Everyone is a Developer

Now (And That’s a Good

Thing)

featuring research from forrester

The Forrester New Wave™: Low-Code

Platforms For Business Developers, Q4 2017
2

The Future of Work is Changing Application Delivery

The digital era has changed the way we work forever, and created demand for business applications
that traditional IT developers simply cannot meet. At organizations of every type and size, workers are
drowning in data and desperate to wrangle inefficient processes, but very few IT organizations have
the developers necessary to support them. At the same time, a new generation of workers — who
grew up with the internet and smartphones — expects to have tools and resources to move quickly
and easily through their tasks.

It’s no wonder business workers find their own solutions with desktop databases, online databases,
cloud apps, and consumer productivity tools. The sprawl of these solutions puts corporate data at risk
and compounds the inefficiency at an organizational level, leaving technology leaders stuck between a
rock and a hard place.

In this Fortunately, a new type of solution has emerged to help organizations empower business workers to
document solve their own problems while maintaining IT’s standards for governance and security. Forrester has
recognized Quick Base as a Leader in The Forrester New Wave™: Low-Code Platforms For Business
1 Everyone is a Developers, Q4 2017, and noted its ability to offer “plenty of data power made accessible by well-
Developer Now
designed tools and automation,” and “free entry points for novices to experts, backed by ample help
(And That’s a
Good Thing) and resources.”

4 Research From
Forrester: The Business Case for Business Developers
The Forrester
CEOs all over the world have been driving toward digital transformation, but the reality is that only
New Wave™:
Low-Code 10% of organizations can describe themselves as fully digital.1 The result is that manual processes
Platforms choke innovation and inhibit growth. The struggle to modernize has big implications for the bottom
For Business
line, as organizations struggle to make data-driven decisions, uncover new market opportunities,
Developers,
Q4 2017 shore up risks, and improve operational efficiency.

Increasingly, organizations are turning to low-code platforms to power digital transformation. These
28 About Quick
Base platforms enable those closest to the work to turn their ideas into actions more quickly. Low-code
platforms for business developers are designed for use by anyone — from front-line workers to AD&D
professionals. Organizations like Google, Procter & Gamble, and Norwegian Cruise Line use these
platforms to improve productivity and reduce demand on central IT teams.

Empowering business developers drives real results. In a 2016 Total Economic Impact® study
commissioned by Quick Base, Forrester found that a representative Quick Base customer with 2,000
users could see a 260% return on investment, adding up to a net present value (NPV) of $7.2 million.2

How to Choose a Low-code Platform for Business Developers

The market for low-code platforms for business developers is booming. Selecting the right one
requires careful review of several important criteria:
3

• Ease of deployment and use. Business developers are not professional developers, so their success depends
on an intuitive platform that allows them to create applications and workflows in a way they understand. The
platform should provide an abundance of sample applications or templates, help documentation and training,
and support through the initial build process. Furthermore, the platform should include features that empower
the business developer to create an interface that is straightforward and user friendly.

• Data management. Working with information inside the platform should be intuitive as well. The best low-code
platforms for business developers have a straightforward data model that makes sense to a business developer
familiar with spreadsheets, while offering advanced capabilities to create relationships between data sets.

• Reporting and collaboration. Business developers should have the flexibility to quickly generate and share
reports and charts within the platform. Look for a platform with a wide range of chart types and reporting
options, plus the ability to automatically share recurring reports via email notifications.

• Governance and security. The best low-code platforms for business developers offer robust governance
features that allow the organization’s IT team to manage and administer at scale. Look for platforms that offer
the ability to set granular roles and permissions and provide application usage reporting. The vendor should
also be able to provide important security certifications such as SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA.

These are the core criteria by which these platforms can be measured, but they are not the only ones. In its
New Wave, Forrester identifies 10 criteria on which to evaluate platforms for business developers. In 8 out of 10
categories, Quick Base was assessed “Differentiated” (the highest possible ranking). Forrester also recognized
Quick Base’s “rich startup experiences and strong data management.”

As the future of work continues to evolve and more organizations look to their own business workers to solve
complex problems, low-code platforms for business developers are sure to be a key enabling technology.
With 6,000 customers, Quick Base has long been the platform of choice for organizations that want to drive
real results fast.

