In Brief:

  • There’s a shortage of available top technical talent accessible to corporations.
  • In response, new tools are becoming available that make technology and innovation accessible to everyone.
  • There are dozens of new tools that non-technical teams can use to build and test new ideas, optimize workflows, or accelerate innovation.
  • NoCode is a game changer. Join the NoCode movement to give your business the power to do more.

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This article was written by guest author Brian Ardinger, Nelnet’s director of innovation and founder of Inside Outside.

When only 0.5% of the people on the planet know how to code, it can be tempting to throw up your hands and claim you can’t get the technical resources you need to build the next big thing.

The reality is that the shortage of top technical talent is not going to change anytime soon. What is changing, however, is the access to new tools that are making technology and innovation accessible. NoCode is that game changer.

What is NoCode?

NoCode can best be defined as off-the-shelf software, tools, and platforms that enable the non-technical or less-technical person to build, experiment, or pull together resources, data, and workflows to solve problems.

NoCode is not new. A software package itself is a form of NoCode in that it enables a regular person to access tools and “do stuff” using code without having to write the underlying codes themselves. If you’ve used Excel to create a chart or PowerPoint to tell a story, you’ve used NoCode-like capabilities.

What is new is the groundswell of new tools that are bringing drag-and-drop, copy-and-paste, and once difficult capabilities to the masses.

Tools of the Trade

Let’s take a look at some of the new NoCode tools changing the landscape of development. Having these tools gives you the power to launch and communicate in the marketplace, get feedback, and immediately tweak, refine, and iterate far faster than ever before. They enable you to experiment to learn more quickly and deliver value sooner.

Tools of the Trade
Tool Type Tool Names
Websites Squarespace
Carrd
Webflow
Wix
Landing Pages Unbounce
LeadPages
Mailchimp
Databases and Spreadsheets Airtable
SmartSheet
Google Sheets
Airtable
“Connector” Tools Zapier
IFTTT
Clay
Retool
Standard Library
Tray.io
E-Commerce Stripe
Nelnet Payment Services
Shopify
Paypal
Community MemberStack
Memberspace
Productivity MixMax
Calendly
Woven
Customer Service GoSquared
Intercom
Communications MailerLite
Convertkit
Mailchimp
SendGrid
Content Creation Vimeo
Buffer
Descript
Web Applications Bubble
Adalo

Sharetribe
Coda

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All of these tools can be used to solve specific problems, optimize execution, or be tied together to create complete solutions. NoCode is ushering in a new class of builders, founders, and creators, and it’s bringing the ability to build, prototype, test, and experiment to new levels.

There are even online communities creating tutorials and marketplaces focused on the NoCode movement. Check out places like Makerpad and NuCode. Now’s the time to dust off your ideas, open up some creativity, and tackle that new project that might just change the world.

AUTHOR

Brian Ardinger

Director of Innovation

With about 25 years of experience in technology and corporate innovation, Brian feels strongly that associates from every level should be comfortable thinking of new ideas and bringing them to the table, and companies should feel comfortable listening. Brian is also the founder of Inside Outside, an innovation community for entrepreneurs, tech gurus, and anyone interested in new ideas. For more thoughts on innovation, connect with Brian at brian@insideoutside.io and @ardinger.