McKinsey captured the zeitgeist of the workplace perfectly in a paper entitled ‘If we’re all so busy, why isn’t anything getting done?’. Why indeed. McKinsey believes it is the endless meetings, emails, messages and groups that weigh people down with their invisible digital weight and define the very idea of the unnecessary interaction. It has become too difficult to get things done, and both the business and the employee suffer as a result.
This is perhaps one of the biggest drivers of the low-code/no-code (LC/NC) revolution, where employees are creating their own solutions to these problems. Instead of being locked into IT approved apps or running the risk of shadow IT, people are turning to platforms such as Microsoft Power Apps to transform their daily working complexities into simplified digital realities.
The value of Power Apps lies in its accessibility. Sure, developers can use the platform to create remarkable apps and products, but so can Susan in procurement or Mike in accounting. They can use the platform to augment existing applications, build their own applications, or they can collaborate to create shared applications that resolve mutual challenges within their workflows. And they can do all this without having to learn how to code.
It is a glorious shift that taps into the innovative potential of every employee
In a recent case study done by Microsoft and Toyota Motor North America, Microsoft Power Apps was used to encourage employees to contribute to the overall innovative stance of the company. The result was more than 400 applications developed by employees that ran the gamut of use cases and capabilities. From product quality control through to COVID-19 screening through to creating surveys, employees used the platform to create relevant and highly agile solutions that remained within the rigorous compliance requirements of the organisation.
The last part is key – the ability to innovate and explore app development potential without compromising systems or security.
The answer lies in training and in recognising the potential of your people.
Toyota invested into training that allowed for its employees to fully embrace the low-code/no-code potential wrapped within Microsoft Power Apps. It worked – development and innovation were democratised, and solutions became increasingly relevant to the unique needs of the business.
The same can be applied to any organisation. Microsoft Power Apps is not an elusive or unnecessarily complicated platform that allows access only to the larger organisation. It’s ubiquity lies in its accessibility. A recent blog by Microsoft entitled ‘Low-Code Trend Report 2022: Building a learning culture on a low-code platform’ highlighted how the platform has managed to lure in multiple users from different backgrounds and levels of expertise because of its low barrier to entry and drag-and-drop simplicity.
It opens the door to the citizen developer, a door that every organisation should keep wide open.
Mint can help your company take charge of your business goals and solve challenges and inspire your employees. Our expert teams can help you embed the platform within your business and ensure that its integration allows for your business to really feel the benefits of using Power Apps. By providing you with expertise and support, we will collaborate with you to create a culture of innovation and accelerated productivity with this platform.