My Experience of the Citizen Developer Practitioner Course (2 of 2)

My Objective
As stated in my proceeding blog: Blog 1 of 2, my primary objective of completing this course was to test whether I gained the tools and knowledge that I would need to create effective applications to solve problems. 

Course Structure
The Practitioner Course focuses on the “Do” sections of the Citizen Development Canvas; Project Delivery and Capability Development. 

The course contains 8 modules:

1. Introduction
   • Project Delivery Modules
2. Hyper Agile SDLC
3. Ideation 2.0                                        
4. Suitability Assessment
   • Capability Development Modules
5. Business Analysis and Design
6. Project Risks & Enterprise Risk Requirements                              
7. Application Design, Development and Deployment
8. Conclusion  

As the Practitioner course is quite extensive, I decided to split my critique into 2 separate blogs (this is the second, click here to read my critique of the introduction and Project Delivery modules). In this blog, I will outline my experience of the Capability Development and conclusion modules of the course. Let’s get started! :) 

Module 5 – Business Analysis and Design
Business Analysis and Design enables Citizen Developer Practitioners and other stakeholder’s, to gain a vital understanding of how potential citizen development applications will work within an organization. In essence, this module gives the Citizen Developer insight into a citizen development applications broader impact on the organization.

The learning objectives of this module were outlined at the outset, you will have learned:
1.    How to apply Business Analysis and Design processes
2.    How to utilize Business and Analysis and Design tools
3.    How to gather additional Business Analysis documentation

The learning objectives of this modules were easily achieved. During the lesson I was introduced to tools that are not only useful for a Citizen Developer but also a consultant and business analyst (e.g. Process Architecture Model). The tools and templates were very useful and valuable. The table below summarizes my favourite aspects of the module and one way in which I think the lesson could be improved.

Module 6 – Project Risks & Enterprise Risk Requirements
The Project Risks & Enterprise Risk Requirements module contains a section on project risks and then moves on to explain and explore enterprise risk requirements (functional and non-functional). As a systematic learner, I loved the flow of this lesson.
 

By the end of this module, you will have learned:
1.    How to identify and track project risks
2.    How to create a stakeholder management plan
3.    How to create a communications management plan
4.    How to identify and track project requirements
5.    How to identify and track enterprise risk requirements
 

This lesson was excellent – I feel I achieved the learning objectives. The information was concise yet thorough. I have experience working with enterprise risks, however, until now, I did not have context on enterprise risk requirements. This module taught me all about them. The examples that were included and the sample projects further developed my understanding. Some of my favourite aspects and an item I personally think could be improved in future iterations are outlined below.

Module 7 – Application Design, Development & Deployment  
The Application Design, Development and Deployment module aims to give the Citizen Developer the tools they will need to get from the design, development and deployment stages of an application. This lesson covers quiet an extensive amount of material. It goes into detail about important aspects of each stage. 

By the end of this module, you will have learned:
1.    To use a variety of tools and techniques that will help you design your application
2.    The steps involved in the application development process
3.    The training and support plans that help with user adoption
4.    The two levels of deployment for applications
 

This lesson was full of valuable information. In essence, it covered the critical aspects of application design, development and deployment. My advice to learners when they take this module is to do further research into each stage if they are eager to learn more. The table below summarizes my favourite aspects of the module and an item I personally think could be improved in the future.

Module 8 – Conclusion
Similar to the introduction module, the conclusion module does what it says on the tin! It is a concise lesson that summarizes what you learned throughout the Citizen Developer Practitioner course. During the conclusion, a high-level overview of each module was carried out. A sneak peak of the Citizen Development Maturity Model was also included.

I found the modular recaps very useful. The overarching premise of each lesson was reiterated which enforced the learning for me. Some of my favourite aspects and items I personally think could be improved are outlined below.

Hindsight
My primary objective of completing this course was to test whether I gained the tools and knowledge that I would need to create effective applications to solve problems. I can proudly say that I feel as though I achieved my objective :) .

Closing Summary
I thoroughly enjoyed the Citizen Developer Practitioner Course. Each module had a defined purpose and it is very clear how each area of the canvas should be carried out. The course is self-paced so take your time going through each modules (you don’t want to miss anything important). I’m looking forward to taking the Citizen Developer Practitioner micro-credential in the coming days. I hope you enjoyed this mini-blog series! If you would like to share your thoughts on the course, please leave a comment below :) . 
 

