Recently, Microsoft released an eBook entitled Fusion development approach to building apps using Power Apps that describes approaches for "fusion" development teams. A fusion development team is a team comprised of both end-user "citizen developers" and professional developers. The aim at this article is to provide a guide for these teams to succeed in the new age of low-code/no-code. As a citizen developer, turned professional developer, some questions come to mind with this approach. Involving more end-users in the development of problem-solving solutions is a great. But could it cause more issues than it solves? While this "fusion" approach could yield better apps and cost savings, I would like to challenge this idea while recognizing there certainly is a place for citizen developers.
1. While Microsoft keeps pushing the ability for "citizen developers" to build apps, do business leaders really want their teams to be building apps? Do they have the time? Even the example in the eBook states the business user is already stretched thin, how are they going to find the time to build and app and work with developers? Isn't that a business analysts job?
2. What happens when the pro dev and citizen dev do not speak the same language? Is it realistic to think that end users and developers will always be able to "get along"? Historically, business analysts have filled this translation gap, ensuring requirements are met and acting as an intermediary between the parties. Will both the citizen and pro dev's grow frustrated without the aid of a business analyst?
3. How can you adhere to a budget with this style of development? Who is managing the project? This eBook does not even mention the word budget in 193 pages, and only uses the work manage outside of the "inventory management" concept 5 times. This seems to be a gap.
Please leave any of your thoughts in the comments as I would love to discuss this topic more.
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