The Rise of Citizen Development and the CIO’s Evolving Role

The landscape of application development is undergoing a significant shift, driven by the increasing accessibility of low-code and no-code platforms and the growing capabilities of artificial intelligence. A recent report indicates the global low-code market is projected to reach $186 billion by 2030 ¹, with a substantial portion of development being undertaken by individuals outside of traditional IT departments. This trend, known as citizen development, presents both opportunities and challenges for Chief Information Officers (CIOs).

The Growth of Citizen Development

Traditionally, application development was the sole domain of IT professionals. Still, the demand for new applications often outstripped the capacity of IT departments, leading to backlogs and frustration for business users. Low-code and no-code platforms empower individuals with limited coding experience – often referred to as “citizen developers” – to create applications tailored to their specific needs. Kissflow reports that 60% of custom applications are now being developed outside of IT ¹. This trend is further fueled by advancements in AI, particularly AI-enhanced code generation and generative AI tools, which automate aspects of the development process previously handled by IT.

The CIO’s Dilemma: Hands-Off or Hands-On?

The rise of citizen development prompts a critical question for CIOs: should they embrace a hands-off approach, allowing business units to independently develop and manage their applications, or should they actively engage in the process? Some CIOs welcome the idea of offloading development tasks, even as others are hesitant to relinquish control. However, a completely hands-off approach carries significant risks.

Enterprises ultimately hold IT accountable for the overall IT infrastructure and its contribution to business success. Allowing unmanaged application development can lead to integration issues, scalability problems, and security vulnerabilities. A 2025 report from Indexa highlights that 80% of low-code users will come from user departments outside IT ², potentially leading to a fragmented IT landscape and increased complexity.

Why IT Must Engage

CIOs cannot afford to ignore citizen development. Instead, they must strategically integrate themselves into the process, establishing guardrails and oversight to ensure that low-code and no-code initiatives align with enterprise IT standards and objectives. Failing to do so risks losing the value of investments in these tools and creating applications that cannot scale or integrate with existing systems.

Many citizen-developed applications are focused on specific, departmental needs, often centered around forms and data collection ². Similarly, AI systems developed by business users tend to be narrowly focused, limiting their scalability and applicability across the enterprise. While this focused approach is prudent in the early stages of AI adoption, it can hinder broader organizational benefits.

Recommendations for CIOs

1. Shift from Gatekeepers to Service Partners: IT should transition from a controlling entity to a supportive partner, providing guidance and assistance to citizen developers rather than imposing restrictions.
2. Engage Early in App Design: Business analysts should proactively collaborate with user departments to understand their development needs and provide input on integration, scalability, and vendor selection.
3. Build Guardrails that Support, Not Block: Establish a formal process for citizen development that incorporates upfront IT guidance to ensure applications are designed with future integration and scalability in mind.

By embracing a collaborative and service-oriented approach, CIOs can harness the power of citizen development while mitigating the associated risks, ultimately driving greater innovation and business value.