In the last two decades, software designed to solve specific tasks for its user has seen a big rise and not least of these are mobile applications. Low-code development platforms have over the last few years been introduced as an alternative that provides lower development times and costs. These low-code development platforms do however trade features and functionality to reach these lower costs. This could affect the usability of the platform's end products. The goal of this thesis is to identify usability issues in a mobile application developed in a LCDP, analyze existing usability guidelines for native mobile applications and propose new or adapted usability guidelines for low-coded mobile applications.  To validate the gap in low-code development platform usability literature that led us to our initial problem statement we performed a literature review. Making use of individual interviews and focus groups we could produce the empirical data needed to identify potential user experienced usability issues within a low-code developed mobile application. We reviewed current native usability literature and found that most models, frameworks, and usability guidelines are in some way tied to the ISO 9241-11 standard. Individual interviews were held where we found that the overall experienced usability was positive. We then conducted seminars with focus groups which led to a thematic analysis. We summarized the quantitative data from the interviews and the qualitative data of the thematic analysis on the focus group seminars and then tied it to what we found in the literature review. Through our research, we found multiple areas of improvement in the application but the most discussed of these were that the users expected similar functionality to be presented in a similar fashion. With both the data from the literary analysis and empirical study we propose a new and adapted set of low-code usability guidelines with strong ties to the ISO 9241-11 standard and its core attributes.

Low-code development is an alternative to regular software development where the developer is able to build software and websites using a drag and drop interface instead of writing code. Low-code development has gained popularity in recent years, one of the reasons for this is the broader targeted audience which is citizen developers, people with no previous knowledge and experience in programming and web development. However it is unclear if low-code development can uphold the standards set by software development best practices. The purpose of this study is to investigate how low-code development corresponds to best practices in software development. Maintainability, flexibility, portability, reusability, readability, and testability are the six best practices that are specifically investigated in this study. Design and creation was used as the methodology to investigate whether these best practices can be used in low-code development. A system and a website was built in partnership with CGI, using Microsoft Power Platform as the low-code development tool.  The findings of the study indicate that low-code development has a number of limitations when compared to best practices in software development. The limited ability to customize code makes it difficult to accomplish maintainability, flexibility, and testability in low-code development. Additionally, it might be challenging to accomplish portability because low-code development platforms are not always interoperable, and reusability is limited due to the differences in implementation between platforms. Furthermore, it is often difficult to follow the logic flow of a low-code system which makes readability a challenge in low-code development.  While some best practices can be adapted to low-code development, the study draws the conclusion that low-code development still has a long way to go before it can fully live up to best practices in software development. In summary, this study highlights the limitations of low-code development in comparison to best practices for software development and proposes that additional research is required to overcome these limitations.

Low-code is a modern approach to software development and has grown rapidly in recent years. By hiding complexity behind layers of abstraction, it allows inexperienced developers to create complex applications in a shorter amount of time. This thesis sets out to evaluate the current state of low-code as well as a few of the available low-code development platforms and how well their finished applications perform. A simple order management system was implemented in three low-code development platforms, Mendix, OutSystems, and Airtable, in order to gain experience in all of them. The platforms were then evaluated with respect to user experience and performance. The created applications load time and memory usage were measured in three different tests. It was found that there are plenty of low-code platforms that exist for different purposes, and that they all have their own learning curve depending on how flexible they aim to be. The performance of their respectively created applications is also similar to each other, with the only major differences being by design. / Low-code är en modern metod för mjukvaruutveckling och har vuxit snabbt under de senaste åren. Genom att dölja komplexitet bakom lager av abstraktion, kan oerfarna utvecklare producera komplexa applikationer på kort tid. Detta examensarbetet utvärderar den aktuella statusen för low-code, samt några av de tillgängliga low-code plattformarna och hur deras skapade applikationer presterar. Ett enkelt orderhanteringssystem implementerades på tre stycken low-code plattformar, Mendix, OutSystems och Airtable för att få olika erfarenheter. Plattformarna utvärderades sedan med avseende på användarupplevelse och prestanda. De skapade applikationernas laddningstid och minnesanvändning mättes i tre olika tester och utvärderades. Det visade sig att det finns flertalet low-code plattformar för olika ändamål. Plattformarna har olika inlärningskurva beroende på hur flexibla de är. Prestandan som uppmättes på vardera plattform när applikationen hade utvecklats visade sig vara väldigt likt sinsemellan. Den största skillnaden plattformarna emellan visade sig vara designvalen.