Endnotes
“Digital Evolution: Learning from Leaders in Digital Transformation,” The Economist Intelligence Unit, 2016.
1

The Total Economic Impact™ Of QuickBase, an April 2016 commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on
2

behalf of Quick Base.

4

For Application Development & Delivery Professionals

The Forrester New Wave™: Low-Code Platforms

For Business Developers, Q4 2017
The 13 Providers That Matter Most And How They Stack Up

by John R. Rymer
October 23, 2017 | Updated: October 23, 2017

Why Read This Report Key Takeaways

In Forrester’s evaluation of the emerging market Leaders: Quick Base, MatsSoft, And Caspio
for low-code platforms for business developers Forrester’s research uncovered a market in
(BDs), we identified the 13 most important which Quick Base, MatsSoft, and Caspio
providers in the category — Caspio, FileMaker, lead the pack. Microsoft, Nintex, FlowForma,
FlowForma, Intellect, Kintone, KiSSFLOW, FileMaker, KiSSFLOW, Zudy, and Pulpstream
MatsSoft, Microsoft, Nintex, Pulpstream, Quick offer competitive options. Kintone and Vizru offer
Base, Vizru, and Zudy — and graded them on strong options for niches, while Intellect lags
a curve using a three-point scale. This report behind.
details how each vendor scored on 10 criteria
AD&D Pros Seek To Empower Business
and where they stand in relation to each other.
Experts With These Products
Use this assessment to select the right low-code
Low-code platforms for business developers
platform for your business developers.
are gaining traction because more business
and AD&D leaders see these products as
an additional way to address their needs for
software. The platforms are effective for a wide
range of use cases and both large- and small-
scale apps. Some AD&D leaders adopt these
products for use by their developer teams as well.

Vendor Ambition, Functional Scope, And

Support Distinguish These Products
The leading vendors are investing to address a
broad range of enterprise applications; others are
more narrowly focused. The Leaders also offer
platforms strong in both database and process
use cases, and they offer the widest range of
training and adoption support services.

forrester.com
5
For Application Development & Delivery Professionals

The Forrester New Wave™: Low-Code Platforms For Business

Developers, Q4 2017
The 13 Providers That Matter Most And How They Stack Up

by John R. Rymer
with Christopher Mines and Allison Vizgaitis
October 23, 2017 | Updated: October 23, 2017

Table Of Contents Related Research Documents

Low-Code Platforms To Harness Your Business The Forrester Wave™: Low-Code Development
Developers Platforms For AD&D Pros, Q4 2017

Why Companies Buy Low-Code Platforms For How To Harness Citizen Developers To Expand
Business Developers Your AD&D Capacity

Low-Code Platforms For Business Developers Vendor Landscape: A Fork In The Road For Low-
Evaluation Overview Code Development Platforms

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© 2017 Forrester Research, Inc. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. Forrester®,
Technographics®, Forrester Wave, TechRadar, and Total Economic Impact are trademarks of Forrester Research,
Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies. Unauthorized copying or distributing
is a violation of copyright law. Citations@forrester.com or +1 866-367-7378
6

Low-Code Platforms To Harness Your Business Developers

When businesspeople can’t get the automation they need to carry out their missions, they build
software tools and apps themselves. They have been doing so for decades, typically relying on
unmanaged spreadsheets, desktop databases, and, more recently, collaboration and website tools.
Low-code development platforms for business developers offer a managed and more productive
environment for this inevitable software-delivery activity, with tools designed specifically for business
experts rather than professional software developers.1

Vendors of low-code platforms for business developers design and sell to businesspeople, not AD&D
pros. Vendors in another segment of the low-code development platforms market seek to appeal to
AD&D pros.2 Surprisingly, though, many AD&D teams themselves use these products to deliver apps,
in addition to supporting businesspeople using the platforms (see Figure 1). This means that low-code
vendors that focus on business developers will compete with vendors that focus on low-code for
AD&D pros.

FIGURE 1 Low-Code Platforms For Business Developers Are Often Used By Developers And At Scale

“Describe the people that deliver applications using the low-code platform.”

