Citizen development offers significant advantages in terms of agility, cost efficiency, and innovation, the absence of enterprise architecture can pose serious challenges.
The Concept of Citizen Development
Citizen development refers to the practice of empowering employees outside the traditional IT department to create applications and solutions using low-code or no-code platforms. These platforms allow users with minimal technical expertise to design, build, and deploy applications that meet their specific business needs.
Challenges and Risks
- Governance and Security: Without proper oversight, the risk of security vulnerabilities and data breaches increases. Organisations must implement robust governance frameworks to mitigate these risks.
- Quality Control: Applications developed by non-professionals may lack the polish and functionality of those created by experienced developers. Establishing standards and providing training can help maintain quality.
- Integration Issues: Citizen-developed applications must integrate seamlessly with existing systems. IT departments need to ensure compatibility and avoid silos of information.
The lack of governance and oversight inherent in EA can lead to security risks, quality issues, and operational fragmentation. Therefore, it is crucial for organisations to strike a balance between empowering citizen developers and maintaining robust governance frameworks.
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