Low-Code application development allows enterprise businesses to make the most of their development functions and create software that truly aligns with their needs. Build it fast, build it right, build it for the future.
The key question on the minds of those weighing up Low-Code versus other development solutions or off-the-shelf software is - what can I make? In this blog, we delve into Low-Code use cases for enterprise businesses.
Building operational apps
How we capture and utilise data is changing. Whether focused on internal or external use, a business now needs applications that accurately monitor, analyse and interact with collected data to improve mission-critical functions.
Now, Low-Code can be used to address the common issues that come with app and data use, legacy systems, web portals that consolidate brand solutions and cost-effective digital infrastructures. The development method provides agility, innovation and user-led design for several industries or needs.
These are:
- Logistics analysis and management
- Warehouse management
- Inventory, supplier or PO management
- Procurement systems
- Contract management systems
Low-Code is also perfectly placed to solve various business needs, with apps created to support traditional enterprise functions or ease the strain caused by environmental factors.
Low-Code can be used to:
- Create robust supply chain management processes
- Reinvent customer service channels with solutions such as chatbots or live information portals
- Improve asset and document tracking
- Create applications to support remote working
- Unite disparate databases and software
- Develop predictive analysis to capture faster response times
Considering Low-Code development as part of your digital strategy can be a crucial differentiator for enterprise-level businesses, but what exactly can you build through Low-Code?
The Low-Code use cases
The use cases for Low-Code within enterprise level businesses span a wide breadth of needs and contexts. From creating innovative applications that suit very bespoke needs to migrating away from conventional legacy systems that may not sufficiently support teams anymore, here are the top six Low-Code use cases.
1. Legacy migration
Many businesses need to either migrate from one legacy system to another or update that system with custom-built functionality. More often than not, these migrations aren’t simple lift-and-shift changes but require new processes or updates to the user experience. These can’t always be secured through things like off-the-shelf replacements.
This means they need new functionality and must support the processes that are undertaken by end-users. Low-Code enables enterprise businesses in legacy migration through various capabilities.
You can easily achieve integration through Low-Code development, as the visual design process makes data mapping for new data models easy to capture.
This means new models can be created, to accurately portray what's needed, rather than simply copying a legacy system’s data model.
2. Asset management
Global facilities are always in need of asset management tools that support the day-to-day on-site operations. Low-Code can help with this.
The asset management solutions you can build are able to provide scenario simulations that enable those global facilities to predict when assets will require maintenance or replacements.
A solution like this can be used to replace endless spreadsheets and enable different scenarios to be assessed.
3. Customer portals
In specific circumstances, customer satisfaction is very much linked to how efficient a manufacturing process is. Without scenario testing, proactive planning and insight over demand, manufacturing can be bogged down by a lack of connectivity.
To remedy this, Low-Code enables users to build customer portals that link virtual machines and workflows, which in turn improves manufacturing processes.
Past uses of this have included creating test environments that simulate different scenarios within the manufacturing process that work to support learning and development.
4. Web portals for M&A
In situations of mergers or acquisitions (M&A), there’s often multiple disparate brand solutions that need consolidating. This can be done through Low-Code development, where those solutions can be combined into one single market-leading solution.
What are the benefits of this? Ultimately, it allows for the agile delivery of innovative products and services, while also reducing the size of the businesses’ tech stack, which once relied on multiple platforms.
5. New, innovative applications
Often, businesses need an app or software that simply isn’t available within off-the-shelf solutions. These will most likely be apps that are completely specific and integral to the business they’re used in.
These are often known as ‘innovation apps’ and can include emerging, disruptive technologies, such as Internet-of-Things (IoT), artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) - which is a fantastically innovative tool for the future. Due to these additions and how bespoke they can be within a specific business, app development requires a huge amount of stakeholder involvement.
With an effective Low-Code development platform like OutSystems, enterprise businesses can empower end-users by creating prototypes and fully-fledged apps - the kind developers can continue to upgrade over time.
Through Low-Code, developers can quickly and easily leverage emerging tech to improve on legacy systems, meaning the costs of replacement aren’t necessary - minimising the dependencies levied on IT departments.
6. Improving customer engagement
Customer engagement is an important metric for all businesses looking to grow and compete. Without an effective way for customers to interact and transact with a business, there will be little space for customer satisfaction or retention.
Many customer-facing apps face challenges and high expectations. There's high usage, the need for accessibility, the need for a seamless, multi-channel experience - all of which can be the proverbial nail in the coffin for a well-received, effective application.
Customer-facing processes also need improvements carried out over time, especially in times of growth. Similarly, a new app must integrate with existing record and data systems if customers are to be provided with the correct information.
Using OutSystems, a business can:
- Create engaging multi-channel, customer-facing applications. This can even be done by those without back-end development skills
- Secure consistency in terms of design language and corporate identity
- Scale apps to suit varied and changing customer needs
- Build everything from customer portals to self-service applications
All of this can be secured through a Low-Code development platform such as OutSystems, a platform to help you achieve optimal strategic app design and delivery. It ensures you develop and benefit from the most efficient workflows, service design and agile development.
To learn more about Low-Code, OutSystems and what they can create for you, get in touch with Unipro today.
Discover Low-Code today
Here at Unipro, we help our clients keep pace with the digital appetites present in the enterprise business world today. Our team of experts craft detailed implementations with features that meet your business objectives.
By collaborating on project development, we can help businesses who are looking to use Low-Code create and capture increased efficiency and customer value.
We’re here to make sure enterprise businesses remain agile and their employees remain supported. To find out more about Low-Code or even request a demo of OutSystems, get in touch today.