My Experience of the Citizen Developer Practitioner Course (1 of 2)

Background
As a consultant, upskilling and advancing my knowledge on new technological advances is key. I have completed a lot of research on low-code/no-code, i.e., Citizen Development, to date.

My Citizen Development Experience so Far
In January, I completed the Citizen Developer Foundation Course because I wanted to learn the basics in terms of citizen development. I definitely achieved this objective! Click here if you would like to hear more about my experience of this course!

I gained adequate knowledge to progress to the Practitioner Course once I completed the Foundation. Although Foundation is not a mandatory pre-requisite, I recommend taking Foundation first if you would like to enhance your understanding of citizen development as a whole.

Similar to what I did for the Foundation Course, I’m now going to document my experience of the Citizen Developer Practitioner Course… here it goes!

My Objective
My primary objective of completing this course was to gain tools and knowledge to create effective applications to solve problems. I was interested in what these would be and how I could apply them in my role.

Course Structure
The Practitioner Course focuses on the “Do” sections of the Citizen Development Canvas; Project Delivery and Capability Development.

The course contains 8 modules:

1. Introduction
   • Project Delivery Modules
2. Hyper Agile SDLC
3. Ideation 2.0                                        
4. Suitability Assessment
   • Capability Development Modules
5. Business Analysis and Design
6. Project Risks & Enterprise Risk Requirements                              
7. Application Design, Development and Deployment
8. Conclusion  

As the Practitioner course is quite extensive, I am going to split my critique into 2 separate blogs (this is the first). In this blog, I will outline my experience of the introduction and Project Delivery modules of the course. Let’s dig in!

Module 1 - Introduction to Citizen Development
This module does what it says on the tin! It is a concise introductory module that lays the foundation for subsequent lessons. The narrator explains that the Citizen Development Canvas will act as the roadmap for each module in this course. The basics of the course were covered in this lesson:

1. Course Basics
How to navigate through the course and new course features were discussed. Items such as; tips from the field, downloads, sample projects and knowledge checks are unique additions to the Citizen Developer Practitioner Course. This section outlined what these features are and how to get the best out of each one.

2. Course Outcomes
Over the course of 8 modules, you will learn how to:

1. Determine if your problem can be solved with a Citizen Development process
2. Effectively brainstorm solutions
3. Evaluate the challenges that your app must overcome
4. Gather the data and resources you will need
5. Bring your project to fruition

By completing the introductory module, I was content that I knew what to expect throughout the course. I have created a table that summarizes my favourite aspects of the module and a way in which I think the lesson could be improved in the future.

Module 2 - Hyper-Agile SDLC
As someone who had no prior knowledge or experience with the software development lifecycle (SDLC), I loved this module. The traditional SDLC was introduced, then Agile SDLC and the Hyper-Agile SDLC. As a structured learner, getting an overview of each SDLC enabled my understanding of the evolution of Hyper-Agile SDLC.

The learning objectives that were set out for this module were clear and to the point, by the end of this module, you will have learned:

1. The SDLC, Agile and Hyper-Agile SDLC methods
2. How to evaluate citizen development project proposals
3. How to use Spot Assessments to decide if your project is right for citizen development
4. The three Hyper-Agile SDLC citizen development paths

At the end of this lesson, I feel I met the learning objectives. The Spot Assessment was the most intriguing tool in this module. The primary objective of this tool is to assess whether citizen development is a good fit for your project or not. The tools that are used to evaluate the Spot Assessment are the Scorecard and the Risk/Technical Grid. Once both of these are complete, you will know whether to proceed using citizen development for your project or not! If your project is a good fit for citizen development, you can determine which Hyper-Agile CD Path to follow based on the risk/technical complexity of your project (Fast-Track, Assisted Path or IT Delivery). The table below summarizes my favourite aspects of the module and one way in which I think the lesson could be improved.

Module 3 - Ideation 2.0
I had completed the Ideation 2.0 module in the Foundation Course so I was prepared for this lesson in the Practitioner Course. New material and learning aids were added to this module in the Practitioner Course. These made the module even better in my opinion.

The learning objectives of this module were outlined at the outset, you will have learned:

1. What Ideation 2.0 is
2. How to develop your squad
3. How to apply Ideation 2.0 Methods and create the relevant outputs

I thought this module was excellent in the Foundation Course. However, I would rate it even higher in the Practitioner Course. The learning objectives were easy to achieve during this module. Similar to Ideation 2.0 in the Foundation Course, the content in this module (mainly the methods and outputs) are structured in a logical way which made the content easily digestible. The addition of the “how to develop your squad” section was also very valuable.

