In a previous blog, we described low-code and no-code software development platforms and discussed the benefits of using these solutions to help clinical research teams manage trial activity more effectively. If you are considering adopting a low-code or no-code option as a means of speeding up study design and optimizing operational processes, there are a few key things to look for. Keep reading for some general guidance on selecting the right solution for you and your team.
Match Function with Capability
Different teams have different strengths. If your study design team includes software application developers with strong skill sets, then no-code options may be too simplistic for your needs. Instead, low-code development solutions can help teams with coding expertise to significantly speed up the study design process, while still providing robust technical tools that coders can use to maximize customization. Instead of coding applications involved in study management from the ground up – an extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive process – your team members can take advantage of pre-built design/build tools to tailor solutions that work to your study’s unique requirements much more quickly.
On the other hand, if you need to launch a relatively simple study management platform or application and your team doesn’t include programmers, no-code development solutions may make more sense. These options allow users with more general technical knowledge to easily select pre-loaded options – think drag and drop – to build the applications they need. Whatever your needs, solutions such as our TrialKit platform give you options that allow you to build your studies, your way.
Keep User Options Flexible
Clinical trials require round-the-clock oversight. The larger the study, the more this is true. For this reason, study teams need to be able to monitor study activity from wherever they are. This requires the ability to interact with study data from mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. So many of us now rely on modern productivity software suites (e.g., Microsoft and Google Docs, Sheets, etc.) to give us access to important documents and to share data updates with our teams in real-time. Clinical researchers need tools – like Crucial Data Solutions’ TrialKit platform – that work in much the same way.
Whether you are opting for a low-code or no-code development solution, you should make sure that whatever you choose allows you to create a user experience that is consistent on all devices (desktop, laptop, phone, tablet, etc.). Strong options should give you the ability to develop fully featured solutions across all touchpoints. Low-code or no-code development platforms that allow users to build solutions with a mobile-first approach in mind can help ensure that all features and functions work well across all devices. For example, our TrialKit is one of the only platforms that make functionality like notifications and visual dashboards native to the mobile experience, allowing your team to more easily work backwards to ensure these same features are optimized on a computer workstation as well.
Low-code or no-code development platforms that allow users to build solutions with a mobile-first approach in mind can help ensure that all features and functions work well across all devices.
Leaving Room to Grow
One of the most important benefits of low-code or no-code development platforms in clinical research is the ability to easily test features, adding new functionality or removing facets that are not particularly useful. This is why Crucial Data Solutions built TrialKit on a foundation of flexibility. It is important when selecting any solution, to make sure your technology partner is leaving the door open for the addition of new functions – some of which may not even be available today. For instance, you may begin a study and recognize after a few months that adding virtual visit capabilities would help improve patient engagement and data collection. With TrialKit, adding these features – and many others – is easy, fast, and cost-effective. This means your study design capabilities can continue to grow and evolve, helping you to run better, smarter studies.
For more information on leveraging low-code/no-code development tools for your studies, or to arrange a demo of TrialKit, get in touch with us at https://crucialdatasolutions.com/contact-us/.
