Power Platform | Responsible Low Code for everyone

It´s about time to call out the principles of responsible Low Code for enabling everyone to do more with less – don´t you think? You don´t know what I am talking about?

Well, when Microsoft started their AI investments, they shortly understood that there´s „something“ about Humans and AI which needs to be addressed. This „something“ today is well known as ethical principles that put people first. If you´re not familiar with it, read about it here. I can also recommend to download the Microsoft Responsible AI Standard, v2, which can be found here.

But now, let´s return to Low Code and why I think it´s about time to call out the principles of responsible Low Code for successful implementing, adopting, rolling and scaling out Power Platform at Enterprises. Running conversations in uncertain times always brings up another „something“. At Microsoft´s Ignite show you could have followed Ryan Cunningham, VP Power Apps talking about the investments done in this sector.

With the above visual I am outlining what should be well known by using Power Platform and being familiar with all the capabilities, but possibly hasn´t been summarized in a single visual so far. At least, I couldn´t find one.

As you can see above in the right lower block you find Microsoft´s Responsible AI standards earlier talked about, which are in fact inherited the moment you´re using AI Builder as a service of Power Platform or if you would directly connect to Microsoft´s AI Azure stack using a connector.

In addition to that, in the main area to the left you do find the responsible Low Code principles that I have collected based on feedback provided by customers using the Power Platform service. They should be well known by implementing and rolling out Power Platform and in an ideal case included in your company´s principles and standards with their IT strategy and vision. It starts by highlighting Inclusiveness.

Inclusiveness

Power Platform is made for everyone. Citizen Developer, IT Professional, Professional Developer, DevOps Manager, Data Analyst, you name it. What seems an easy statement, in fact means a lot of work behind the scenes to fulfill on this principle. Starting with a definition of what defines everyone? Fulfill requirements and standards of accessibility, help users to build something accessible, implement some assistant that helps to find answers the moment there´re raised questions, inject some AI and natural language processing as describing things in natural language is a whole lot easier for everyone than teaching them a specific language to be used. Find an easy to use interface that could be loved and adopted. Integrate another dozen of services that helps integrating to other services. Democratize access and ensure everyone feels empowered by using the Low Code toolset. And don´t forget to find an answer to a couple of well known standards, such as Application Lifecycle Management features, Software versioning, Code reusage, Programming language, etc.

Manageability

Power Platform offers out of the box controls to secure, govern and manage the offered services. It inherits additional capabilities from Microsoft´s Azure stack, starting with Identity Management. Furthermore, customers are offered starter packages or Kits that should allow them a smooth start to extend monitoring, securing and govern to the level needed for running their enterprises. It offers flexibility to customize and build on top additional functionality by actually using platform- or Azure services. And just recently it added capabilities to make all this even easier for service delivery folks with Managed Environments.

Sustainability & Transparency, Reliability & Safety, Privacy & Security, Transformative & Innovative

On top of that, additional four areas you do find capabilities for inside Microsoft´s Power Platform are listed. Some of them used the moment you sign-up for using any of the maker studios. Some that needs to be implemented or activated by an Administrator and monitored by a service delivery team (Center of Excellence) afterwards.

In the green boxes, you do find most recent investments made to fulfill on the principles or shape standards to provide an all over responsible Low Code. So why all this? Low Code isn´t a new thing!
Starting with 1.0 where there was the time of fragmented files, spreadsheets and small databases, emails, domain experts, rows & columns and just us – Humans. Moving forward to the era of 2.0 where there was Shadow IT, data islands, point integrations, specialists, forms over data and again us – Humans. Transforming in today´s era of Low Code 3.0 which is about Managed Environments, everything connected, Hyperautomation, Fusion teams, Intelligent solutions created by Humans + AI.

So the more sceptical we look at the capabilities of managing Power Platform, ensuring adoption and securing the service to be enabled as 24/7 self-service, the more we should remind ourselves of what it was before this? Did we really achieved having an overview of what´s ongoing in companies service lines by maybe running an internal software license assessment each month or quarter? Did we really had control them sharing data over email in Excel spreadsheets? Wasn´t it an easy task running Shadow IT with the tools and services provided?

Not saying all of this is solved by introducing and following the principles and standards that comes with Power Platform + the inherited standards from Microsoft´s responsible AI. Though challenging the question, if ignoring Low Code, continue as is and running services as it was done 1.0 and 2.0, maybe being even more riskier?

Recent conversations turns out there´s a need for finding a balance between Governance & Guidance to ensure user adoption. Following the principles and standards that comes with Low Code 3.0 or Power Platform simply makes it easier to fulfill on them. Think about it and let me know about your thoughts.

Until then,…