Låg-kod utvecklingsplattformer, på engelska low-code development platforms (LCDP), syftar till att göra det möjligt för företagsanställda med ingen eller begränsad programmeringserfarenhet, så kallade medborgarutvecklare, att utveckla applikationer. Professionella utvecklare, som idag är en bristvara, kan därmed avlastas och få utrymme till att fokusera på mer tekniskt krävande uppgifter. LCDP möter företagens ökade efterfrågan av snabbt kunna leverera digitala lösningar i takt med att verksamheten utvecklas. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka vilka förbättringsmöjligheter och risker som finns vid införande av LCDP för företag. Uppsatsen avgränsas till artiklar i tidskrifter och branschtidningar mellan 2017 till 2022 från databasen Business Source Premier. För att uppnå uppsatsens syfte används en kvalitativ metod i form av en tematisk innehållsanalys. Sökordet ”low-code” resulterade i 93 artiklar där 30 valdes ut till den tematiska innehållsanalysen och sammanfattades i resultatkapitlet. Alla artiklar lästes igenom och de som valdes bort fokuserade på områden utanför uppsatsens syfte eller var otillgängliga. För de 30 utvalda artiklarna upprättades koder som sedan sorterades och sammanställdes till teman. Sju teman för förbättringsmöjligheter framkom; samarbete, tillgänglighet, produktivitet, utvecklingsresurser, marknadsanpassning, säkerhet och digitalisering. Fem teman för risker identifierades; säkerhet, utvecklingsstrategi, kodkompetens, utvecklingsprocess och upphovsskydd. Artiklarna framhöll övervägande fler förbättringsmöjligheter än risker vid införande av LCDP för företag vilket dels kan bero på att möjligheter lockar fler läsare och dels på att LCDP är en ny teknologi som inte har införts och använts under en längre tid.

In our progressively digitized world, the escalating demand for software solutions intensifies the need for proficient developers. Low-Code Development Platforms (LCDPs) present a promising approach to address this necessity, empowering individuals without traditional programming skills to create software applications. However, despite their potential, these platforms are often not accessible or intuitive for non-professional developers. This research examines the design of LCDPs, with an emphasis on enhancing the user experience for non-programmers. By investigating the usability of LCDPs and designing a prototype based on the findings, my aim is to contribute to the ongoing discussion about the democratization of software development and to propose enhancements that could make LCDPs more user-friendly, inclusive, and usable across devices. The research involves a combination of literature review, interviews, prototype development, and user testing, providing a multifaceted perspective on the topic. Moreover, it discusses potential implications for the design of LCDPs, as well as for the broader field of interaction design.

The growing demand for IT professionals to develop and maintain software is creating huge concerns for organizations looking to keep up and build resilience. The trends show that there is a large shortage compared to the demand. Manufacturing companies are no exception to this, and the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies will most likely increase this need even further. However, developing software solutions often requires specialized knowledge, and organizations are looking far and wide for the competence. If it is present, it is often found in the organization’s centralized IT departments. Low-code development might offer a solution, by lowering the threshold for employees and individuals to develop, deploy and maintained applications with limited technical expertise. Low-code development is method that enables software applications to be built using graphical user interfaces in so called low-code development platforms. The platforms provide templates, drag-and-drop modules and integration with other systems to reduce the complexity of the application development process. These platforms could offer advantages for manufacturing firms, including quicker development that could aid in responding to new requirements. Other benefits include: cost savings and shorter development cycles, allowing for faster releases which can help enterprises stay more competitive and reduce risk. This thesis probes the factors to consider with low-code platforms, such as the role of citizen developers and the balance between accessibility and control in the context of manufacturing industries. It explores how low-code development could enhance efficiency and presents a case study from the engine assembly facility in Scania Södertälje. Best practices for building an organization around low-code developers are discussed. The insights from this study provide an understanding of the complexities and potential of low-code development, laying the groundwork for further exploration and implementation. Combined, the results and insights offer a clear perspective on how low-code development can assist organizations in the digital age.