Power users 31

Business experts with

26
technology aptitude
Developers with coding
24
backgrounds working in central IT

Administrators and/or department heads 19

Source: Forrester’s Q4 2017 Global Low-Code Development Platforms For Business Developers
Customer Reference Online Survey

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7

FIGURE 1 Low-Code Platforms For Business Developers Are Often Used By Developers And At Scale (Cont.)

“What is, or will be, the scale of applications your organization develops
using your low-code platform?”

Multiple departments 36

Enterprisewide 30

Single department 16

Team 11

Individual 4

Source: Forrester’s Q4 2017 Global Low-Code Development Platforms For Business Developers
Customer Reference Online Survey

Why Companies Buy Low-Code Platforms For Business Developers

Low-code development platforms for business developers help enterprises achieve several important
outcomes. The platforms:

›› Provide business developers with more expressive power. Spreadsheets and desktop
databases are limited. Low-code platforms bring tools to address workflow, mapping of information
in external sources, and mobile app capabilities.

›› Place business-developer activities on a platform managed by technical staff. AD&D pros

handle access controls and security, perform platform upgrades, scale up applications, and offload
other technical concerns from business developers.

›› Empower underserved teams to self-serve automation in tune with AD&D strategy. In

most enterprises, operations teams in sales, marketing, field service, supply chain, and retail
are underserved by central AD&D. Their choices to obtain automation have been either to buy
packaged apps or contract with a consultant for custom apps. Now they have a third option.

›› Raise the productivity of both AD&D pros and line of business developers. Pro developers
select low-code for business developers when: 1) the platforms are the quickest option and 2) the
use case doesn’t warrant the cost of either coding or low-code for AD&D pros. Line of business
developers usually select low-code platforms for BDs rather than platforms for AD&D pros.

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8

Low-Code Platforms For Business Developers Evaluation Overview

The target customer — business developers and power users — drove our approach to this evaluation.
We rewarded simple and direct developer experiences and products that are easy to access and
adopt, requiring sales engagements at the customer’s discretion. Further, we gave higher scores to
products that can address multiple use cases. Products and vendors focused on niches scored lower,
but that does not mean their products are poor.

We used 2-hour briefings and reference-customer surveys to rate these products, using 10 assessment
criteria, and ranked them on a three-point curve. Possible grades were, from highest to lowest,
Differentiated, On par, and Needs improvement (see Figure 2, see Figure 3, and see Figure 4).

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9

FIGURE 2 Assessment Criteria

Criteria Platform evaluation details

Startup Does the platform provide a singular, simple, straightforward initial development
experience metaphor for business developers? If multiple experiences are supported, are they
simple and direct? Is the on-boarding experience straightforward, including transparent
pricing and costs? Are training/help materials easily accessed and readily apparent?

User Does the platform provide full control without coding over UX, including screen layouts
interface based on different devices and screen resolutions? Does the platform provide forms
development support via declarative tools: rich range of controls, easy inclusion of third-party
controls, anonymous forms, multicolumn forms, nested subforms, wizard-driven forms?
Does the platform provide tools to create UX logic without coding? 

Data Does the platform provide declarative tooling to create a single virtual, “visual” view of
management multiple data sources, with full support for create, read, write, and update operations?
Does the platform automatically map data from multiple data sources into a coherent
virtual data model with full support for CRUD operations? Does the platform provide
data modeling tools appropriate for business developers? How much effort must
business developers expend to work with familiar data files and sources within the
platform?

Digital Does the product provide a declarative workflow development experience?

process Does the workflow experience address events and notifications? Does the
automation workflow-development experience make document collaboration straightforward?
Is the vendor’s integration solution well integrated with its workflow-development
experience?

Reporting Does the product  create dynamic reports and visualizations that app users can modify
and analysis at runtime and use to perform analysis? Does the platform include a built-in data
warehouse or similar mechanism to support analysis applications? Does the platform
provide OOTB reports and dashboards on usage, performance, and operations? Does
the platform provide declarative/visual tools for creating custom queries, reports, and
dashboards? 

AD&D Does the vendor provide tools that let pros in application development and/or IT
support and organizations manage global permissions; see which apps are deployed and
governance understand their usage of platform resources and/or data; manage deployed apps; and
tools institute development life cycle policies, sandboxes, and other guardrails? Does the
platform provide an enterprise store, launch site, or similar features for distributing
apps? Does the platform provide QA and/or performance tools pro developers can use
to optimize apps created by business developers?

