Although no-code or low-code platforms have risen to prominence over the past few years I have fond memories of using some of the first variants over 25 years ago! Macromedia Dreamweaver and Fireworks were my go-to when I wanted to build websites in my twenties. Whilst requiring some technical knowledge they were tools that delivered solutions only possible previously with more detailed coding knowledge. As such they were, and still are great empowerment products for designers, product managers and builders alike.
Cut to 2024 and with a plethora of no-code platforms available they offer product managers new opportunities for speed and innovation. PMs, who traditionally operated in the overlap between engineering, design, and business strategy, are now being handed tools that allow them to build, prototype, and even launch products without writing a single line of code. While this opens up new possibilities, it also raises an important question: Are no-code platforms empowering product managers or diluting the technical expertise required to truly excel in the role?
The No-Code Revolution
I remember when Adobe unceremoniously took over Macromedia. This initially signalled the death-knell of Fireworks and as a product designer many years ago I moved to more specific platforms such as Sketch and Figma. Whilst task specific products such as these design packages became the go-to for designers, no-code platforms like Webflow, Airtable, and Bubble have seen explosive growth in recent years.
By providing drag-and-drop interfaces and pre-built templates, these tools allow PMs and other non-technical stakeholders to rapidly build websites, apps, and workflows. What once required a dedicated development team can now be achieved by product managers themselves, often in a fraction of the time and cost.
In 2023, for instance, the Australian startup Buildkite used Webflow to completely redesign their marketing site without needing to involve their already stretched development team. This freed up engineers to focus on the core product, while the PM and design team took control of a task that would traditionally be outsourced to developers. The result? The entire project was completed in just four weeks, a timeline that would have been unthinkable with a traditional development approach.
Similarly, in the world of SaaS, Zapier—a no-code automation tool—has empowered product managers at companies like Slack and Salesforce to automate repetitive tasks and create internal tools without writing custom scripts. This has not only increased efficiency but has also allowed PMs to experiment with new workflows without waiting for engineering sprints to open up.
The New Skill Set for Product Managers
For many, this shift is liberating. No longer constrained by the availability of developers, product managers can now bring their ideas to life more quickly and efficiently. In fact, some PMs are now expected to know their way around no-code tools, viewing them as essential skills, much like familiarity with Jira or Figma.
Take, for example, Makerpad, a platform dedicated to helping product teams use no-code tools to build MVPs, automate workflows, and prototype new features. Their case studies highlight how teams at companies like Zapier and On Deck have embraced these tools to speed up experimentation, reduce bottlenecks, and empower PMs to take on more ownership of product delivery.
Yet, with this empowerment comes the question: Is this shift diluting the role of product management? And are the results always workable?
The Risk of Oversimplification
While no-code tools allow for quicker prototyping and execution, there is a growing concern that over-reliance on these platforms could erode the technical knowledge product managers need to make informed, strategic decisions. Traditionally, a product manager’s value lay in their ability to bridge the gap between technical teams and business needs. With no-code tools doing some of the heavy lifting, PMs may lose touch with the technical complexities that underpin their products.
For instance, building a web app using Bubble may seem straightforward, but without a foundational understanding of how APIs, databases, and frontend frameworks interact, PMs might make decisions that lead to scalability or security issues down the line. The ease of use provided by no-code tools can give a false sense of security, leading to products that are functional but not optimised for long-term growth or performance.
I saw this first hand in 2023 where Bubble was chosen as a ‘groundbreaking’ way to build a mobile application for a certain budget. It was a disaster – the limitations of the platform meant that so much time was spent fixing native issues that the product couldn’t iterate. The budget that the client did have was rapidly burnt through and the project stalled.
Similarly I recall the rise and fall of Glitch, a platform that offered a blend of no-code and low-code development. While the platform allowed users to quickly spin up web apps, many teams faced challenges when scaling these products, as the underlying code architecture was not built with the same rigour as traditional development processes.
Diluting Expertise or Diversifying Skill Sets?
The key question then becomes: Are no-code tools diminishing the role of technical expertise in product management, or are they simply diversifying the skill set PMs need to be effective?
There is a strong argument to be made for the latter. In today’s fast-paced, innovation-driven environment, product managers are expected to wear multiple hats. By embracing no-code tools, PMs can take more direct control over their product’s lifecycle, from ideation to launch, while still working closely with developers to handle the more technical aspects of scaling and optimisation.
In 2022, Notion released a no-code API integration feature, allowing teams to connect their Notion databases with other apps and services. PMs at companies like Slack were able to build custom workflows without any engineering involvement. However, these PMs still relied on their technical teams to handle the more complex data security and integration challenges that arose when scaling these workflows across larger teams. In this way, no-code tools didn’t replace the need for developers; rather, they allowed PMs to contribute more meaningfully to the product’s early development phases.
The Hybrid Future of Product Management
As we move further into 2024, it’s becoming clear that the rise of no-code tools is not an either/or proposition for product managers. The best PMs will likely be those who can balance the empowerment provided by no-code tools with a deep understanding of the technical foundations of their products.
Rather than diluting expertise, no-code platforms are creating a new breed of hybrid product managers—those who can leverage the power of rapid development tools while still relying on their technical teams for complex problem-solving. The ability to prototype, iterate, and even launch basic features without engineering bottlenecks will undoubtedly speed up innovation, but the long-term success of these products will still depend on solid technical foundations.
Ultimately, the challenge for product managers in 2024 will be to strike a balance between no-code empowerment and technical oversight. PMs who master both worlds—those who can build quick prototypes with Bubble or Webflow while still understanding the nuances of API performance or data security—will be the ones driving the most successful products.