Module 4 – Suitability Assessment
The Suitability Assessment module was very interesting. The primary aim of this module is to enable the Citizen Developer and related stakeholders to conduct an assessment on whether citizen development would be a good fit for a project (or not).

The learning objective of this module are outlined below. By the end of this module you will have learned:

1. How to perform Suitability Assessments for citizen development projects
2. How to use Suitability Assessment tools and techniques

One of my key takeaways from this module is that citizen development can transform your operations; when citizen development is a suitable fit. It is critical to remember that citizen development is not suitable for every project. I enjoyed this lesson and met the learning objectives. Some of my favorite aspects of the lesson and an item I personally think could be improved are outlined below.

My Conclusion
So far, I am really enjoying the Citizen Developer Practitioner Course. I love what I have learned so far. It will be interesting to see if the Capability Development modules of the Citizen Developer Practitioner Course will be as insightful. Once I have completed these modules, I will report back and publish part 2 of this blog series.

Introduction

Over the past number of months, I have been doing research into citizen development. In this blog, I will explore how citizen development can empower creative minds.

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is defined as the creation or extraction of value. It encapsulates the idea of setting up an enterprise to service needs. Traditionally, a multitude of steps must be taken if one is intent on becoming an entrepreneur. Research suggests that, at a minimum, most entrepreneurs must:  

• Spot a gap in the market / find a large problem to solve
• Prototype the product / service
• Evaluate the product / service
• Identify the target audience
• Source Finance
• Consider risk
• Spend a lot of time & effort sourcing operational & human resources
• Create an enterprise.

My Ambition… but Reality Strikes

One of my lifelong ambitions was to become an entrepreneur. I am passionate about people and wanted to address the needs of those who are unfulfilled by adding value to their lives and making a meaningful difference. Until recently, my goal was clear. I was determined to take the necessary steps, and, ultimately create an enterprise that would address unfulfilled needs… until I discovered citizen development.

Citizen Development

Citizen Development, is a phenomenon that enables any user to create applications without coding experience. As I said in a previous blog: “You do not have to be a software developer or an IT specialist to create an app anymore. Literally, anyone can create an application using citizen development if you have the appetite to learn.”

Key Insights

Over recent months, I have had the opportunity to conduct research into citizen development. During that time, I have learned a tremendous amount! Out of everything I have read and experienced, there were two key takeaways that stood out to me:

1. Anyone with the appetite to learn can upskill and create applications that fulfill needs
2. Organizations should leverage citizen development to gain transient advantages

Setting up an enterprise takes a huge amount of time and effort (not to mention the risk and liability that is involved). Since learning about citizen development, my entrepreneurial ambition has not changed, however, my roadmap has.

Same Ambition, Different Roadmap

Since discovering citizen development, I firmly believe intrapreneurship is my calling. I do not need to create an enterprise to fulfill unmet needs. I can leverage citizen development to create applications that will enable me to achieve the same goal. I do not need to take the traditional entrepreneurial steps. I need to continue on my learning journey and gain more experience with citizen development to achieve my ambition.

Intrapreneurship

“Intrapreneurship, unlike entrepreneurship, is a concept that says you have the resources in your employees to solve most of your business challenges. It is more than just the concept, it is the execution of actions and activities that increase productivity and profitability within a company” (Herrmann, 2021). Innovative employees are at the core of intrapreneurship.

They are creative people within the organization who are determined to solve problems and develop sustainable solutions. Intrapreneurs can easily leverage citizen development to realize their ambition. At a macro level, they can:

1. Identify the business problem that needs to be solved
2. Create a project proposal
3. Ideate (via Really Round Robin sessions, Ideathons or Hackathons)
4. Create and deploy the application

Why Intrapreneurs should Leverage Citizen Development?

Intrapreneurs can create apps that will meet specific needs, at a lower cost and in a fraction of the time it would have traditionally taken to create an enterprise to fulfill a specific need. By leveraging this capability, risk and liability is minimized. On top of that, you won’t have to source extraordinary amounts of finance or spend years establishing an organization.  

Case Study

Let’s take a look at a case study example of an intrapreneurial mind that leveraged citizen development to fulfill a business problem.

Posted by Maelisa Woulfe on: March 29, 2021 07:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

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