Cloud Does the platform provide a self-service public cloud edition priced appropriately for
platform business developer consumption? Does the public cloud platform offer security
attributes certifications, including PCI Level 1, and annually updated SOC 2 Type II, FedRAMP,
HIPAA, and EU Privacy Shield? Local data residency options? Does the platform
provide prebuilt applications, sample apps, components, and/or templates to support
development projects? 

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10

FIGURE 2 Assessment Criteria (Cont.)

Criteria Platform evaluation details

Vision How well does the product vision align with the need for its clients to win, serve, and
retain customers?

• Does the three-to-five-year vision support top-line (revenue- and

growth-generating) business outcomes for clients?
• Does the vision enable great customer centricity/customer experience?
• How well does the vision align with current customer trends and future customer
needs?
• Is the company identifying and addressing competitive threats?
• Does the product/service vision have support and visibility from senior executives?

Road map How strong is the company’s execution road map?

• How strong is the company’s ability to define specific time frames, milestones, and
benchmarks in its strategy?
• Does the company have a near-term (~one year) plan to execute on its vision in
areas such as product enhancements, innovation strategy, commercial model
enhancements, and partner ecosystem expansion?
• Doesthe company have the resources and capabilities to deliver on its stated road
map?

Market Is the company executing a successful go-to-market approach? Can the company
approach show tangible evidence of a successful approach to customers today, in terms of:

• Revenue growth marketing messages

• Vertical market strategy
• Geographic strategy
• Account momentum/growth
• Commercial model

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11

FIGURE 3 The Forrester New Wave™: Low-Code Development Platforms For Business Developers, Q4 2017

Low-Code Development Platforms For Business Developers

Q4 2017

Strong
Challengers Contenders Performers Leaders

Stronger
current
offering

Quick Base
MatsSoft

Caspio

Nintex Microsoft

FlowForma

KiSSFLOW FileMaker

Kintone

Zudy
Pulpstream
Vizru

Intellect

Weaker
current
offering

Weaker strategy Stronger strategy

Market presence

Full vendor participation Incomplete vendor participation

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12

FIGURE 4 Vendor QuickCard Overview

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Quick Base

MatsSoft

Caspio

Microsoft

Nintex

FlowForma

FileMaker

KiSSFLOW

Zudy

Pulpstream

Kintone

Vizru

Intellect

Differentiated On par Needs improvement

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13

Quick Base: Forrester’s Take

Our evaluation found that (see Figure 5):

›› Quick Base offers rich startup experiences and strong data management. Quick Base
provides plenty of data power made accessible by well-designed tools and automation. The vendor
offers free entry points for novices to experts, backed by ample help and resources.

›› Its mobile UX and workflows fall short. Quick Base doesn’t yet offer responsive design, which
makes mobile UX development clunky. And to automate business process, developers work with
data triggers and notifications; there is no process designer.

›› It lets business pros build everyday data apps. Quick Base allows business pros to build and
sustain everyday data-intensive apps. People currently use tedious spreadsheets and desktop
databases; Quick Base gives them more power and runs apps on a managed, scalable platform.

Quick Base Customer Reference Summary

Quick Base allows users to become productive within a day or two and create operations applications
quickly. Feature feedback is excellent, even for process features.

FIGURE 5 Quick Base QuickCard

Wave position
Quick Base LEADER

Startup experience Support and governance REFERENCE QUOTES

UI development* Cloud platform
“The tools are easy enough that
Data management Market approach adoption of the platform for
DPA† Vision users is quick and simple.”
Reporting and analysis Road map
“I like Quick Base’s monthly
feature releases with new
Differentiated On par Needs improvement functions from customer input.”

Platform evaluated: *UI = user interface

Quick Base platform †
DPA = digital process automation

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14

MatsSoft: Forrester’s Take

Our evaluation found that (see Figure 6):

›› MatsSoft has long experience nurturing business developers. MatsSoft makes everything it’s
learned about empowering business developers readily available in its startup experience. UX
development, data management, and AD&D support features are very strong.3

›› Its BPMN process tools and startup experience are average. A solid platform for data-intensive
and process apps, MatsSoft doesn’t have glaring weaknesses. But the vendor’s BPMN2 notation
will be too complex, and its startup experience uninspiring, for some.

