THE POTENTIAL OF MICROSOFT POWER APPS
In order to be able to make a professional presentation you once had to have graphic insights and professional skills for design. Back in the nineties, Microsoft then developed a tool called PowerPoint. And that was a real game-changer! Today, anyone who can read and write is able to design the most sophisticated presentations with the help of this highly intelligent software solution. As we speak, a similar revolution is happening in the domain of software development, with Microsoft Power Apps.
Since the rise of the mobile phone we tend to say ‘there must be an app for that’. But reality learns us that this is not true. In every organisation there are hundreds of official registrations in all shapes and sizes. And on top of that a multitude of informal, often personal registrations. Partly on paper and partly (semi-)automated. These registrations are the target audience of Power Apps.
This way of working is called ‘Low code’ or ‘No code’ development. And the users of these applications are often referred to as ‘citizen developers’. Experts foresee a great future for this new way of development, especially due to the predicted large shortages of professional developers worldwide.
Developing your own apps comes with a number of advantages. Usually, developing apps with Power Apps is faster, cheaper and the outcomes are sooner available when compared to the traditional outsourcing of customized solutions. Doing this kind of development inhouse often means less miscommunication. After all, you know what it is that you want, right? Another advantage of using Power Apps is that these apps hook up to the existing business solution and leave their core intact. Which means a lower risk for maintenance and future upgrades.
Power Apps is a part of the ‘Power Platform’. This modern set of solutions also consists of Power Automate and Power BI. Power Platform is one of the fastest growing products in the history of the company. Partly because it is not a proprietary solution: Power Platform can be used in combination with almost any business solution. Power Platform is now a $2 billion annual business, Microsoft confirmed recently, with revenue up 72 percent year over year. This growth is mainly fueled by the unprecedented growth of Power Apps, which grew by 162 percent in the past quarter. The secret of developing your own apps probably lies in the replacement of the thousands of lists, small registrations and Excel sheets that circle around in your formal and informal organisation.
