At first glance, these three concepts might seem unrelated.
One is a modern approach to software development, one is a metaphor for personal or business stagnation, and the third is a century-old economic principle named after a clever Italian fella called Pareto.
Yet in the context of digital business transformation – particularly workflow automation – they’re more connected, and effective, than you might think. Here’s how:
The Power of Three
Citizen development empowers non-technical employees to solve real business problems quickly using low-code tools like Microsoft’s Power Apps.
The Pareto Principle tells us that 80% of a solution can often be built by those closest to the problem (the citizen developers).
Arrested development is what happens when innovation and progress stalls because of outdated systems and when the people with the ideas have no way to act on them.
Let’s unpack these key themes to understand how they work together.
Citizen Development: Empowering Enthusiastic DIY Developers
Low-code platforms like Power Apps are a powerful way to democratise software development. When placed in the hands of tech-savvy individuals, these tools allow them to design, test, and roll out practical solutions that address real problems faced by their teams.
Creating a DIY culture is key: identify employees with the right mindset and an understanding of the issues they’re facing every day. But it’s important to remember that for that final 20% – the more complex elements – you’ll need to bring in expert support.
The Pareto Principle: Focus Where It Counts
Enter the Pareto Principle – the 80/20 rule – which is the idea that 80% of outcomes come from 20% of inputs. It’s often used in business to focus attention on the activities that drive the most value. But before we explore it further within the context of IT, just who was Pareto?
Vilfredo Pareto (1848-1923) was a multi-talented thinker whose ideas continue to shape economics, productivity hacks, and efficiency strategies today. The Italian engineer, economist, sociologist, and philosopher famously observed that roughly 80% of Italy’s land was owned by 20% of the population. This insight led to the broader principle that in many systems, a small percentage of causes often leads to a large percentage of effects.
So, back to business and the idea that 80% of sales might come from 20% of customers, and 80% of profits might be driven by 20% of products or services for example.
Apply this to development, and it reveals something important – that a business app doesn’t need to be perfect.
In fact, 80% of the benefit can often be delivered by solving the core problem with a basic, well-structured app—something citizen developers can absolutely handle.
The final 20% – the part that requires deep technical expertise like scalability, security, system integration, or compliance – is where IT specialists like HG Technology come in.
Arrested Development: When Progress Gets Stuck
In business, arrested development is more than a psychology or state-of-mind. In the context of technology, it refers to the stagnation or lack of progress in digital transformation efforts.
Rigid, outdated processes or an over-reliance on limited resources, often prevent innovation or agility and so progress slows, momentum fades and opportunities are missed.
The Triumvirate: Where the Magic Happens
When you combine citizen development with the 80/20 mindset, you avoid arrested development and instead, build forward momentum. Non-technical teams can handle the bulk of the problem with the tools they have, and technical experts step in where their skills are most needed. It’s clear proof that empowerment, efficiency, and expertise don’t need to be at odds. In fact, they work best when they work together.
Ready to turn momentum into measurable progress?
At HG Technology, we help organisations unlock the full potential of the Microsoft Power Platform. Whether you’re kickstarting a citizen development programme or need expert support to refine and scale your solutions, we’re here for the final 20% and beyond.
Let’s build smarter, faster, and together.