The future of coding is here, and it will barely involve any coding at all. How? It is called low-code development. Low-code is a visual way of developing software applications and allow business users to create applications that are needed themselves, instead of having to hire an expensive developer.

Low-code has been evolving rapidly over the last couple of years. Mendix, one of the leading platforms in low-code, was only established in 2005. On October 1st, Mendix was officially acquired by Siemens for $730 million. Another example is UiPath, a platform that allows users to build and deploy low-code robots in an enterprise environment. This September, UiPath was valued at $3 billion. These are just two of many platforms that allow users to develop applications with a limited knowledge of coding.

However, low-code development can sometimes involve some type of coding, especially when applications become more complex. Therefore, most of the applications that are developed by business users will not be very complex. A combination of a skilled developer, to build the complexities of the application, and a business developer, to create the overall framework is used often. This significantly reduces the time to market and the development costs. If all of this is true, then why is there still a large portion of companies that do not make use of low-code development? Forbes (2017) states that it is due to three parties that have resistance against low-code:

• System integrators that rely on keeping junior developers busy and billing clients for their time.
• IT-departments that fear for their credibility when low-code reveals that the years where software development took several months and millions to complete are over.
• Enterprise DevOps-teams that consist of coders that love to code. They fear that they will not be relevant any more as low-code matures even further. However, the code behind low-code still needs to be developed. Therefore, vendors of low-code still need skilled software developers.

While this resistance will undoubtably continue, companies are increasingly becoming software driven. Therefore, it is necessary to leverage the capabilities that your staff has through these low-code applications.

Sources:

• https://www.mendix.com/blog/siemens-to-acquire-mendix/
• https://techcrunch.com/2018/09/18/uipath-lands-225m-series-c-on-3-billion-valuation-as-robotics-process-automation-soars/?guccounter=1
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonbloomberg/2017/07/20/the-low-codeno-code-movement-more-disruptive-than-you-realize/#64c2727e722a

In January of 2017, McKinsey stated that around half of the work that is currently done worldwide can be automated. Examples of activities that can be automated are data processing, claim handling, and administrative work. But not all jobs are subject to automation just yet. Automation is most suited for actions where minimal thinking is required, that is a repetitive and rule-based task. Furthermore, only about 5% jobs that are most likely to be fully automated.

Automation is the result of technological advancement, mixed with a constant need for productivity improvements. Think about the production lines in the automotive industry or harvesters in the agricultural industry. While this has previously only influenced one or a couple of industries, it has never disrupted the entire economy. Automation will however affect most of the industries that people work in nowadays. It will allow us to do more, in less time, while also taking away some of the burden of tedious tasks.

On the other hand, it will decrease the amount of middle-level jobs, without creating many new ones in return. This is where the challenge of automation is most prevalent. It can lead to employment polarisation, meaning that it creates a gap between the lower-end jobs, like facility services, and the higher-end jobs, like doctors. This will increase the wealth inequality. However, similar situations have occurred before. For example with the creation of the steam engine, eliminating a lot of the physically intensive jobs. Here the required skills changed, and people have adapted.

Automation at a large scale will not happen overnight though. While certain tasks might be automated very fast, the disruption of the economy will take time. It is estimated that 30% of the work currently done will be automated by 2030. These will probably involve the simple, rule-based tasks, mostly partial jobs. As a result, the same can be achieved with less people, because jobs can be combined. It is therefore very important that there is an adequate job support system for those jobs that are most affected, to avoid rising unemployment. It will however take another 25 years to automate the other 20% of jobs suited for automation, presumably more integral business processes involving thinking processes.

While automation offers great business benefits, mainly in the field of productivity, it poses a great risk for the employees involved. It will be very interesting to see how the employment market will develop itself.

Sources:

1. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/digital-disruption/harnessing-automation-for-a-future-that-works
2. https://www.ted.com/talks/david_autor_why_are_there_still_so_many_jobs#t-480645
3. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-organizations-and-work/Jobs-lost-jobs-gained-what-the-future-of-work-will-mean-for-jobs-skills-and-wages