›› It’s a comprehensive platform from an experienced partner. Turn to MatsSoft to activate a

serious business-developer lead application delivery strategy supported by AD&D pros.

MatsSoft Customer Reference Summary

Customers credit MatsSoft’s breadth of features as well as tools and resources to help businesspeople
quickly attain proficiency, if not mastery, of the platform.

FIGURE 6 MatsSoft QuickCard

Wave position
MatsSoft LEADER

Startup experience Support and governance REFERENCE QUOTES

UI development* Cloud platform
“We deliver so quickly that users
Data management Market approach question whether we fully
DPA† Vision understand the requirements.”
Reporting and analysis Road map
“Provides a fully integrated suite
we’ve used to great effect both
Differentiated On par Needs improvement internally and externally.”

Platform evaluated: *UI = user interface

MATS Low-code platform †
DPA = digital process automation

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15

Caspio: Forrester’s Take

Our evaluation found that (see Figure 7):

›› Caspio offers strong data management, startup, and adoption features. Caspio’s core is data
management, web experiences, and reporting, which business developers activate via Q&A tools
and wizards. Startup experience is strong and includes adoption assistance.

›› It has no process designer. To automate business process, developers link actions on forms
(triggers are on the road map); there is no process designer.

›› It helps businesspeople create data-intensive web apps. Caspio equips business experts
to build and evolve data-intensive applications for customer interactions as well as for internal
operations. Web and responsive-design mobile are supported.

Caspio Customer Reference Summary

Customers praise Caspio’s UI, data management, and reporting; they cite workflow as a gap.
Customers advise organizing to manage the many apps Caspio allows users to create.

FIGURE 7 Caspio QuickCard

Wave position
Caspio LEADER

Startup experience Support and governance REFERENCE QUOTES

UI development* Cloud platform
“Staff learned the tool and
Data management Market approach produced effective solutions
DPA† Vision within months.”
Reporting and analysis Road map
“Caspio gave us quick
time-to-production.”
Differentiated On par Needs improvement

Platform evaluated: *UI = user interface

Caspio Bridge 9.9 platform †
DPA = digital process automation

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16

Microsoft: Forrester’s Take

Our evaluation found that (see Figure 8):

›› Microsoft has the broadest strategy. Microsoft’s strategy is to serve BDs and all other dev types
with tailored experiences founded on common platform technology. All devs consume and provide
assets to all other devs. Success will be groundbreaking.

›› Its product dependencies are a weakness. PowerApps and Flow are strong, but some features
either require use of another product (SharePoint, Power BI) or are on the road map (full realization
of Common Data Services). Calibrate accordingly.

›› It’s a logical extension to Microsoft products and skills. PowerApps and Flow are standalone
tools, but they have obvious value empowering business developers to extend Office 365,
Dynamics 365, OneDrive, and SharePoint 2016, which are included.

Microsoft Customer Reference Summary

Customers praise Microsoft’s templates and tools generally, and those for user experience specifically,
as well as the responsiveness of Microsoft support.

FIGURE 8 Microsoft QuickCard

Wave position
Microsoft STRONG PERFORMER

Startup experience Support and governance REFERENCE QUOTES

UI development* Cloud platform
“Low friction, very productive
Data management Market approach environment; vendor
DPA† Vision relationship has been excellent.”
Reporting and analysis Road map
“Excellent templates and
frameworks to help a user help
Differentiated On par Needs improvement themselves. Innovation is easy.”

Platform evaluated: *UI = user interface

Microsoft Business Application Platform †
DPA = digital process automation

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17

Nintex: Forrester’s Take

Our evaluation found that (see Figure 9):

›› Nintex has a strong process platform and startup experience. Processes are the core of Nintex;
the tooling is rich and flexible, uses responsive design, and builds in integration. Startup is free,
takes minutes, and aids work with in situ help and learning.

›› Users can’t expect strong data management. Nintex is one of the best process tools in this
assessment, but it offers only basic data management features. Platform extensions and tools for
data-intensive applications are on Nintex’s road map.

›› It’s a powerful front-office process automator. Nintex allows business experts to automate and
evolve front-office processes both small and large very quickly. The vendor integrates well with
Office 365 and SharePoint but has independent value.

