The need for companies over the past year to adapt to the changes brought about by the pandemic and the restrictions have led many to accelerate their digital transformation. Others have had to start it without losing time in order to continue operating. And in most cases, the development of applications to meet the needs of their customers. Or to be able to perform internal tasks remotely. But they didn’t always have developers who were experts in programming languages. Or they did not have the necessary time to be able to carry out a complex development.

This is why many of them have turned to Low Code development platforms, which have allowed their employees, with almost no idea of programming, to develop the tools they needed. Gradually returning to normality, far from abandoning the use of these platforms, companies are using them more and more and their implementation is growing in all types of sectors, due to their possibilities and what they offer. We talked to David Faustino, Managing Director of Nexllence, about Low Code, its advantages and what it can bring to companies, as well as the future of your company.

How can Low Code and the platforms that make it possible contribute to the digital transformation of companies?

Today, companies are in the midst of a digital transformation. Due to this situation and the impact of the pandemic, companies and IT departments have been forced to accelerate this process and resort to more agile and faster solutions to adapt to their new needs. According to the consulting firm Gartner, by 2024 more than 65% of the world’s applications will be Low Code and 75% of large companies will use a minimum of four low-code development tools to create applications.

Low Code is a technology that is gaining market share because it enables the creation of applications, software and web pages with a minimum of manual coding and without the need for advanced knowledge. Low Code tools, such as the one offered by the leader in Gartner’s magic quadrant, Outsystems, provide multiple advantages for companies to continue their development and digital transformation. It is faster to develop with them, as they eliminate the need for code and greatly automate the creation processes, the testing phase, monitoring, integration and delivery, which translates into faster development and delivery time for new products.

But it is also an advantage from the point of view of UX/UI (user experience/user interface) design, since its interfaces are more visual and intuitive and allow better organization of the information presented according to the needs of the moment. With virtually no code and relying on visual elements, the user can drag and drop the different modules, making software development much faster and more agile thanks to artificial intelligence and process automation.

It is also a living way of working, since it allows the incorporation of new elements a posteriori and democratizes the participation of other departments of the company to incorporate their own contents. It is possible to start with a simple application at the beginning and, as the organization needs it and collaboration between departments increases, implement more complex tools to meet new needs.

Low code is a technology that brings programming closer to non-technical profiles and brings agility and usability to companies, greatly accelerating their processes and favoring the agile mentality.

What kind of utilities and applications can be developed thanks to Low Code? Which sectors can benefit the most from the use of this type of platform?

Thanks to Low Code it is possible to develop complex applications that perform critical processes and are an important activity of the company. In addition, simple mobile and web applications can be created. The OutSystems platform, for example, incorporates everything needed to create applications from scratch: front-end, back-end, process orchestration, data integration and interconnection with the company’s legacy systems. Its development environment features a visual and intuitive drag-and-drop interface with a very short learning curve, pre-built components and automation to reduce routine tasks.

The concept behind low code is that many application functions can be automated and pre-generated. It is not necessary to create code from scratch for absolutely all cases, but rather to take advantage of those “fragments” of applications, package them and create a system so that they can be implemented quickly and easily in the creation of a new app. This includes processes such as user identification, security, database creation and management, notifications, payment gateways…

The practical applications of Low Code range from home banking systems to personal health management apps, hydrocarbon logistics management systems, HR management, among others. There are examples of great success in all sectors of activity, and in SMEs, large companies and in central and regional governments.

It is very important to emphasize that Low Code is not a technology that particularly favors one sector or another. Its most important feature is that it simplifies the processes of creating applications and represents an excellent opportunity for many companies that could not consider a deeper digital transformation to take the leap and improve their efficiency and competitiveness. It is a solution aimed at those companies with a high technological demand and that are in digital transformation processes where the business demands a lot of product and the time to market and speed of development are key.

What future do you see for Low Code, and in what areas do you think it has the greatest potential?

According to Gartner, in 2024 more than 65% of technological development will be created by Low Code technologies. Moreover, according to Forbes magazine, the most disruptive trend in 2021 is already the “No Code / Low Code” development. Therefore, the future (and the present) of Low Code is one of growth. Outsystems, as a leader in this technology, is growing worldwide in projects, professionals and community.

Can this type of platform help companies alleviate the shortage of professionals with certain technological skills, such as software development, or is it just a kind of stopgap to cover specific needs?

Low Code is a tool that simplifies and makes application development more accessible, but it is by no means a total substitute for programming and the creation of more complex tools. But neither is it a patch, it is not a temporary solution waiting for a definitive one, or something that offers a lower quality to get out of the way.

Outsystems technology is an alternative that meets the needs of a specific type of customer, who requires a series of functionalities, who is looking for simple management, fast delivery and specific usability. There is no loss of functionality, no loss of service quality and no lack of customization to the customer’s needs. It is simpler to use and to maintain.

So, in a certain sense, it allows to have technological elements for the operation without the need of having certain more technical professional profiles, but always within its more limited use.

Of course, developing an application from scratch will always give greater flexibility and for certain cases remains essential, but for more general applications that do not require so much work to customize services, the Low Code implies a huge competitive advantage, both in terms of performance and time.

Nexllence is a very young company, which has only recently emerged from the Glintt Group, and yet they have set ambitious goals for the coming years. What are these goals and what are your plans for the future in Spain?

In 2020, this business area represents approximately 25% of Glintts turnover and approximately 300 highly qualified employees. Glintt’s priorities are a focus on people and talent development, technological innovation and excellence in the delivery process, commitment to contributing to its customers’ objectives, maintaining growth momentum and investment by acting as a skills center.

Despite the significant impact of the pandemic on economies as a whole, this business unit expects to end a year with double-digit growth in its most important markets: Portugal and Spain. The outlook for 2021 is for continued growth, reinforced by a policy of selective acquisitions that enables the development of centers of excellence in critical technology areas. It will also reinforce investment in foreign markets in Europe, with special emphasis on Spain, a country for which we have been exporting technology services for more than 10 years and where we will invest in a determined manner in 2020.

As a firm aimed at helping companies to be more competitive thanks to digitization, Nexllence expects to increase its results by 20% compared to 2020, as well as to increase hiring, tripling the workforce it currently has in our country in the next 3 years. This objective will involve the incorporation of 60 highly qualified profiles.

In addition to the company’s own organic growth, Nexllence will continue with a policy of strategic alliances and acquisitions that will allow it to continue developing its catalog of innovative solutions throughout 2021 to create unique solutions tailored to each client. These alliances, such as those with technology manufacturers Outsystems and Thoughtspot, will be aimed at strengthening within the company those areas of technological expertise most in demand by companies.

Thus, Nexllence will continue working to offer digital transformation services to large and medium-sized companies that need to accelerate their business strategies through technology. The division currently focuses its service offerings on technologies such as Low Code, Artificial Intelligence, Advanced Analytics, Cybersecurity or custom development through technologies (Java, .Net, Python) and architectures focused on microservices and cloud.

Despite the uncertain times we are living in, we have very ambitious plans for Nexllence in Spain. Throughout 2021 and 2022 we not only expect to grow in turnover and hiring, but we are also going to undertake acquisitions that will allow us to be more competitive, for example in the application development sector. This strategy, together with a firm commitment to the development of internal talent, will help us to strengthen our position as a highly specialized technology services boutique and to become a benchmark technology partner in industries such as telecommunications, banking, retail and healthcare.

Source: Muy Computer Pro

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