The landscape of software development is rapidly evolving, with the emergence of powerful tools and technologies that are transforming the way software, applications and content is being created.
Two key trends are driving this transformation:
The increasing prevalence of generative AI (Gen AI).
The growing popularity of no-code development platforms.
These two trends are interconnected and likely to shape the future of software development.
The Role of No-Code Tools
No-code tools have gained significant traction in recent years, enabling individuals and businesses to create software applications without extensive coding knowledge. These platforms provide a visual interface that allows users to drag and drop components, configure settings, and build applications without writing a single line of code.
While no-code tools have traditionally been used primarily by non-technical users, they are now being adopted by developers as well. Developers can use no-code platforms to streamline their workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and create prototypes quickly.
Such is the success of no-code solutions, that Gartner reports that up to 70% of new applications will be created using low-code or no-code technologies by 2025.
The Impact of Gen AI
Generative AI is another disruptive technology that is reshaping the software development landscape. By automating tasks such as code generation, natural language processing, and data analysis, Gen AI can significantly improve the efficiency and productivity of developers. This empowers users, regardless of technical expertise, to design applications by simply describing their goals. For example, some platforms now let users input requirements using 'everyday' language, generating code or app components automatically. This accelerates development, makes software creation more accessible, and fosters a more inclusive tech environment.
Earlier this year, NVIDIA's Jensen Huang suggested that he believes AI will revolutionise software development, replacing the need for traditional coding skills.
[Generative AI is] closing the technology divide. You don't have to be a C++ programmer to be successful. You just have to be a prompt engineer. And who can't be a prompt engineer? When my wife talks to me, she's prompt engineering me. We all need to learn how to prompt AIs, but that's no different than learning how to prompt teammates."
Human input, in the form of well-crafted prompts, is essential for guiding AI to generate accurate and relevant output. For businesses, optimising prompt engineering input is crucial to maximising AI's potential, and minimising time and effort.
The Importance of UX Design
While no-code tools can make software development more accessible, it's essential to remember that the quality of the final product still depends on the user experience (UX). UX designers therefore play a crucial role in ensuring that no-code tools are intuitive, user-friendly, and capable of producing high-quality applications.
It is essential that the democratisation of software development leads to positive outcomes, rather than a flood of low-quality content and UX design. By focusing on UX design, organisations that create no-code tools can empower users to build compelling and effective applications, without them needing any coding or design experience.
Gen AI & No Code & UX Designers Come Together
Non-coding tools have been a fashionable transition that has been happening, but it has traditionally required people who can code to create the backend infrastructure. The integration of AI technologies is likely to accelerate their proliferation, adoption and capabilities.
Whilst these no-code solutions powered by AI may well be reduce the need for coders, it switches the emphasis to UX designers. While No-code tools make content creation more accessible, designing user-friendly and engaging experiences still requires human ingenuity. People with UX design skills are crucial to ensure that no-code tools are intuitive and easy to use, even for those without a technical background. Their ability to understand user needs, empathise with their experiences, and design interfaces that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing is essential for creating compelling content. By focusing on user experience, UX designers can help to ensure that no-code tools are adopted and utilised effectively.
Conclusion
The convergence of no-code tools and Gen AI is poised to revolutionise the way software is developed.
By embracing no-code tools and leveraging the power of Gen AI, organisations can accelerate their development processes, reduce costs, and create innovative solutions that meet the needs of their users.
However, it will also drive up the importance of human-centric designers who will become even more vital in shaping the user experience, and helping content developers who use no code solutions to create software, applications and experiences that are user friendly.
Afterthoughts
Predictions for the next 3 years
As AI and no-code tools advance, junior developer roles will become less prevalent. As AI evolves, prompt engineering skills will become increasingly effective, making it harder for aspiring developers to gain practical experience.
Companies will increasingly seek individuals with a combination of UX design skills and proficiency in prompt engineering because they will want to employ people that understand and empathise with humans and AI.
Tip: practice prompt engineering, and get experience with UX design to make yourself employable in the future.
No-Code in spatial computing, HMI and XR: A differentiator
No-code tools are revolutionising AR/VR content creation.
Traditionally, Unity and Unreal Engine dominated this space, requiring technical expertise. However, no-code platforms, designed with accessibility in mind, empower non-developers to create immersive experiences.
Companies like Snap Inc. are investing in no-code tools, while startups are focusing solely on democratising content creation. This shift is making AR/VR more accessible and fostering innovation.
Personal Experience with No-Code
I have firsthand experience as a product manager for a no-code tool.
Back in 2011, I was building interactive AR content using a 'what you see is what you get' (WYSIWYG) no-code solution called the Aurasma Studio, built by Aurasma, the company I worked for at the time. It made it easy to build an experience - but that experience was not compelling.
This was what drove me towards product management because I wanted to make it easier to build better content. Working with UX designers, I went on to develop the Aurasma Studio so that it included templates that made it easy to build nice looking AR content.
I was so sure that no-code solutions were the future of AR content creation, that in 2017 I wrote a blog where I outlined how I felt that there were lessons that no-code solutions could learn from widely adopted software such as Powerpoint. Powerpoint, love it or hate it, has democratised the creation of slide decks - 'anyone can do it'.
Now with Gen AI added to the mix, no-code solutions will really accelerate content development, and I am excited to start building content that looks and feels like it was built by an expert.
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