Die vier Phasen von Citizen Development-Initiativen: Treiber, Herausforderungen und Handlungsempfehlungen

Modern low-code/no-code platforms are transforming the way companies develop digital solutions and drive innovation. With advancements in technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, these platforms enable business employees without extensive IT knowledge—known as citizen developers—to design and implement their own lightweight digital solutions. This trend is motivating an increasing number of companies to launch Citizen Development initiatives, thus promoting a cultural shift towards democratized development and delivery of digital innovations. Despite the apparent potential, many companies are faced with the question of how to effectively launch and scale their Citizen Development initiatives across the organization. This article sheds light on this challenge based on interviews with 21 individuals responsible for Citizen Development initiatives from 16 different companies that have invested early in low-code/no-code. We identify four distinct phases that companies navigate in the context of Citizen Development, alongside the unique challenges encountered in each phase. Our research findings provide companies with insights into current practices to master the obstacles of successfully implementing Citizen Development. Companies should be empowered to use their resources more efficiently and integrate Citizen Development seamlessly into their digital strategy.