We’re evaluating an open-source BPM move, and our biggest friction point is that every validation exercise requires dev resources. That’s eating up timeline and pushing everything out.
I was reading about no-code/low-code builders that let you prototype workflows visually without writing code. The claim is teams can validate migration scenarios without heavy development involvement. That sounds great in theory, but I’m skeptical about whether it actually holds up for something as messy as a full BPM migration.
The scenarios we need to test are complex—multiple handoffs, conditional logic, integration points to existing systems. I don’t want to spin up something flashy in a prototype tool only to hit a wall when we try to move to production.
Has anyone actually done this? Built out a realistic migration prototype without developers being bottlenecked? What broke? What actually stayed stable?
We did exactly this last year. Started in a no-code builder with three of our biggest processes. The non-technical people could actually build the workflow diagrams, set up conditional branches, define error handling. That part worked.
Where it got tricky: when we hit integration points—connecting to our legacy systems, calling APIs that weren’t pre-built into the platform. That’s when we had to bring in developers anyway. But here’s the thing: instead of developers building the whole workflow from scratch, they just plugged in the integration pieces. The Latenode side had low-code support for custom code, so we used JavaScript for the connector parts.
The time savings were still real. Instead of six weeks to prototype, we got something in two weeks. Non-technical stakeholders could see the flow immediately and give feedback. Developers weren’t bogged down in business logic, just integration glue.
The key thing I’d say: it works as long as you’re willing to accept that some parts of your workflow will need custom code. The visual builder handles 70-80% of what you need in most cases. That 20-30% that needs code doesn’t break the progress—it just requires someone to write it. But you’re free from the burden of the entire workflow logic.
We actually used templates as starting points, which saved even more time. Grabbed a template for order processing, customized it for our use case in the no-code builder, then handed it to a dev to wire up the integrations. That was fast enough to get stakeholder sign-off before anything went to the DevOps team.
We prototyped three core migration scenarios without a single line of developer involvement, but we had to be realistic about scope. We picked processes that were mostly about moving data between existing systems, not building custom logic. For those use cases, the drag-and-drop builder plus pre-built connectors handled it. The prototype took four days total.
What would have needed developers: building custom validation rules or integrating with systems that didn’t have connectors. We flagged those as questions for the dev team, but the prototype was valid enough to show stakeholders what the migration would look like. That’s what mattered for the business case.
The no-code claim works if you scope it correctly. If your processes fit within pre-built connectors and standard logic, you can absolutely do it without developers. Where it breaks is custom integrations and complex conditional logic that doesn’t fit the visual builder constraints. For a BPM migration, start by identifying which processes can run on standard connectors. Those are your prototyping wins. The others you know will need development regardless.
works for standard workflows with existing connectors. custom integrations need code anyway. start with your simpler processes first to validate the approach.
This is exactly what Latenode’s no-code/low-code builder solves. We’ve had teams prototype full migration scenarios with non-technical business users handling the workflow design, and developers only jumping in for custom integration points.
Here’s what makes it work: the visual builder handles the process logic and branching. For integrations, you have 300+ pre-built connectors already wired up, so you don’t need code for the common stuff. When you do need custom logic, the low-code JavaScript support means devs can add it without refactoring the whole workflow.
The time difference is huge. Instead of “we need developers for six weeks,” it’s “business users prototype in days, devs add integrations in days.”
Start with one migration process. Run it through the visual builder end-to-end with your business team. You’ll see immediately where it holds and where you need dev support. That clarity is worth more than trying to guess upfront.