How public sector responses to Covid-19 have shown the long term potential for low code platforms, by Charlotte Todd, business manager at NDL
Low code platforms have really proved their worth in the public sector response to Covid-19. They have made it possible to quickly build solutions that kept organisations going through the lockdown and provided support for people most in need.
The pandemic has also provided some valuable lessons on how the make the best of the technology in the future, not just in quick responses to new demands but as part of a broader digital transformation.
This all came up for discussion in a recent UKA Live debate with Marc Hadwin, head of digital services at University Hospitals Morecambe Bay, Simon Parton, head of ICT systems and applications services at The Royal Wolverhampton Hospital NHS Trust, Sam Tilley, ICT services and digital programmes manager at Wigan Council, Owen David, ICT programme delivery manager at Warwickshire County Council, and UKAuthority publisher Helen Olsen Bedford.
An affirmation of low code’s importance came from an audience poll revealing that 77% of respondents had used it in their pandemic response, with the breakdown showing 34% did so for the first time and 43% were already using it as routine.
Another poll showed that digital transformation has accelerated sharply over the past few months, with 77% saying this was the case for their organisation, and another 19% pointing to a less rapid increase.
Five years in two weeks
Owen David said that at Warwickshire five years of transformation took place in two weeks after the lockdown began. At NDL we saw a big increase in the public sector’s need for simple applications, new e-forms and tools to support home working. It was a case of ‘needs must’, and low code – through which many elements of a service can be configured without the need for deep coding skills – provided the capacity for rapidly developing and deploying new solutions that are re-usable.
The big majority have reportedly been successful, with the experience demonstrating how well the technology aligns with an agile approach to digital development. It supports the ability to ‘fail early’, avoid replication of the failure, then quickly move onto a new iteration of a service or application, achieving in a few days what would take months through the traditional waterfall approach.
“Something as straightforward and powerful as low code enables you to pull that together, using the assurance within your product to ensure the fundamentals you are trying to achieve are correct,” said Simon Parton.
This makes it an important tool in digital transformation and the pandemic has produced some lessons for future efforts.
Due diligence required
One is the need for due diligence and peer review to ensure there are no undesired outcomes from the services. While there has been a need to move quickly in recent months, it is important that any mistakes are not replicated and can be quickly corrected.
This is accompanied by the need to ensure the quality of the data used is as good as possible. This can be a challenge in the quick development and roll out of a service, but the discussion highlighted the need for some validation and cross-checking, using an identifier such as the NHS number if available. Also, it helps to use e-forms within a low code offering as these will conform to the structure and standards to strengthen data quality.
Another is to train staff to use the systems at the earliest opportunity, taking advantage of the platform supplier’s capabilities if possible. Perspectives on the readiness of non-IT staff to use the systems have varied – some organisations have reported plenty of enthusiasm from some teams, others a general sense of caution – but it is important to get a good number of people up to speed as soon as possible, as this reduces the dependence on one or two internal specialists.
This relates to making the service teams aware of the potential and showing them what can be achieved. It is unlikely that an IT team will spot every opportunity for low code, and if people at the frontline are aware of what it can do they are likely to identify the scope for quick improvements and any possible risk.
The assessment of risk is important, trying to identify any factors in areas such as security and information governance, and ensuring that a service to support one service area does not adversely affect another. There is a danger of complacency creeping in after a couple of successful projects, and it is necessary to pay the same attention each time, even with the advantages of being able to re-use components of a development.
Asset of re-use
But the re-use factor is a great asset of low code, with organisations able to take elements of the configurations and processes that are proved to work and use them as building blocks in new projects.
Another significant lesson has been not to aim for perfection before launching a new service when it is needed urgently. This can require some discipline in teams with a culture of wanting to get things absolutely right, but in these times no-one can be sure what new demands are coming, and extending the work on one service could get in the way of developing another that becomes more important. And the capacity of low code for correcting faults and iterative development makes it possible to refine a service and take it to the next stage.
Marc Hadwin commented: “The tweaks and changes can come along, and it’s not just the fact that you are delivering it, but there’s an instant need out there, and if you satisfy 95% of that you have some happy customers.”
Another big factor is that developers are in short supply, especially for the cash strapped public sector, and that low code can help organisations to build a strong cadre of people with the skills to develop new services. They can master the use of tools such as NDL’s FX eForms and MX Mobile Application Platforms to create a wide range of apps and services.
The technology does not meet every need, but it can provide a default approach for designing digital services, responding to urgent demands and making an important contribution to a long term transformation. This makes the use of low code a ‘no brainer’ for developing digital services.
Follow the links to learn more about NDL's low code MX Mobile Application Platform and FX e-Forms Platform. Or you can get in touch with us directly at info@ndl.co.uk.
Image from iStock, iPopba
