Digital transformation has become an imperative for businesses looking to adapt and thrive in an increasingly digital economy. However, the path is filled with obstacles. Studies show that 70% of digital transformation initiatives fail. So what‘s causing these failures and how can companies set their projects up for success?
70% of digital transformations fail according to McKinsey
The answer lies in embracing no code – platforms that enable building software, mobile apps, and process automation without manual coding. No code is key to overcoming many digital transformation roadblocks.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll cover:
- The top challenges holding back digital transformation success
- How no code platforms can address each major hurdle
- Real-world examples and use cases demonstrating no code benefits
- Expert predictions on the future growth of no code
- Tips for business leaders to drive digital transformation with no code
Let‘s dive in.
Digital Transformation: Main Obstacles and Challenges
First, why do the majority of digital transformation efforts fail? Leading causes include:
1. Talent Shortages
The software developer talent pool hasn‘t kept pace with demand. With the Great Resignation exacerbating hiring challenges, many companies simply lack the people needed to drive large-scale digitization.
Less than 50% of organizations say they have the talent needed for digital transformation initiatives according to PwC
2. Employee Resistance
Digital transformation inherently requires adapting processes, systems, and employee roles. But such workplace upheaval often breeds fear, uncertainty, and resistance from staff. This pushback stalls progress. According to McKinsey, employee resistance is the #1 reason digital transformations fail.
3. Security & Compliance Risks
New digital systems introduce expanded attack surfaces and more data to protect. Without proper security precautions, digitization heightens vulnerability to breaches, hacks, and non-compliance. Indeed, over 25% of digital transformation efforts experience cybersecurity breaches significant enough to stall initiatives according to IDG.
25%+ of digital transformations experience cybersecurity breaches (IDG)
4. Unclear Costs & ROI
Digital transformation demands major upfront software, hardware, and services investments. But the ultimate payoff is often nebulous. This ambiguity around costs and return on investment makes building internal consensus and support difficult. According to Deloitte, over 35% of digital transformation leaders can‘t accurately quantify costs vs benefits.
5. Lack of Business Agility
Legacy processes and technology stacks often lack the flexibility and speed needed to continuously adapt solutions to ever-changing customer expectations, market dynamics, and internal user needs. Yet the ability to flexibly evolve is critical. As McKinsey notes, large successful digital transformation efforts evolve through iterative launches rather than massive multi-year initiatives.
No Code: The Ultimate Digital Transformation Accelerator
This is where no code comes in. No code platforms empower non-technical staff in every business unit to build software, mobile apps, bot solutions, and automated workflows without manual coding.
With no code, digital transformation can tap into talent across the business, not just overloaded IT teams. Solutions can be modified in hours or days instead of months. Costs are slashed compared to traditional software development.
Let‘s explore how no code specifically overcomes the key digital transformation obstacles:
1. Tackling the Talent Shortage
No code democratizes software creation and process automation. With intuitive visual interfaces and pre-built components that snap together like Lego blocks, no prior coding experience is required.
This allows organizations to leverage talent across the business to drive digitization rather than competing for the same shallow developer talent pool. Staff like business analysts, operations managers, marketing specialists, and frontline workers can all become “citizen developers.”
Gartner predicts 4X more citizen developers than professional developers by 2025
For example, an accounting manager could use an app builder like Appian to create new invoice processing workflows to cut costs. A social media specialist could leverage a no code chatbot platform like Landbot to automate customer support tasks.
2. Overcoming Employee Resistance
When change is forced from the outside, people naturally resist. No code flips the dynamic by putting transformation tools directly into employees‘ hands. Staff can mold solutions to fit their own needs rather than merely reacting to mandated adjustments.
This active involvement and autonomy cuts resistance off at the knees. Workers across departments also gain valuable new digital skills, increasing engagement. According to Forrester, over 75% of IT decision makers report greater user satisfaction when staff can build their own solutions.
75%+ report greater end user satisfaction with no code solutions they build themselves (Forrester)
3. Mitigating Security & Compliance Risks
No code platforms incorporate robust security protections out of the box including encryption, access controls, and activity monitoring.
Centralizing data and applications on enterprise-grade no code platforms also reduces risky shadow IT sprawl. Authorization policies control access while built-in auditing provides visibility.
These integrated compliance and security capabilities mitigate key digital transformation risks that lead to breaches as shown below:
Up to 80% reduction in data breaches with flexible no code platforms (Forrester study)
4. Driving Lower Costs & Clearer ROI
The visual interfaces, pre-built components, and automation capacity of no code tools slash both build and maintenance costs compared to traditional coding. According to IDC, no code platforms deliver over 500% ROI over 3 years.
No code also empowers faster modification and scaling of solutions to suit evolving needs. This flexibility improves ROI by keeping productivity and revenue gains on track.
With no need for scarce professional developers, no code platforms utilize staff resources already on your payroll. Unlocking their productivity and innovation potential helps justify the technology investment.
