By Vinishaaghayathri Narasimhan
According to data from the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency, as of 2023, India has emerged as the world's third-largest startup ecosystem, with over 1,12,718 DPIIT-recognised startups spread across 763 districts. Among middle-income economies, India ranks second-best in terms of innovation quality. In a world where innovation is the key to business success, app development has emerged as a groundbreaking way for startups and entrepreneurs to get a competitive edge, reach new customers, and significantly improve the business process. In fact, since traditional times, app development has been a complex and technical process, requiring a team of skilled coders and developers.
In today’s fast-paced digital age, not all entrepreneurs have the technical background or resources to engage with and invest in a development team. However, the advent of no-code app development has changed the game entirely, democratising the field of app creation. As a result, entrepreneurs with limited technical knowledge or resources can now easily create their apps without the need for a team of skilled coders, increasing the popularity of no-code app development platforms. According to the report by Nasscom, India’s no-code and low-code markets are expected to reach up to $4 billion by 2025.
Let's delve into some tips to help non-tech business owners succeed in their no-code app development endeavours:
Understand the essence: No-code platforms offer numerous benefits comprising advanced functionalities, extensive scalability, and customisation to build applications. Therefore, non-technical entrepreneurs looking to venture into no-code app development should first understand the fundamentals of this methodology. The method of developing software applications with little to no human coding is known as "no-code development," which greatly streamlines business operations/processes. It empowers business owners to create and distribute apps effectively, thereby shattering the barriers in the realm of application development, and allowing diverse business minds to work with this technology.
Set a clear goal and objective: After understanding the essence of the term, non-tech entrepreneurs should spend some time setting their aims and objectives precisely before starting to work on no-code development. Establish the target user base, the challenges the business aims to solve, and the specific features they want to include in their app. This will help them stay focused and ensure that their app meets the needs of their intended audience.
Select the ideal platform: Selecting the best no-code development platform is a crucial step in the process of creating apps. There are numerous platforms out there, each with unique advantages and skills. As no-code development gains traction, a variety of options are available. Thus, find out which of these platforms meet the needs of the project and have the features it requires by doing some research and evaluating them.
Smart Collaborations: No-code solutions not only provide application development solutions but also act as a collaboration tool for performing everyday business operations. You can work with strict security regulations, having complete control over who can handle the specific business processes
Prioritise user experience (UX): User experience is a pivotal factor for any application's success. No-code platforms provide a user-friendly, captivating interface to build custom applications. To further boost the user experience focus on taking user feedback into account for continuous improvements.
Seek feedback positively: Setting up a no-code solution system in your enterprise comprises real-time teamwork and the involvement of all the key stakeholders is made easier. Hold discussions and formulate the app's design and functionality requirements. Discuss the positive impact that will be acquired by the integration of the no-code software into your existing system.
Usage of pre-built templates: With the drag-and-drop interface along with the pre-built components, no-code platforms enable catalysed application development. This frees up time and energy, allowing the business heads to focus on innovative initiatives.
Start with clarity: Initially, while leveraging a no-code initiative, start small and experiment. This increases the awareness of the potential aspects of the technology, which in turn results in confidence to scale and take up more challenging app development assignments.
Test and optimise: An important stage in the creation of apps is testing. The majority of no-code platforms offer ways to test the functionality and speed of a project to measure growth. While creating applications, make sure to test the app thoroughly and make the necessary improvements based on the user inputs and test results.
Stay current and keep learning: Undeniably, with platforms regularly introducing new features and capabilities, the world of no-code development is constantly evolving. Thus, as an entrepreneur engaged in app development, it's crucial to stay updated. As their adventure with no-code development progresses, non-technical employees will be able to design increasingly sophisticated and efficient applications. Thanks to evolving learning and adaptation methodologies.
Due to the growing emphasis on rapid digitalisation, companies across a variety of sectors are focusing more and more on developing applications to expand their market reach. However, not all entrepreneurs have the technical expertise or resources to invest in a development team in today's fast-paced digital environment. This is where no-code app development platforms emerged as a perfect solution to help them simplify the process by enabling them to construct sophisticated business apps. Thus, non-tech entrepreneurs must welcome the era of no-code app development as they set out on their journey as it opens the door to immense growth and agility.
(The author is the Customer and Partner Support Head, Workhall)
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