Deciding to switch to a no-code platform is only half the battle. Successfully rolling out your no-code platform to reap maximum benefits can start with these seven steps.
Now that you’ve convinced your CIO, CEO, and other key stakeholders to adopt a no-code platform in your enterprise, the next step is to ensure the platform realizes its full potential. Introducing new technology into an enterprise can be difficult due to the sheer size and complexity of the organization, as well as most people’s general resistance to change.
The fact is that making the decision to adopt a no-code platform and just assuming your employees to get the hang of it is not a recipe for success—in fact, the opposite is true. Rolling out a no-code platform without a plan can easily translate into half-hearted adoption and a continued reliance on legacy technology.
Planning a no-code rollout for your enterprise requires conscious effort—but done successfully, it will empower users and maximize potential benefits. In this blog post, we will outline seven steps you can take to support a no-code implementation at your company.
A No-Code Platform Adoption Roadmap
Internal platform rollouts require the same planning and dedication as external ones. Think about your employees as clients and consider all of the things you would do for potential clients to help them adjust to a new application—this will be the foundation for your rollout strategy.
1. Articulate Your Goals
Ask yourself: What do you want this platform to do for your enterprise? Since no-code platforms have a variety of use-cases, this question can have more than one answer. Unqork clients have turned to our platform because they wanted to break down department silos, better align the business and IT departments, or chip away at long IT project backlogs. Whatever your goals, it’s important to articulate these early on so you can roll out the platform with the appropriate strategy in mind.
2. Identify Internal Champions
One of the best things about a no-code platform is that it democratizes enterprise application development and allows more people to contribute to the process. Now that the business side can have more visibility into formerly IT-only tasks, you can find champions across departments who are passionate about solving everyday challenges with no-code. Outline new roles and responsibilities, empower team members with the appropriate knowledge, and allow teams to start building without barriers to innovation.
It’s also a good idea to create a change management team, a group of professionals who will help facilitate a smooth transition from old processes to new ones, and ensure that change is accepted by the enterprise. Although internal champions and department heads can get the ball rolling, true transformation has too come from the top. Make sure the change management team has strong support from the C-suite to push change throughout the entire organization.
3. Gain Support from IT Teams
No-code app development allows you to build complex apps without formal IT experience, but you won’t be able to successfully roll-out your platform without support from the IT team. Having the IT team’s support is critical. They will be key to integrating the platform into existing workflows and helping new users create apps for the first time.
A no-code platform will arguably have the most direct and immediate impact on your IT team—which may make them apprehensive at first. A proper implementation process will help them see that a no-code platform will actually make their lives easier. Work to provide IT teams with full visibility into the platform’s inner workings and take advantage of their years of expertise.
Want to learn the big difference (and big advantages) of no-code over “low-code”? Check out the replay of our recent webinar hosted by Unqork CMO Alex Schmelkin
4. Offer Comprehensive Training and Onboarding
One of the biggest reasons why new technologies have lackluster debuts with underwhelming adoption rates is simply because employees don’t know how to properly use them. The less informed they are on the benefits of a no-code platform, the more likely they are to revert to old habits. Now is the time for a lengthy training and onboarding period. Walk your employees through the platform, answer any questions they have, and use this as an opportunity to reiterate how a no-code platform can help them.
If you yourself aren’t well-versed in the ins-and-outs of the new platform just yet, don’t worry—lean on your vendor and client success team as you get your bearings. A good no-code partner will have robust resources for this very purpose. Ask your no-code vendor if they have any learning tools you and your team can take advantage of during the onboarding process.
5. Create (and Stick to) a Timeline
Timelines can add a layer of anxiety to any project, but your rollout is liable to lose steam without one. To keep yourself and your team on track, map communications in your rollout plan to specific dates. Identifying these key timestamps will offer transparency, establish benchmarks, and help avoid internal confusion during this transitional phase. Take this time to also schedule dates and times for training sessions and data migrations to provide more structure to your rollout.
6. Hold a Formal Kick-off
Just because your application isn’t customer-facing doesn’t mean it shouldn’t make a big splash. Having a formal kick-off event sets aside a time for everyone to get on the same page and get excited about the new possibilities that no-code has to offer. Create a hackathon-style event to get employees experimenting with no-code features and thinking about projects that can help customers or streamline workflows. Celebrate all the hard work you’ve done to get to this point and look toward the future.
7. Schedule Ongoing Check-ins
Your no-code platform rollout isn’t over once you’ve had your kick-off event. Continue to check-in with your employees after full implementation to see how well your teams are adjusting and gather feedback on how it can improve. As you continue to incorporate feedback and train them on more complex app features, check-in again to make sure you’re moving in the right direction.
Get the Ball Rolling
The goal of a rollout plan is to ensure that your no-code platform becomes successfully embedded into employees’ daily workflows for maximum success. Once you demonstrate how valuable a no-code tool can be and provide resources for slow-and-steady implementation, your employees are more likely to embrace change. And in this case, a change to no-code can bring your enterprise efficiency, productivity, and innovation.
You Might Also Be Interested in