Nintex Customer Reference Summary

Front-office processes abound yet are not well understood. Nintex’s platform is flexible enough to let
business experts design, debate, and test their way to solutions.

FIGURE 9 Nintex QuickCard

Wave position

Nintex STRONG PERFORMER

Startup experience Support and governance REFERENCE QUOTES

UI development* Cloud platform
“Users asked: ‘What is our
Data management Market approach workflow?’ and Nintex’s
DPA† Vision flexibility made it easy to learn
and design.”
Reporting and analysis Road map
“Visual development gives clarity
Differentiated On par Needs improvement to not only design but also
confirming process with
business.”

Platform evaluated: *UI = user interface

Nintext Workflow Platform †
DPA = digital process automation

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18

FlowForma: Forrester’s Take

Our evaluation found that (see Figure 10):

›› FlowForma boasts an easy on-ramp and rich process tools. FlowForma has a strong startup
experience, with aids for adoption and customer success. Users answer questions during forms
design to define data, including rules and triggers. Integration is built into the process designer.

›› It has data limitations and SharePoint dependency. Data models are implied from forms;
reporting is only on processes. Thus, it may fall short on data-management needs. FlowForma
requires Microsoft SharePoint for document storage and user management.

›› It creates process apps on Office 365 foundation. Relying on Microsoft Office 365 for
productivity and sharing? FlowForma is a strong — and proven — alternative to Microsoft’s various
tools for mostly internal workflow/business process automation.

FlowForma Customer Reference Summary

Customers value FlowForma’s commitment to no code, but they note reporting and integration
challenges. FlowForma earns high marks for responsiveness and customer support.

FIGURE 10 FlowForma QuickCard

Wave position
FlowForma STRONG PERFORMER

Startup experience Support and governance REFERENCE QUOTES

UI development* Cloud platform
“FlowForma is easy to use; no
Data management Market approach coding experience required.”
DPA† Vision
“FlowForma is easy for non-IT
Reporting and analysis Road map
business analysts to learn.”

Differentiated On par Needs improvement

Platform evaluated: *UI = user interface

FlowForma BPM 5.4 platform †I
DPA = digital process automation

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19

FileMaker: Forrester’s Take

Our evaluation found that (see Figure 11):

›› FileMaker controls data, from desktop database to low-code platform. FileMaker has proven
strengths in helping businesspeople gain control of data; those features are its foundation as a low-
code platform. High scale is possible, but big databases require careful design.

›› Process modeling is not available. Businesspeople can define processes only through actions
linking forms, created using scripts. FileMaker does not include a process modeler. REST
integration is on the road map.

›› It’s all about your data. FileMaker is strong for data-intensive applications and retains its
historically strong reporting and publishing features. Don’t rely on FileMaker for responsive-design
web and mobile applications and process modeling.

FileMaker Customer Reference Summary

FileMaker’s ease of use allows quick startup and time-to-value for business experts. Data management
is excellent. Exercise caution on scaling and licensing for web use cases.

FIGURE 11 FileMaker QuickCard

Wave position

FileMaker CONTENDER

Startup experience Support and governance REFERENCE QUOTES

UI development* Cloud platform
“We can quickly create systems
Data management Market approach of varying complexity. Vendor
DPA† Vision and community support is
fantastic.”
Reporting and analysis Road map
“Apps with 1+ million records
Differentiated On par Needs improvement per table must be carefully
designed to maintain
performance.”

Platform evaluated: *UI = user interface

FileMaker Platform †
DPA = digital process automation

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20

KiSSFLOW: Forrester’s Take

Our evaluation found that (see Figure 12):

›› KiSSFLOW takes an innovative development approach. KiSSFLOW weaves together forms/

UX creation, data and process definitions, integration, and reporting into a unitary and dynamic
experience. The startup experience is excellent, with good AD&D tools provided.

›› Data operations and workflow are limited. KiSSFLOW’s data management applies to individual
applications; creating a cross-app logical data view is difficult. Process development is easy but
deliberately constrained by the development experience.

›› Use KiSSFLOW for departmental and team apps. It’s not applicable for big, complex enterprise
use cases; still, BDs using Excel and email to propel processes today will automate much more
deeply with KiSSFLOW.

