from ground zero, manufacturers are using No-Code or Low-Code development platforms to empower their employees to solve problems by creating their own custom applications. One of the primary reasons for the demand for such platforms is that the required applications can't be found on iTunes or the Google Play Store, the workload for skilled coders and IT services is overwhelming, and the quality of agencies or their prices is high.

The Need for No-Code in the Industry.

This kind of development is especially suitable for businesses whose industrial workforce doesn't require technical skills in engineering concepts and methodologies. Some skilled engineers may have tried various programming languages to digitize and automate their work or perform analyses, but they are not fully familiar with digital industry technologies and methods; it's not their primary field.

What's interesting is that these individuals tend to be highly effective on these platforms because they are not tied to the esoteric syntax of a specific language. They are also in a unique position to understand a business problem, identify gaps in processes, and find solutions.

Some of the new digital industry applications that have been found in the manufacturing sector include:

1. Warranty management.
2. Supply chain visibility.
3. Inventory tracking.
4. Layout reports.
5. Logistics.
6. Point of sale.
7. Project workflow.

Employee Developers

Employees in industrial companies use Low-Code or No-Code platforms to create digital industry applications for various purposes. With these applications, an employee can create a process order entry, then use it to record and manage the relevant information needed for facility networks, inspections, inventory, quotes, coordination of physical labor and required parts, evaluation and approval, and finally, sending an invoice.

In general, there are no standard tools available for the needs of such businesses. Low-Code execution platforms come into play, allowing business users to build custom solutions to help automate and streamline processes.

Any Low-Code user building a custom application will have an intimate understanding of the problem and the process the application is targeting. This is the primary advantage of Low-Code platforms: they keep development in-house, unlike users who have to express their needs to an IT team or external developer.

In addition to enabling the development of these technologies, platforms also provide creators the ability to make updates as their processes and needs evolve based on user feedback. Providers vary in terms of whether the applications can be stored in a portfolio within an organization or in a commercial app store, but updates can be delivered via a link in an SMS or email.

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Development of Digital Industry Applications

Manufacturers are realizing that the development and use of digital software represents a revolution in the professional field. This awareness is often driven by the analytics team, which not only observes that applications increase productivity but also collects data that can be utilized by ERP, MES, or PLM software at a facility. This provides insights into aspects we were previously unaware of.

By processing this data, factories can analyze the organization of parts of their production lines and identify which ones perform better than others, where there are more issues, and where opportunities lie. This, in turn, fuels the company's strategic thinking.

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Case Study on Productivity

Traditional methods used by these establishments were based on manually entering physical numbers into spreadsheets. Errors were common, and elements were often forgotten. Thanks to digital platforms created with No-Code, inventory applications containing formulas and calculations common to spreadsheets were developed. The implementation of a barcode system through No-Code, as well as automatic stock notifications, contributed to increased team efficiency and ensured maximum productivity.

These applications are useful for daily operations, such as tracking employee hours, maintaining lists of approved suppliers, generating audit checklists, managing warehouse inventory, tracking product distribution, and more.

One of the advantages of the digital industry is its cloud availability, which allows anyone with access to use inventory, project management, and R&D applications, regardless of their location. In the company, sales managers can also monitor the time it takes for a store to receive a delivery and make a sales call if necessary. And when the company undergoes a traceability audit, they can easily access the information instead of dealing with numerous physical files.

Choosing the Right Platform

The No-Code technologies applicable to the industrial environment are becoming increasingly diverse. Therefore, it's essential to thoroughly examine the various technologies available in the market to make the best choice for deploying creative and industrial applications.

Recognizing the Company's Needs:

Perhaps the most significant difference between industrial application platforms is the ability for the creator to add their own code. Generally, No-Code solutions allow for application development through simple methods like drag-and-drop and target professional users and those with basic programming knowledge. Many of these tools are designed to replace or complement spreadsheets, such as AppSheet, which is a No-Code platform.

Low-Code tools offer a predominantly "point-and-click" configuration but provide more advanced scripting options to execute complex business logic blocks. These tools are intended for technically savvy users with some knowledge but not at the developer level. Appian and Bubble are examples of Low-Code platforms.

Security Level:

Differentiating factors between platforms also include security levels. It's always a good practice to check a provider's security page to understand their policies and procedures for handling data. Evaluators can request details about certifications such as ISO 27001, emphasizing the quality and continuous improvement of information management systems, and SOC 2 Type II, a standard related to controls directly linked to security, availability, transaction integrity, privacy, and confidentiality.

Security is only one part of the equation; it's equally crucial to understand a provider's privacy policy. Clients should ensure that they own the intellectual property of their applications and data and that information cannot be sold or shared with third parties.

Updates:

The true value of Low-Code and No-Code extends beyond the technical components of applications. It's complemented by ongoing maintenance and updates throughout the platform's lifecycle, especially when applications are used on mobile devices or the web. Issues often arise with enterprise software.

Changes in web standards are common, and just because an application works with Edge, Safari, Bing, or Chrome today doesn't guarantee it will work tomorrow. It's important to explore with the Low-Code company whether they provide optimization of a tool that conceals maintenance needs and tests the platform's capabilities.

Web Standards:

Clients of the platform should also inquire if the platform environment is cloud-based, meaning it complies with the underlying principles and architectures that facilitate not only existence in the cloud but also the execution of processes and procedures available not only in one cloud but across multiple clouds, on-site, and fully integrated.

Ultimately, the central question when creating creative or industrial applications is whether they help the company solve problems, increase productivity, and drive innovation. All industries face the pressure to innovate and improve, whether it's in factory inspection or warehouse inventory automation.

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