Unleash the Power of Citizen Development: Leveraging Organizational Capabilities for Successful Low-Code Development Platform Adoption

Abstract

Given the increasing demand for application development and process automation, Low-Code Development Platforms (LCDPs) have become highly relevant in recent years. However, the lack of familiarity with the implementation and application of LCDP in organizations poses a challenge. This publication therefore aims to shed light on the essential organizational capabilities that companies must master to overcome this obstacle. Using action design research, this study develops a model-based framework of 21 organizational capabilities for successful LCDP adoption. It underscores the importance of conceptual development as a prerequisite for effective management and long-term application of the technology. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of considering both technical and social aspects of the LCDP information system. The findings contribute to academia by providing a model-based capability framework, which serves as a structure for driving future research. Moreover, practitioners benefit from a practice-oriented and evaluated summary of initialization tasks and capabilities required for successful adoption.