5. Accelerating Business Agility
The consumerization of enterprise technology and compressed product life cycles means delivering at digital speed has become an imperative.
No code tools turbocharge agility through rapid iteration, easy changes, and built-in scalability to flex with fluctuating demands. With no need to submit tickets and wait in an IT backlog, adaptability is decentralized across the business.
If a process workflow isn‘t converting customers as expected, for example, marketers can instantly modify it. New features can be added to mobile apps in days rather than months after gathering user feedback. This accelerated time-to-value outpaces rivals.
*75% faster time to market with rapid no code development (Forrester)
No Code Digital Transformation Use Cases & Examples
Global brands across industries have leveraged no code platforms as a key digital transformation accelerator:
Appian – Automotive Logistics Company
A leading automotive logistics company faced severe disruption amid COVID-19. Workflows still depended on manual processes like paper receipts. Hundreds of workers also lacked mobile access to data needed for their jobs.
Using the Appian no code platform, core warehouse and transportation processes were digitized in just 2 months. This delivered real-time visibility, eliminated data silos, enabled remote mobile access for employees, and is expected to cut labor expenses by 15%.
Zapier – Nonprofit Organization
A nonprofit organization needed to integrate critical business systems to improve volunteer onboarding and donation processing. With limited budget for expensive integration software or custom coding, they turned to the no code integration platform Zapier.
This allowed the nonprofit to easily automate data flows between tools like MailChimp, Salesforce, and Stripe. Volunteer onboarding completion times were cut in half. Donation acknowledgement times were similarly slashed allowing funds to flow faster to programs.
Retool – Healthcare Companies
Facing urgent demands for contact tracing and patient communications during COVID-19, leading healthcare providers had to rapidly build applications. But complex coding couldn’t meet needs quickly enough.
Leveraging the no code Retool platform, critical healthcare apps were built in just days without any coding. This enabled fast deployment of patient screening bots, testing site locators, capacity dashboards, and other digital tools vital for public health needs during the pandemic.
These examples demonstrate no code‘s effectiveness for digital transformation across sectors.
Comparing No Code to Low Code Platforms
While no code and low code platforms have similarities, important distinctions exist related to technical depth and user personas.
Low code platforms allow for more advanced application development, integration, data modeling, and customization than pure no code tools. But they do require some scripting and coding expertise. Low code solutions are better suited for professional developers – both IT coders and technically adept power users.
No code platforms provide easy drag and drop interfaces, customizable templates, and pre-built components that enable complete app and automation development without any manual coding. No code tools open the door for business users and non-developers to drive their own solutions.
The choice depends on an organization‘s development maturity and technical breadth across business teams. Many evolve from no code proofs of concept to expanded low code usage.
The Future of No Code – Exponential Growth Ahead
No code adoption is still early but its growth trajectory is steep as more organizations recognize the technology‘s effectiveness at fueling digital transformation.
- Low code/no code app development platform revenue is predicted to rise from $13.8 billion in 2021 to $187 billion by 2030. (Forrester)
- By 2025, over 50% of medium to large enterprises will have adopted a low-code application platform. (Gartner)
- By 2025, 70% of new applications developed will use low-code or no-code technologies, up from less than 25% in 2020. (Gartner)
As these data points demonstrate, no code adoption will rapidly accelerate over the next few years as it becomes the most effective way to drive digital transformation for many organizations.
Getting Started With No Code Transformation – Expert Tips
For business leaders exploring how to harness no code to fuel their digital transformation, here is some expert advice:
Pick Your Initial Priority Pain Point
The best approach is to start small. Identify friction points where no code can demonstrate quick impact whether it‘s an inefficient process, disconnected systems blocking data flows, or poor customer experience with outdated touchpoints. Quick wins build internal momentum.
Show, Don’t Tell
Don’t just present abstract benefits of no code in a boardroom. Put transformed workflows and no code platforms directly into the hands of department leaders and employees to experience value firsthand. Tangible proof is hard to argue with.
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Clear executive messaging and transparent dialog across teams is vital in any business transformation initiative. Celebrate milestones and champion how no code fuels flexibility, creativity, and autonomy.
Take an Agile Approach
With no code you can launch solutions fast, gather user feedback, continuously evolve via regular value increments, and steadily build capacity for larger directional shifts. Delivering net new value every quarter keeps stakeholders aligned on bigger goals.
Develop “Citizen Developers”
Growing the ranks of no code-savvy citizen developers across roles is key for transformation solutions to scale across the enterprise effectively. The skills gained from no code usage also futureproof employee value.
No Code Holds the Keys to Digital Transformation Success
With the majority of digital transformation initiatives stalling, a fundamental shift is imperative to drive success. No code represents that breakthrough technology – easier, faster, more affordable and secure than traditional coding with benefits spanning from talent acquisition to embedded business agility.
As no code platforms reach their tipping point over the next few years, smart companies will harness this transformation accelerator now to outpace rivals in an increasingly digital-first business landscape. The race is on!