You may have heard the expression “citizen developer” being thrown around a lot recently so we wanted to get some more insight into what one is and whether they should be an integral part of every business. At Solvaa we talk about the concept of “systems and automation champions”, who are people within a company who understand the business processes and are constantly looking for opportunities to streamline and automate them. The term “citizen developer” is a pretty similar kind of role, so let’s explore exactly what they are and how they can help businesses be more productive.
How do we define a Systems and Automation Champion?
At Solvaa we define a Systems and Automation Champion as someone within a company who understands the business processes really well and is able to use technology to streamline and automate the workflows. These champions are individuals who want to embrace better ways of working using no-code automation software tools such as Zapier to implement changes identified to improve systems and processes. They also proactively promote better process thinking and empower their peers to follow suit.
Systems and Automation Champions will oversee the rollout of systems, process and automation change projects to the wider team, ensure that everyone is on-board with the changes and then review and maintain them via continuous improvement.
What is a Citizen Developer?
According to Techopedia, a Citizen Developer is a tech-savvy end user who can build a new software feature from a cloud-based code base, system or structure. It is a low-code approach to software development where authorised employees can design and build applications to meet niche business needs.
Citizen Developers have no formal software training but are employees who are empowered to review processes, improve them and then design powerful applications which they build using no-code or low-code tools. According to Gartner, 61% of organisations have citizen development initiatives or are planning to do so.
So this confirms our thoughts that Citizen Developer is a synonym for our Systems and Automation Champion!
Why do businesses need a Citizen Developer?
With never-ending backlogs, IT teams are struggling to keep up with new requests for developments, and managers are finding it hard to source the technical staff they need to deliver them. Not only are they hard to find, but IT staff are expensive resources, so finding a cheaper solution makes good business sense.
Since system changes can take a long time to implement, business users are typically using clunky spreadsheets and rekeying data from one system into another to get around the limitations of their software applications.
Needing to use manual workarounds causes frustration for business teams, as well as wasted time spent on boring mundane tasks, increased costs and human error.
What are the benefits of having a Citizen Developer in your business?
Using Citizen Developers allows process improvement and automation projects to be delivered relatively quickly, compared with traditional IT development. It’s cheaper for businesses to use Citizen Developers rather than software engineers, so operating costs are lower compared with using their IT team to build every solution. Some smaller businesses may not even have an in-house IT department, and creating one to deliver new systems would be prohibitively expensive.
Therefore it makes sense to empower your workforce to learn how to use low-code automation tools as these vital skills will help them in any role. We believe automation should be something that everyone knows how to do, and becomes a core competency for every member of the team. And, thinking with a systems, process and automation mindset will help the business strive to encompass the right principles to incorporate change as the business grows and evolves.
Because Citizen Developers can introduce change quickly, businesses can maintain a competitive advantage. This agile approach means that no-code tools can be used to clear bottlenecks and improve efficiency, accelerate innovation and deliver solutions when they are needed rather than waiting months for an IT project to complete.
Being able to deliver speedy solutions leads to increased job satisfaction and reduced frustration for all members of the team. They won’t waste time on manual workarounds and can instead focus on the more creative and exciting aspects of their roles.
Should you hire an automation consultant or would it be better to nurture existing team members to become Citizen Developers?
Most Citizen Developers are existing staff members who have in-depth knowledge of the business processes and operational needs of an organisation. They understand where issues lie, where the bottlenecks are, why staff use manual workarounds and how existing systems are failing to provide the solutions needed.
Their in-depth knowledge of the business makes existing staff ideal Citizen Developers, and if they don’t have all the skills needed then you can empower them with training to fill the gaps.
For more complex projects, hiring an automation consultant is an option. Automation consultants are familiar with the software tools needed to implement automation solutions and can work with your Citizen Developers during the information-gathering and implementation phases. They are experienced in streamlining business processes and will work with your team to understand where improvements can be made. They will have a wide knowledge of cloud-based apps which can be connected via automation, which is useful if you have outdated systems and need to upgrade them.
Ideally, your business improvement projects will still be led by in-house Citizen Developers, who know the business best, but with help from an automation consultant if needed. There may be technical skills that an automation consultant will possess or in-depth knowledge of a particular software system.
The ideal scenario is to empower your existing business users with the right skills they need to become Citizen Developers. Then you can hire an automation consultant to fill the gaps if extra technical expertise is required. The consultant will share their knowledge and upskill your team further with coaching, which means that for future projects they will be able to undertake the work autonomously.
How can I become a Citizen Developer?
There are some key skills you need to become a Citizen Developer, assuming you work within the business currently. First, you need an in-depth knowledge of the business processes, and where inefficiencies lie. You need digital skills and an appetite to learn about the no-code tools which you will use to implement automation solutions. A willingness for self-learning is really useful to gain business analysis skills as well as acquire knowledge about the existing software apps to be able to connect them via tools such as Zapier.
You should ideally be a great communicator and able to liaise with all departments to improve processes. Collaboration is key and you will champion the use of technology to streamline inefficiencies and deliver change.
Citizen Developers typically have great attention to detail and constantly strive for improvement. They will need to apply governance at all stages of the project to ensure everyone uses the right apps and security standards are maintained. You will also need to ensure the IT department is kept informed to foster ongoing support for your innovation.
If you’d like to learn all the skills needed to become a Citizen Developer then our signature training programme “Simple Automation Blueprint : Zero to Hero” includes modules on business process improvement, how to document processes and then prepare for and implement automation using Zapier. You can find out more below about how to sign up and kick-start your Citizen Developer role!
Solvaa: Strategy, Solutions, Support, Education
UK-based Solvaa® is a systems, process and automation consultancy specialising in improving business workflows. Solvaa® works with SMEs worldwide to implement digital tools, better processes, use business process automation and generative AI to boost productivity, enhance lead management, and remove unnecessary time, costs and hassles from stretched business owners’ days.
We help you simplify and streamline existing processes, integrate your business tools to make data transfer more efficient, and automate manual tasks. Our business process automation specialists have extensive experience using multiple cloud-based business tools, including Zapier, Pipedrive CRM, SmartSuite, Xero, Google Suite, ClickUp, Asana, Airtable, Hubspot, Active Campaign, Salesforce, Mailchimp, Quickbooks and many more. We are Zapier Certified Experts, SmartSuite Certified Partners, Pipedrive Certified Partners and Xero Certified Advisors. We also educate teams about using AI in their daily roles, mindset, governance and strategy in our Solvaa AI Academy.
Solvaa® was founded in 2016 by Kelly Goss, a no-code solutions architect, business process automation specialist and author of Automate It with Zapier (first edition) and Automate It with Zapier and Generative AI (second edition).
A thought leader on business process automation and digital adoption, Kelly attended an invite-only Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence (AI) with the UK government at No.10 Downing Street, providing insights and recommendations on how SMEs can benefit from productivity gains by using digital technologies, automation and AI. She has also been invited to speak at the House of Lords and at many other events.
Contact us today to find out how Solvaa can help your business make big savings on operational costs and time, and significantly increase productivity.
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