Smart Industry: Why / how is the no-code approaching gaining traction in the industrial space?
Arlen: In the industrial space we have to focus on “Tools on Platforms” (No Code) and not “Coding on Operating systems." There is always the urge to just “write a bit of code” to do this, and then a bit more to do that. Pretty soon, customers realize that they have custom coded an entire solution! C, Python, Javascript, Java, etc. are all great development tools with which to create a platform, but they are not great when the entire solution is based on custom code.
Smart Industry: What happened in our industry where writing code was even considered?
Arlen: A decade ago we would have never considered “coding” as appropriate for any type of industrial monitoring/control system. But now it’s an ongoing discussion. To a certain extent, the emergence of cloud service providers wanting to push out to the edge of the network resulted in the notion of secure containers running on premises (VMs, embedded computers, etc). But since these technologies were IT-centric, the notion was that you could just “write some code.” I’ve seen the disastrous results, first-hand, by writing a SCADA system from scratch.
Smart Industry: Can the full benefits of transformation really be achieved with this DIY approach?
Arlen: Yes, with proper tools to create machine/process models and assets that can be automatically discovered and can deliver the full benefits of a digital-transformation project.
Smart Industry: What most excites you about the no-code approach? What are the quickest wins?
Arlen: Using Tools on Platforms enables an OT audience to contribute their knowledge of machines and processes very quickly and easily. We are seeing digital-transformation projects that used to take months or years now being completed in days!
