Software development is a decathlon (and low-code only gives you running shoes for two events)

Software development is a decathlon (and low-code only gives you running shoes for two events)

Building apps with Power Apps feels easy. Drag some controls onto a canvas, connect to a SharePoint List, throw in a few formulas — ta-da! A working prototype.

Except… that’s not the race. That’s the warm-up.

Shipping real apps (you know, the ones that solve real problems, scale beyond one user, and don’t fall apart next month) is more like a decathlon. You’re not just doing one thing well; you’re juggling ten disciplines at once. And low-code helps with maybe two or three.

The real decathlon of software delivery

Here’s what it actually takes:

1. Requirement engineering Translating vague requests like “can you make it more user-friendly?” into testable, buildable, traceable features

2. Problem solving & edge case hunting Understanding the business logic behind the button, not just placing the button

3. Logical thinking & pattern recognition Building once, reusing often; not repeating the same formula across 27 controls

4. Syntax fluency Whether it’s Power Fx, JavaScript, or a flow expression; your logic still has to make sense, and perform

5. Data modeling Designing structures that can scale, not storing everything in one flat SharePoint list with 200 columns

6. UI/UX & accessibility Not just “looks fine on my screen”, but intuitive, inclusive, and mobile-friendly

7. Testing & quality assurance Writing clear test cases, automating where possible, and validating edge scenarios, not just hoping

8. Documentation & supportability If no one else can understand, update, or fix your app six months from now, it’s not a product; it’s a liability

9. Integration & maintainability Connecting systems in a way that survives password changes, API limits, and platform updates

10. Lifecycle management & accountability Versioning, auditing, knowing who owns what, and not deploying straight to production from someone’s trial environment

What Power Apps made easier

To be fair, low-code did remove some friction:

• You can sketch out a UI fast
• You can connect to data without writing custom code
• You can build logic with Power Fx instead of full-stack frameworks

These are real advantages, especially for business users and prototyping. But let’s not kid ourselves. (at least not when nobody from MS is listening)

What’s still hard (and still matters)

• You still have to do requirement engineering, even if the stakeholder is standing next to you.
• You still need testing and documentation, especially when multiple people build on the same solution.
• You still need to care about supportability, ownership, and accountability, because “the person who built it left the company” is not a great helpdesk answer.

And all those apps? They need to be maintainable and reusable, not a pile of one-offs duct-taped together in someone’s personal environment.

Low-code doesn’t remove complexity. It just delays it.

And unless you’ve trained for the full decathlon, it’ll hit you in production.

Fusion teams win races

Power Apps shines when it’s part of a fusion team setup: business experts, pro devs, testers, IT, ops, all pulling in the same direction. It’s not about replacing developers. It’s about speeding up delivery without compromising on the fundamentals: clarity, quality, accountability. Because building fast isn’t the point. Building well, fast: that’s the win.

Final lap: Know what race you’re in

Low-code is powerful. But it’s not a shortcut to quality. If you only train for the “fun” parts — the visual design, the first-click wow moment — you’ll be in trouble by lap three. The real work is the rest of the decathlon: Requirements. Testing. Ownership. Reusability. The things that make software work long after the demo ends. So yes; lace up those low-code running shoes. But don’t skip leg day. You’re still in the full race.