Building a Low-Code Application in 7 Steps

Building a low-code application may sound overwhelming to people who don't have a vast array of technical knowledge, but it doesn't have to be.

Using low- or no-code platforms to create apps means you put power in the hands of business users and subject matter experts (SMEs) of those who know your business processes best. This enables them to make their ideas a reality without any technical knowledge. They can test and implement applications more quickly and start delivering more value.  

In fact, Bizagi’s low-code application development platform even has a wizard to walk users through creating an app in seven steps, making it even easier for you to progress in your citizen developer journey.  

Here are the seven steps in our low-code application platform: 

STEP 1: Model the process 

Applications that deliver real business value are powered by processes. Therefore the first step in application development is to model the process in line with business requirements. Bizagi’s intuitive, drag-and-drop interface helps you create process diagrams to define the process flow in your app so each activity happens in the right order to achieve the end result. With Bizagi, you can simulate processes to find the most efficient path, and use process mining to learn from your data and unlock new insights.  

STEP 2: Model the data 

Data is a valuable business asset and collecting the right data is key to your application running as it should. Once you have defined the steps in your process and the order they should follow, you need to determine the data needed at each stage. The wizard will help you design a data model that sorts out which bits of information are needed for different activities in the process. With our low-code approach, you can create entities, attributes, and relationships in your app without writing a single line of code.   

STEP 3: Define the forms 

Getting people to engage with your application relies on a good user experience. This step will allow you to connect the process diagram defined in step one and the data structure defined in step two to design the user interface and select what information will be collected and displayed to your users when using the application. Bizagi offers a number of options to help form building, including out-of-the-box controls, ready-to-use widgets and create your own.  

STEP 4: Insert business rules 

Once you know what data is being input and how it’s being displayed, the next stage is to define all the details of the process in terms of the logic, such as data validation, automatic pre-load of information, and error control, among others. This is where the logic of the process will be captured. According to the profile (and therefore the skill level) of the user, Bizagi can re-configure itself to offer no-code, low-code, and even pro-code capabilities for business rules creation. Multiple wizards are available to create any logic required in a simple way.  

STEP 5: Set the performers 

Your employees were hired because they have the right skill set to do a certain job. Bizagi allows you to determine which users are required to perform tasks at different stages in the process based on their skills as well as factors such as location, language, and even workload. Setting up these authorizations and permissions ensures that the right people are doing the right things at the right time.  

STEP 6: Integrate with other systems 

At this stage, your app is ready to go. But you may also need to configure it with other external systems and processes so it’s making the maximum impact on the business (you may want to tackle this stage after you’ve tested the app and got it up and running first). Pre-built, native or bespoke connectors and APIs provide access to any data source enabling you to orchestrate multiple systems and applications from across the enterprise ensuring that your operations run smoothly.  

STEP 7: Execute (and test) 

It’s time to test. In this final stage, the wizard helps you deploy your project to a test environment. Here you can carry out user acceptance testing and make changes based on feedback from end users. Once all stakeholders are happy with the application you can go live.  

Try building your own application in seven steps

Bizagi's low-code application development platform is 100% visual, using drag-and-drop functionality and an intuitive step-by-step process to make sure professional and citizen developers in your organization can participate in app creation. In fact, for most applications, no coding is needed at all.  

If you want to find out more about how our low-code application platform can help you get to the next stage in your transformation program, take a look at our Automation page.