KiSSFLOW Customer Reference Summary

Customers advise carefully matching use cases to KiSSFLOW’s framework and tooling, particularly for
process automation projects.

FIGURE 12 KiSSFLOW QuickCard

Wave position
KiSSFLOW CONTENDER

Startup experience Support and governance REFERENCE QUOTES

UI development* Cloud platform
“Create simple apps in minutes;
Data management Market approach use [declarative] logic to create
DPA† Vision even advanced apps without
code.”
Reporting and analysis Road map
“There isn’t a lot of room for
Differentiated On par Needs improvement customization, and sometimes
the tool is constraining.”

Platform evaluated: *UI = user interface

KiSSFLOW Platform †
DPA = digital process automation

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21

Zudy: Forrester’s Take

Our evaluation found that (see Figure 13):

›› Zudy lets you develop apps via a novel Q&A interface. Businesspeople make a quick start on an
app by answering simple questions about it, and then dive into deeper configurations to complete
it. Zudy offers help, and the platform is aggressively priced.

›› Zudy is late to self-service cloud platforms. The vendor’s public cloud service is new and still
lacks broad geographic coverage and an engaging self-service startup experience for prospects.

›› It’s a good fit for business leaders who need new business services. For BDs who need
operational apps but can’t get priority from central AD&D, Zudy and its platform support enterprise-
app delivery led and sustained by business experts.

Zudy Customer Reference Summary

Customers adopt Zudy to get new operational apps quickly without relying on central AD&D. They
value the platform’s no code approach and praise the vendor’s assistance.

FIGURE 13 Zudy QuickCard

Wave position

Zudy CHALLENGER

Startup experience Support and governance REFERENCE QUOTES

UI development* Cloud platform
“The first app we built with Zudy
Data management Market approach we waited nine months to get.
DPA† Vision Zudy built it for me in two
weeks.”
Reporting and analysis Road map
“Zudy’s architecture gave us
Differentiated On par Needs improvement everything: SSO, integration
anywhere, and no data
duplication.”

Platform evaluated: *UI = user interface

Vinyl platform †
DPA = digital process automation

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22

Pulpstream: Forrester’s Take

Our evaluation found that (see Figure 14):

›› Pulpstream offers a rich mobile UX designer and data modeling. Pulpstream’s mobile UX
modeler is rich, flexible, and takes advantage of native device features. Data modeling is rich, yet
simpler to define than table-based approaches. Users define processes through form actions.

›› Process modeling is possible only through form actions. Customers build processes by
defining actions on forms within a stream, a natural but limited method. Salesforce integration is
easy, but Pulpstream needs more adapters. The startup experience is uninspiring.

›› Its best use is to automate field-operations processes. Primarily through use of mobile devices,
field personnel can use Pulpstream to gather and communicate process inputs, guide actions, and
report on outcomes.

Pulpstream Customer Reference Summary

Customers confirm Pulpstream’s core use case, highlighting strengths in mobile development, data
management, and reporting. Integration ratings depend on the required targets.

FIGURE 14 Pulpstream QuickCard

Wave position
Pulpstream CHALLENGER

Startup experience Support and governance REFERENCE QUOTES

UI development* Cloud platform
“Pulpstream was simple to use,
Data management Market approach has great flexibility, and is agile
DPA† Vision in customizing workflows.”
Reporting and analysis Road map
“I can go into the system,
update questions and tabs, and
Differentiated On par Needs improvement push it out across our system in
minutes.”

Platform evaluated: *UI = user interface

Pulpstream Platform †
DPA = digital process automation

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23

Kintone: Forrester’s Take

Our evaluation found that (see Figure 15):

›› Kintone offers a straightforward data-action process and potential for shared data. Although
forms/UX and data anchor development in Kintone, it’s easy to add actions to automate workflows.
All data definitions are shareable across apps, and the UX design is responsive.

›› It’s a potentially complex experience, difficulty to configure. Kintone provides many resources
at startup, but the experience can be confusing. Platform customization may require JavaScript
coding. The platform also lacks process modeling.

›› Today, Kintone is best for automating long-tail data-intensive operational processes. Expect a
full process modeling experience that will round out the platform in mid-2018.

