Modern workplaces have been evolving, and the advent of Power apps as a product within the Microsoft 365 universe has brought in a new class of developers within the organizations called the “Citizen developers”. Gone are the days where business users will have to wait for IT to build them a solution using their requirements using custom code and complex logics. In comes Power Apps, a low code/no code platform that will enable the business user to build their own solutions using Excel like formulas and have a mobile friendly, enriched UX, and highly intuitive product.
The role of IT is to configure Power Apps, environment and assign licenses to enable citizen developers (business users) to learn Power Apps and build solutions to address their business challenges. Power apps is equipped with various capabilities to be consumed as a low code solution for users as below
- Power App studio can easily develop apps with a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor
- Large selection of Excel like formulas and formatting that users can easily learn and implement
- Connection to a large number of data sources
- Start from or use prebuilt templates
- Mobile friendly design
- Connection to common data service and on premise data
- Offline availability and multiple language support
- Easy to share , import and export
- Option to use AI using AI builder and related components
With the empowerment of citizen developers who can build power apps and address business problems it has been easier for organizations as well as the engineering team to get more work done. Users who use more Excel macros and customized InfoPath forms to get their job done now have an intuitive platform which they can use to better develop solutions.
Citizen development is a Win-Win situation for both organizations and IT and is the future of the modern workplace.