Here’s How Mondelez International Is Speeding Up Digital Transformation with Low Code/No Code
Keeping up with the rapid pace of digital transformation can be a serious challenge – even for the largest brands out there.
Not only do modern brands have to make sure they have the digital tools in place to offer their customers the kind of technology-driven experiences they expect from the companies they do business with, but they must also be able to scale those tools to meet changing demand and a shifting economic landscape.
Traditionally this has meant going down one of two avenues – either have your own in-house development teams or purchase premade software from a third-party technology provider. Each comes with its own benefits and challenges, but an increasing number of brands are opting for a third route.
Low Code/No Code
For the uninitiated, Low Code/No Code refers to a type of software development platform which, as the name suggests, requires little to no special programming or coding knowledge.
Low Code/No Code development platforms allow enterprise developers and citizen developers – a business process which encourages non-IT trained employees to engage in software development for their organization – to create brand new mobile and web apps by dragging and dropping application components and connecting them using a simple to operate and intuitive interface.
The proliferation of Low Code/No Code has been driven by the skills gap in qualified programmers and lets organizations quickly build applications without the need to write new code line by line. Business analysts, office administrators, small-business owners, and many others with little to no software development experience, knowledge of traditional programming languages and machine code, or the development work behind the platform's configurable components can build and test new digital tools.
"Low code/no code (LC/NC) applications can provide a close fit to business requirements, can be implemented quickly, and typically cost much less than systems developed in-house," reports Harvard Business Review. "These applications don’t accomplish these benefits by magic, they turn over development to users instead of professional system developers. With point-and-click or pull-down menu interfaces, users can usually design and implement their individual or departmental systems in a few hours."
Mondelez International
Snack food giant, Mondelez International has been deploying Low Code/No Code development philosophies for about a year now and has started seeing the benefits which can be achieved with these platforms when it comes to scaling its digital tools.
Mondelez International noticed that users were becoming frustrated with the slow pace of development when it came to offering them mobility. Historically, it would have to look outside of the company and bring third-party developers in to make changes to an application or scale up capacity – something which flew in the face of the image of a modern and fast-moving company like Mondelez International.
"We were seeing demand for a mobile interface from the user community -- very, strong technology-savvy folks in the business," said Global Digital Innovation Lead and AMEA Regional CIO, Sanjay Gurbuxani. "They were pushing us more and more. "Why can’t I just do this at the speed of light?" "Why can’t you let me do it?" "Why do I have to come to IT for all the simple things?" Even if I’m scaling a mobile app from one market to another, I have to go through a certain process. That’s where we were exposed to low code, no code."
Since adopting Low Code/No Code, Mondelez International has seen impressive results. It has established a center of excellence and a center of practice which both have an army of technical IT experts working alongside citizen developers to supercharge app development. The greatest benefit has been seen at the fringes of the business where the platform is relieving pressure from areas with the fewest resources on site.
"This has come at the right time where we see a bigger demand of us to build apps. This platform is helping to get the pressure off us," added Gurbuxani. "When a user builds an app, it goes in our library. Another user in another part of the world can enhance it or copy it. The citizen community has really come onboard. A year into the journey we’re really seeing the citizen developer as the center of practice grows."
Final Thoughts
Finding innovative methods of building the tools necessary to facilitate digital transformation within an organization is an essential part of the puzzle. All too often we get caught up in the excitement of the latest technology and forget all the work that needs to happen in the background to make it possible.
You can hear Mondelez International Global SVP of Consumer Experience, Jon Halvorson, speak at Digital Food and Beverage 2022, taking place in July at the Hyatt Regency, Austin.
Download the agenda today for more information and insights.