"Get Ready for End-User Development," Montague Institute Review, January 2006. Within the last few years, some corporate IT managers have started to ask an intriguing questions: how do we support end-user developers? These are non-technical employees who create or customize software to become more effective in their jobs as research scientists, financial analysts, sales, and other business roles.
"End-user Developers: A Critical Corporate Asset," Montague Institute Review, November 2011. According to two recent analyst reports, by 2014 a quarter of all new business applications will be created by end users. These "citizen developers" deserve to be recognized and supported for two reasons. First, they can help reduce a global "IT debt" of backlogged projects and deferred maintenance. Second, they are crucial in helping organizations use technology to create and sustain competitive advantage.