As low and no-code platforms enter the scene, some data experts are worried about their job security. If even the least tech-savvy member of a team can blend and analyze data without the need to develop any code — or even know anything about code — where does that leave data professionals?
Here at Toric, we believe that it elevates them. Rather than compromising their jobs and replacing them with machines, no-code apps can be the key to reaching the next level of data success.
To understand our view here, it’s helpful to take a step back.
The State of No-Code Apps
As tech advances, no-code development offers new opportunities. With no-code platforms, anyone can do virtually anything with a company’s data — no tech expertise required. Drag-and-drop functionality lets them engage with an easy-to-use dashboard, pulling and analyzing project, finance, and design data in a single place. No-code apps drive real-time business intelligence to power informed decision-making.
In short, with no-code, people don’t need any tech prowess to make use of their data. They get a painless, visual way to access and analyze their data stack.
That’s good news for most people. But on the surface, it might seem like some cause for concern for data professionals.
Gartner predicts that 65% of all app development will be low and no-code by 2024. If two-thirds of apps don’t require any knowledge of code, will data professionals still be a necessity?
We argue: yes.
Why Data Analysts and Scientists Are Important
Low and no-code apps might be designed to reduce the need for developers to write code, but they don’t reduce the need for data specialists. Why? Because there are data tasks that computers simply can’t do.
Machines are excellent at accuracy and precision. But oftentimes, the true benefit lies in the gray area in between facts. A no-code platform might make it easy to see that a project is on trend to go over budget, but it doesn’t do anything to solve that issue, for example. It takes a data analyst to identify pain points that can be remedied and a data scientist to predict the best paths to balancing the numbers.
In fact, low and no-code development should be a boon to data professionals. With machines to handle all of the computational work, plus the hassle of aggregating data, analysts and scientists get freed up. Then, they can direct their attention to interpreting the information the data presents. They get the resource of time, a precious commodity that can power leading-edge thinking.
Industry Example: Why AEC Needs Data Experts
To get a better feel for what no-code apps can mean for data experts, let’s look to the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry.
Construction tech is booming. Things like digital document management, building information modeling (BIM), and full-spectrum workflows present both an exciting opportunity and a daunting undertaking.
Players across the AEC space have the chance to leverage platforms to drive efficiency, collaboration, and more. But in an industry that’s historically done things tangibly (think: pen and paper, hard-copy files), tech adoption and integration hasn’t been easy.
That’s led to a rise of AEC-experienced data scientists and analysts. These integral experts have helped to drive digital transformation for owners, architects, GCs, engineers, subcontractors, and others. These specialists have played a much-needed role in helping the industry bridge gaps in digital skills and knowledge to unlock the potential tech presents.
With no-code development, though, tech savvy becomes less pressing. That doesn’t mean data pros are becoming obsolete, though. Instead, as AEC players leverage no-code opportunities, data experts get freed up to visualize and realize the future of the industry.
How to Bolster Job Security
Ultimately, in any industry, low and no-code apps shouldn’t replace data analysts or data scientists. But their advancement and increasingly widespread use should impact the areas data professionals work to strengthen.
As no-code progresses, the skills of figuring out how the computer can do things for you become less important. To maintain job security and prove value to their employers, data experts need to redirect their attention to higher-value tasks that computers simply can’t handle.
In many cases, that comes down to exploring hypotheticals. Data experts should get comfortable asking questions like:
- What if the labor market shrinks ever further?
- What if X changes? How would that change affect this project outcome?
- What if I knew Y? How would that change our company’s decision-making?
- What if we encounter supply chain issues with Z?
- How do the trends my data shows affect my company?
- Where are there gaps in our data?
- Where could our data collection and analyses be refined to drive deeper business intelligence?
At the end of the day, the questions data experts should be asking will be informed largely by their employer, the vertical in which that employer operates, and past, present, and future projects. The onus is on the data professional to strengthen and engage their critical thinking skills to develop the right line of questioning for their specific situation.
How No-Code Can Support Critical Thinking
That might sound daunting. But that’s where no-code comes to the rescue. Before low and no-code platforms, data professionals most likely spent hours of each day gathering, integrating, and organizing data. Now, they can do that with a few clicks.
That frees up time not just to answer questions, but also to think of the right questions to ask. That’s something no computer can do.
As a result, we’re confident that no-code platforms won’t compromise data jobs. Instead, we believe they will power the next level in data analysis. And data analysts and scientists are primed to seize that opportunity.
Toric + No Code: Empowering Data Professionals
Clearly, there’s something to be said for data experts learning to use low and no-code apps to their advantage. If you’re in the data field and you want to get comfortable with this increasingly important opportunity, you can check out our all-in-one, no-code dataflow. Just imagine what you can do with all of your data in one place where it’s easy to access and easy to analyze.
As the landscape continues to shift for data experts and professionals in general, we’re here to help you stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest news, resources, and articles about data analytics and no-code development.
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