Kintone Customer Reference Summary

Customer feedback was inconsistent but reflected different usage patterns. Usage on one project
earned higher scores than usage on multiple projects.

FIGURE 15 Kintone QuickCard

Wave position

Kintone CHALLENGER

Startup experience Support and governance REFERENCE QUOTES

UI development* Cloud platform
“Kintone has an easy-to-learn
Data management Market approach graphical interface.”
DPA† Vision
“We had to do some JavaScript
Reporting and analysis Road map
programming to get the
product to be what we wanted.”
Differentiated On par Needs improvement

Platform evaluated: *UI = user interface

Kintone 7.8 platform †
DPA = digital process automation

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24

Vizru: Forrester’s Take

Our evaluation found that (see Figure 16):

›› Powerful concepts fuel delivery, stencils, data sheets, and process. Developers typically start
with a prebuilt app (stencil) and complete delivery by customizing data model and files through a
spreadsheet and rich workflow and integration tools.

›› The self-service cloud service and low-code business model fall short. Want to experiment
with Vizru? You’ll need to engage with a sales rep. Pricing is opaque, and the vendor’s cloud
service has no security certifications yet.

›› Vizru is for you if you’re planning to distribute your apps. For Vizru, low-code tools for business
developers are a means to allow ISVs and enterprises to create, sustain, and distribute configurable
enterprise apps. Vizru’s ideal customer is a franchisee.

Vizru Customer Reference Summary

Vizru’s tech customers have to overcome coding bias but prove Vizru speeds delivery of enterprise
operational applications. Some rely on Vizru’s help for their first app.

FIGURE 16 Vizru QuickCard

Wave position

Vizru CHALLENGER

Startup experience Support and governance REFERENCE QUOTES

UI development* Cloud platform
“Getting IT buy-in was hard, but
Data management Market approach once the team used Vizru,
DPA† Vision adoption was quick and hassle
free.”
Reporting and analysis Road map
“Fast [application] delivery times
Differentiated On par Needs improvement help our business unit meet its
numbers.”

Platform evaluated: *UI = user interface

Vizru Platform for Autonomous Applications †
DPA = digital process automation

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25

Intellect: Forrester’s Take

Our evaluation found that (see Figure 17):

›› Intellect has a strong but limited UX, workflow at the core. Forms and UX development are
powerful but easy; the platform requires separate web and mobile designs. Intellect’s process
designer features built-in integration with PDF and other document sources.

›› There’s no self-service and only limited integration. Intellect engages directly with customers
to start. Data-source integration is emerging; Zapier will solution in the near future. Reporting is
limited, and Intellect includes minimal AD&D support tools.

›› Intellect is best for document-heavy operational processes. This includes learning and quality
management (for which Intellect sells packaged solutions). Business experts can build and
maintain apps, but back-office integration may require coding.

Intellect Customer Reference Summary

Customers emphasized the importance of Intellect’s help in gaining user adoption, and verified the
product’s usability by nondevelopers to create process applications.

FIGURE 17 Intellect QuickCard

Wave
position
Intellect CHALLENGER

Startup experience Support and governance REFERENCE QUOTES

UI development* Cloud platform
“Intellect provides good
Data management Market approach customer follow-up and
DPA† Vision [professional] services.”
Reporting and analysis Road map
“Even a business-minded
person can learn the product
Differentiated On par Needs improvement and create workflows.”

Platform evaluated: *UI = user interface

Intellect Accelerate Platform †
DPA = digital process automation

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26

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Endnotes
For the sake of brevity, we use the term business developers in the name of this market segment. The products are
1

aimed at two of the three citizen developer personas: business developers and power users. For those definitions and
more, see the Forrester report “How To Harness Citizen Developers To Expand Your AD&D Capacity.”

The most important segments in the low-code development platforms are now products designed to raise the
2

productivity of AD&D pros and products designed to empower business experts. For more, see the Forrester report
“Vendor Landscape: A Fork In the Road For Low-Code Development Platforms.”

Source: Julia Watts, “Netcall acquires software platform MatsSoft to enter the growing low-code market,” Startups.
3

co.uk, August 7, 2017 (https://startups.co.uk/tech-business-netcall-aquires-software-platform-matssoft-to-enter-the-

growing-low-code-market/).

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