Check your low-code development effort using Mendix, and optimize your software development lifecycle while engaging every simple person from your company.
We’re here to show you how to do it in 6 steps, following Everest Group insights to clarify all doubts about software development trends using Mendix.
TL;DR
- 6 steps to assess your low-code development effort and confirm if Mendix (a low-code development platform) is the right choice for your software development challenges;
- The 6 steps are Application customization; Developer Experience; Workflow complexity; External integrations; Platform documentation; and User inputs.
- Mendix - as a leader in low-code platform development - can be an excellent option that complies with all the 6 steps.
1. Application Customization
What to ask:
- Is this new application being created based on a template with little or no change?
- Does the developer need to develop major workflow edits to fit the organizational process?
- Will the look and style need modification?
Mendix capabilities:
Mendix has the solution to build a new application based on templates with minimal customization requirements. The platform offers a range of pre-built templates that allow software developers to kick off the project quickly, reducing the need for extensive coding from the beginning by accelerating the development process. It also ensures that even users with limited coding experience, such as Business Technologists, contribute to the development and creation process.
Mendix templates marketplace
Mendix allows software developers to easily modify and adapt workflows through a visual interface, reducing the need for extensive manual coding.
With the continuous changes in your business needs, this approach ensures that every single digital solution aligns with your organization's unique processes and requirements, enabling software developers to make quick and efficient adjustments.
Mendix microflow example
Regarding the look and style of the applications, Mendix provides a visual design environment where software developers can customize the user interface, add branding elements, adjust layouts, and refine styles.
A real example of the extension of the core Mendix UI Framework - Atlas UI - is the Rocket UI from Mediaweb.
2. Developer Experience
What to ask:
- Will the developers need additional training on the tool for this project?
- Are they well-versed with the strengths and weaknesses of the platform?
Mendix capabilities:
Mendix Studio Pro and other functionalities such as the Portfolio Management, Control Center, and Project Management capabilities offer a complete solution that minimizes the need for extensive training of your teams, complemented by comprehensive documentation. Software developers and citizen developers quickly familiarize themselves with the platform and its features to efficiently contribute to the project development stage, with a reduced learning curve to get on board and where they can leverage the platform’s full capabilities.
To maximize the effectiveness of Mendix as a solution, it's essential for software developers to be well-versed in the strengths and weaknesses of the platform, to understand its limitations, and to make informed decisions regarding the project lifecycle.
For more complex applications, it’s crucial for the development team to be aware of potential limitations when aligning your business’s requirements with the technical implementation.
3. Workflow complexity
What to ask:
- Do the steps require approvals before advancing?
- Are there parallel sequences that occur?
- Are there numerous decision points, rules, and/or dependencies?
- Do the workflows cross to other systems?
Mendix capabilities:
Mendix is a robust solution for workflows that demand approvals at different stages.
Whether the process involves approvals from Management or compliance checkpoints, Mendix ensures that critical stages require the necessary authorizations before advancing, contributing to a controlled and well-monitored workflow.
Mendix also facilitates parallel and concurrent processes. The platform's visual modeling capabilities allow software developers or Business Technologists to efficiently design and implement parallel processes within the workflow, which means that multiple tasks can occur simultaneously, optimizing overall efficiency and reducing bottlenecks in the workflow.
Regarding the numerous decision points, rules, and dependencies, the same actors - software developers or Business Technologists - can define business logic visually, simplifying the implementation of these constraints. A good example is the need to model complex decision-making processes or implement complex logic based on data dependencies.
It might happen that the workflows need to access external systems. For that, seamless connectivity to other systems is supported by Mendix (standardized connectors, such as the AWS Connectors, and other APIs), enabling workflows to exchange data and processes outside organizational boundaries.
4. External integrations
What to ask:
- Will the new application connect to a server, database, or integrate with an existing system?
- Does the platform contain built-in connectors to perform these tasks, or will the connections need to be manually created?
Mendix capabilities:
External integration capabilities are prioritized when building robust and valuable digital solutions for your business.
Mendix offers a range of built-in connectors for a smooth integration process, allowing software developers to establish external connections with common servers, cloud services, databases, third-party APIs, and other external systems, to accelerate the development timeframe.
When a custom scenario of a specific integration needs to go beyond the available built-in connectors, Mendix allows flexibility for software developers to create custom connections.
5. Platform Documentation
What to ask:
- Is the documentation good and easy to understand?
- Are there user guides, a knowledge base, online training, or videos?
- Is there an existing user community to assist with problems?
Mendix capabilities:
Mendix platform documentation is robust, user-friendly, well-structured, and easy to understand.
Whether you are starting to build applications on Mendix or are an expert software developer, the documentation is completely adaptable to your level of expertise. The extensive knowledge base offers a wealth of information, tips, and best practices that are valuable resources throughout the application development journey.
In addition to the documentation, there are several Mendix partners that support various learning formats, including in-person training sessions or asynchronous video tutorials.
Mendix has a vibrant and active community and is a valuable resource for software developers to seek the support and help of other members. There are various community events, and typically, they are in-person events in the different countries of the big Mendix Community group.
Mendix Community Meetup in Lisbon, Portugal
You can find some insights about it on our website.
6. User inputs
What to ask:
- The number of user input forms and their complexity should be considered when estimating effort.
- Forms created directly from templates are low in complexity.
- Forms with external connections and more in-depth designs are highly complex.
Mendix capabilities:
Mendix provides advantages regarding user input forms. The platform can accommodate different levels of complexity in user input forms, a crucial part of project planning. The forms created directly from platform templates are low in complexity, and the Mendix template-driven approach simplifies how forms are created. With it, software developers can create standard forms without extensive manual coding, speeding up the development and feedback process.
If more complex user input forms are needed in your projects, Mendix’s adaptability allows integration with external connectors and design elements, without sacrificing efficiency. The versatility and robustness of Mendix allow a seamless adaptation to the different needs of your projects, contributing to a more productive estimation and allocation of resources and efforts.
Give Mendix a chance
Mendix is a great choice for enterprise low-code development, complying with the 6-step assessment framework from Everest Group. Give Mendix a chance, and experience a comprehensive, user-centric approach to low-code development, with the capabilities to comply with more complex use cases.
In a nutshell, Mendix’s strengths lie in template-driven application customization, intuitive experience in software development, workflow customization, efficient external integrations, and great documentation sources.
That’s why Mendix is a leader in the low-code development landscape, making it well worth considering for optimizing the software development lifecycle of your projects.
.svg){kind=small}
.png)
