There is an increasing demand in companies for company-specific software applications to digitize and optimize processes. IT specialists are currently the main people needed to create and customize these applications. Since there is a shortage of IT specialists in many companies and IT departments are usually working at high capacity, this approach is cost-intensive and goes hand in hand with long deployment times. An alternative is for employees in specialist departments to create company-specific software applications themselves in a simple and fast way, which digitally support and thus optimize existing processes. The consortium of the it's OWL project 'Development and implementation of a holistic approach to digitizing processes in industrial companies using low-code software' (Pro-LowCode), which is funded by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, is working on such a solution. The project was launched at the beginning of March and will run for two years.

Low-code programming makes it possible to create software applications without deep programming knowledge using a graphical user interface. For this purpose, prefabricated function blocks must be assembled by a technically skilled employee according to the modular principle. The code is generated automatically in the background. The advantage of this is that custom-fit solutions can be implemented by allowing employees from specialist departments to contribute their expertise directly to software development. This not only saves costs, but can also shorten the development cycle. However, although low-code programming offers numerous advantages, there have been various obstacles to its use to date. Thus this kind of programming is so far to a large extent unknown in enterprises and it lacks investigations to the application type and - limits of this kind of programming. In addition, it is currently not transparent for potential users which low-code platform is suitable for which use cases. Another challenge is the integration of programs developed with low-code platforms into existing IT systems.

This is precisely where the Pro-LowCode project comes in. The project aims to identify and prototype the technical, organizational and personnel requirements for the use of low-code platforms in industrial companies. In addition, a methodological and software-technical framework is to be developed, which will then be tested prototypically in real operations at the partner companies. This will enable the rapid integration of a low-code program into existing IT systems and application landscapes. In addition, case studies describing successful low-code solutions from various application areas will be developed and published. An 'Open Call' will enable other companies to participate in the developments and gain their own experience with low-code programming while the project is still running.

Project results published in reference book

The results of the Pro-LowCode project have now been published in the form of a specialist book. The title of the book, which has been published by Springer Verlag, is: "Digitalizing processes in industrial companies using low-code software - a practical guide". The book consists of eight chapters. The two introductory chapters highlight the potential of low-code programming. In addition, the development lines of this type of programming are described. Chapters 3 to 5 deal with the questions of how companies can select a low-code platform that meets their requirements, how to proceed when programming individual low-code applications and how the architecture of low-code platforms is designed. Chapters 6 to 8 describe case studies on the selection of low-code platforms and the programming of low-code applications.