By the end of this year it’s estimated that 84%[i] of the world population will be using mobile technology. However, many CIOs keen to launch mobile business apps are facing a skills crisis, hindering their ability to develop apps quickly and efficiently.
A report from Experis[ii] earlier this year highlighted that a shortage of skilled IT professionals across the UK has resulted in tough competition in five key technology skills, including Mobile and Web Development, along with Big Data, Cloud and IT Security.
How can businesses overcome this challenge?
No code or low code development tools such as rapid business app development platforms can help.
They are enabling businesses not only to overcome skills shortages, but also address the common technical challenges involved in developing mobile apps.
These include developing apps for multiple devices produced by different manufacturers, keeping up with changes in technologies and standards, as well as database integration and synchronisation issues.
So how can rapid app development platforms help?
Using rapid app development platforms, companies no longer need to recruit expensive external developers. Instead, they can use existing staff or ‘citizen developers’ to develop mobile business apps. The development cycle is also significantly shortened, as internal staff can develop the app almost in parallel with business requirements. It is also far more cost effective to use internal staff when apps need to be updated in response to business or organisational requirements. These tools also reduce the amount of traditional coding or obviate the need for coding altogether. This means lower costs for setup, training and deployment.
In a nutshell, rapid app development platforms enable existing staff to develop sophisticated, fully functioning web, hybrid and even native business apps far more quickly and at a fraction of the cost of other methods, using the skills they already have.
With many companies recognising the benefits mobile apps can bring to the business – such as automating processes and enhancing customer engagement – using existing staff to create sophisticated and high functioning apps using a rapid app development platform makes a whole lot of sense.
[i] https://blog.globalknowledge.co.uk/2017/03/31/filling-the-skills-gap-the-state-of-application-development/