Citizen Development in SAP Build Process Automation

IWB (Industrielle Werke Basel) stands for sustainability, innovation, and a pioneering spirit. To further drive digital transformation and the efficiency of new developments within the company, IWB decided to implement SAP Build Process Automation using a citizen developer approach.

The goal was to bring the development of automations and digital workflows closer to the business units through a structured and guided process, thereby increasing speed, accuracy, and business value.

SAP Center of Excellence (CoE) for Citizen Developers

To sustainably increase the efficiency, accuracy, and speed of new developments, IWB relies on the use of SAP Build Process Automation. To further accelerate the process and reduce the burden on IT, a structured citizen developer process was established—an innovative method that enables business units to independently develop digital solutions, thereby significantly shortening development cycles.

A citizen developer is an employee outside the IT department who uses low-code/no-code (LCNC) technologies, such as SAP Build Process Automation, to create new software functions or applications—independently, efficiently, and with minimal support from professional IT developers.

To optimally support this approach while ensuring security, quality, and governance, establishing an SAP Center of Excellence (CoE) for Process Automation is critical to success. The CoE supports citizen developers throughout the entire development process—from concept to implementation—and ensures that automation initiatives are both compliant and sustainable.

The Path to the Citizen Developer Process & SAP CoE for SAP Build Process Automation

Under the envisioned scenario, the implementation process shifts from the IT department toward citizen developers. The project therefore began by efficiently addressing the questions raised by this novel citizen development approach: What organizational framework needed to be established? How could development quality be ensured in accordance with IT guidelines? Who should assume responsibility for operations and maintenance after the go-live?

Based on this, a customized concept and a process model were developed that covered the relevant areas:

1. Governance
   Consistent rules, guidelines, processes, and responsibilities are key factors in the success of citizen development and promote collaboration between business units and IT.
2. Plattform & Architecture
   The citizen developer process requires a suitable architecture and system environment to reach its full potential. The platform and infrastructure will continue to be managed by the IT department.
3. Onboarding & Empowerment
   Citizen developers and low-code tools require guidance and training. While the temptation to “just jump in” is strong, there are several factors to consider in order to ensure a successful development process.
4. Development Process & Personas
   An implementation and lifecycle process (from concept to decommissioning) is needed for citizen developers, with clearly defined responsibilities, to ensure a smooth workflow.
5. Pilot development
   At the start of the citizen developer process and the empowerment of individual citizen developers, it is recommended to conduct an initial joint pilot implementation with support and guidance from the IT department as the Center of Excellence (CoE).
6. Testing, Operations & Compliance
   Developments carried out as part of Citizen Development are subject to the same quality criteria and testing and auditing requirements as professional IT implementations.
7. Citizen-Developer-Community
   In the long term, the goal is to promote greater collaboration and a more active exchange of experiences, expertise, ideas, and developments among various citizen developers, with the aim of fostering a citizen developer community.

The benefits of the SAP Center of Excellence are clearly evident in several areas:

• Optimized IT operations through clear governance structures
• Integrated quality management across all process boundaries
• Transparent decision-making and targeted prioritization of automation projects
• A common methodology for identifying new business models based on real-time technologies
• Promotion of citizen development and intensive collaboration between IT and business units

The project also made it clear that the introduction of low-code/no-code tools, as well as the establishment of a citizen developer culture and the ability to implement custom solutions, must be carefully planned. A clear process is required to support the development workflow and ensure operations and maintainability after go-live.

• Clear processes and governance are essential—especially prior to the first implementation.
• Role and authorization concepts must be understandable and transparent.
• Citizen development is a strategic lever for IWB’s digitalization and future viability.
• The community concept is central to sustainable success and continuous innovation.

Following the successful pilot project, the citizen developer community and collaboration are now being further expanded to establish citizen development as an integral part of IWB’s innovation culture. This lays the foundation for a modern, agile, and highly innovative organization in which business units are empowered to actively contribute to digital transformation—securely, efficiently, and with an eye toward the future.

We presented the project together with our client at the SAP BTP Operational Day 2025 in Hockenheim.