Feedback, after several years, how the Brittany region handle the Simplicité Low-Code platform ?

 

Feedback, what results for Brittany region after 3 years of using a Low-Code platform ?

During our last user club and feedback, Benjamin Buffereau and Rosanne Quilly in charge of the development of business applications for the Brittany region were kind enough to make their feedback with the Simplicité platform.

The applications developed concern three different kinds of people:

  • Users
  • The partners
  • The agents of the region

 

After a brief tour of the responsibilities of the Brittany region and of the scope of the CIO, we return to the heart of the matter.

Why did Brittany choose to use a Low-Code platform? 

Very early on, Brittany decided to anticipate the development issues for the needs of the CIO. It is necessary to do faster and better in order to unclog the back-log and avoid having to “reinvent the wheel every 2 years” with new Framework.

The choice is strategic for the organization of IT mastery while improving the productivity, industrialization, innovation and urbanization of the latter.   The first observation made by the Brittany region, “from scratch” still works, but the limits are numerous:

  • It is necessary to reinvent the wheel every time.
  • It is difficult to reinvent it (no sharing of “advanced” features).
  • Retaining skills is expensive.
  • A certain reluctance to evolve the oldest applications.
  • More maintenance, fewer new applications.
  • Less added value for customers …

 

The second observation concern productivity. After a necessary period of skill growth, productivity is multiplied tenfold. It is enough to observe this slide to be convinced of it:

Development with Simplicité Low-Code versus Development JEE Classic.

Advantages and disadvantages After several years of use, how can we make use of a Low-Code platform like Simplicité? What are the good sides? What are the disadvantages ?

Pros : 

  • Faster development: more responsiveness, more productivity.
  • Better development: maintainability (Simplicité patches), shared functionalities, reliability.
  • A development that changes: agility, prototyping> implementation, trades are associated in a co-construction process.
  • Removal of part of the parameterization from the business users, first step towards the “citizen developer” without solicitation of the development teams. Application modification very fast (and / or by user’s hand).
  • Maturity & adaptability of the platform. Significantly reduced “change management” thanks to a similar interface and navigation for all applications (no user training required).
  • A healthy relationship with the publisher.

Cons:  

  • Developers remain essential! (But that’s not a bad news :))
  • Rise in necessary competence.
  • Difficult to find providers in a market segment still recent.
  • A community still too restricted.
  • The platform is not Open Source (but it’s not a proprietary language).

Platform Simplicité versus Force.com (and others …)  

We can’t talk about low-code platform without making a comparison with Force.com (solution studied in competition with Simplicité). What emerges from this comparison, unlike Salesforce Simplicité, is to: Set up data models.

Seamlessly integrate applications with an existing Information System. To use the JEE / relational technology standards (no proprietary language). To offer reversibility.   In addition, and unlike Force.com, the Simplicité platform allows you to deploy either Cloud Private, Public Cloud, Cloud Hybrid or OnPremise, which is a definite advantage compared to the infinite choice of architecture Possible for a CIO.

To conclude ? The right reasons to use the Low-Code and the possible brakes …  

Low-code, is this the time to go? Advantages?

  • A CIO who wants to get started and have a head start on a mature platform.
  • A need to industrialize the development and maintenance of many applications. Repetitive back-office needs.
  • In-house development capabilities (or willingness to come back!).

The possible brakes:

  • Mostly front-office needs with “little” business intelligence.
  • Partner integrators, still few in number.

The overall feedback is truly positive. It allows applications to be put into production exponentially with a limited number of developers.   In the end, the Brittany region is concentrating its development efforts with the platform on strategic applications for which developing from scratch would take too long to realize.

So it’s more flexibility, more responsiveness, more productivity for satisfied customers!   If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to answer your questions.