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Case Management Solutions Powered by Low-Code

The problem with case management systems

Case management processes are notoriously tricky, often requiring the collection and co-ordination of vast amounts of information from different sources. Having a solution that streamlines this process – automating and improving productivity – can create huge value and cost savings whilst reducing time inefficiencies by removing manual processes.

Transform case management problems into practical solutions with our guide to case management systems

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Commercial off-the-shelf software is often the preferred solution for organisations looking to improve their case management processes. Having a product ready-made and available to implement is an attractive proposition and has historically been selected over custom-made or bespoke solutions.

However, is this really the best approach?

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Low-code for case management systems

Low-code development is increasingly becoming the more attractive route for case management. Off-the-shelf products often make sense in the short term as they offer a quick solution to a problem and can be up and running relatively quickly.

However, there are always compromises to be made when buying in a piece of software. The rigidity of off-the-shelf tools means you will struggle to find a tool that meets more than 60-70% of your needs. There can be major compatibility and connectivity issues that occur. Often these are unknown or unexplored until the implementation begins.

The beauty of developing a case management system with low-code is that the product roadmap can be intrinsically linked to your organisation’s needs. The custom software can be quickly modified and adapted to solve internal problems and priorities.

The top five brilliant benefits of low-code

1. Low-code workflows tailored to your organisation

Processes, priorities and workflows are unique to every organisation - even those operating in the same industry. Pre-built solutions become less of an option as the customisation required starts to become more time-consuming and costly.

As the complexity increases, you start to realise the lack of flexibility with an off-the-shelf solution.

In this case, creating something bespoke starts to have more appeal and credibility. This is where building with low-code comes into its own. You can quickly and simply start to build a solution tailored to fit your specific case management scenarios.

2. Transparent and integrated case management systems

Individuals managing multiple cases may often have to login to several different systems in order to get the information they need. Or even worse, you might be managing and updating case work on huge and cumbersome spreadsheets.

This has a huge impact on time and creates many inefficiencies. There is also a great deal of risk associated to having information in many, unrelated places. It’s easy to make mistakes when editing several complex excel documents or duplicating information across multiple systems.

There is also a complete lack of transparency around case management.

A low-code solution can start to remove these challenges, providing a holistic view and better visibility across an organisation. Having one integrated system also makes the case management process more efficient and effective.

3. Team collaboration and improved business productivity

Good case management requires close collaboration. When you have multiple caseworkers to consider, you stand a much better chance of achieving a high level of productivity and communication when collaboration is easy and intuitive.

A solution built with low-code technology speeds up the entire process, making it easy to rapidly build prototypes that can be tested within a team to prove or disprove ideas.

This leads to increased innovation and decision-making where stakeholders have different ideas and opinions. Teams can work collaboratively and effectively to achieve better results. Building with low-code provides users with an environment that supports open, transparent and timely communications.

4. Effecient change management

In a modern-day working environment we have to be able to adapt quickly to change. This is even more critical to business operations, where policies or procedures change on a regular basis. With traditional software, implementing changes takes time and resource away from other projects and risk delays.

Low-code platforms provide organisations with the flexibility to quickly implement new procedures and change workflows. A good case management system needs to respond quickly to changes in business processes. Low-code offers agility integrating and responding whenever an update is made.

5. Device agnostic

Case workers often need to access data, reports and tasks from a variety of different devices. The holistic view a case management system built with a low-code application offers can empower case workers to be more mobile and productive.

The platform can be accessed instantly across multiple devices, connecting users to the latest information and giving them a more relevant and accessible user experience.

An improved user experience increases engagement, boosts productivity, and ultimately achieves better results.

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Low-code encourages rapid application development...

Without the need for traditional hand-coded computer programming.


Think about your company and one of the business applications or internal systems in place. This piece of software will have likely been built using code written by developers.

Imagine if that same application was created without the need to write code. Instead, it was built through the use of drag-and-drop tools and model-driven logic via a graphical user interface. At its most basic, this is low-code development.

A low-code platform provides users with a development environment where application software can be created. By using a visual approach and drag-and-drop functionality, low-code platforms encourage rapid development, without the need for traditional computer programming.

Low-code development is ideal for organisations looking to embrace transformation, become more agile and drive value through greater efficiency.

Our view of case management

Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) case management solutions often suffer from interoperability, compatibility and connectivity issues. Instead, CDS advocates a low code, cloud approach to case management solutions with users at the heart of the design. We enable rapid, flexible development – ensuring maximum interoperability, future-proofed and aligned to your priorities and challenges.

According to Gartner, by 2024, government organisations with a composable case management application approach will implement new features at least 80% faster than those without.

Low-code development is increasingly becoming the more attractive route for case management. Off-the-shelf products often make sense in the short term as they offer a quick solution to a problem and can be up and running relatively quickly.

However, there will always be compromises to be made when buying a piece of software. The rigidity of off-the-shelf software means you will struggle to find a tool that meets more than 60-70% of your needs. Major compatibility and connectivity issues can occur. Often these are unknown or unexplored until the implementation begins.

The key benefit of developing a cloud case management system with low code is that the product roadmap can be intrinsically linked to your organisation’s needs. The custom software can be quickly modified and adapted to solve internal problems and priorities.

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Typical buyer challenges

You have multiple systems that do not talk to each other or facilitate solving the problem, and you need to pull on multiple data sets from a variety of systems to solve the whole problem.

You have a case management solution, but it is not future-proof or flexible and has not evolved in the way or at the speed required. This has resulted in patchwork 'fixes' which cause unintended consequences and problems.

You need to free up staff to focus on analysis, decision-making and driving value from insights as opposed to spending most of their time completing manual admin tasks prone to the risk of errors.

Key considerations when implementing a case management solution:

It is important to put users at the heart of design/development when creating user interfaces with different roles and levels of access. Users will buy into and evolve with a system built for their needs.

Processes, priorities and workflows are unique to every organisation – even those operating in the same industry. A-low code approach enables you to meet the organisation's specific tactical and overarching strategic needs.

Government priorities around data sharing capabilities and interoperability/open-source should be considered, as well as future-proofing to meet new regulatory and compliance requirements. The adoption of low-code application platforms enables composable and modular interoperable applications to meet the above challenges. Low code also supports speed to deployment, continuous improvement and buyer ownership (in time), removing dependence on delivery partners.

Audit trails and access management are critical components of any case management system, as are integration, compatibility and compliance with government systems. CDS are ISO 27001 accredited and have delivered enhanced security models for additional business logic security, configured single sign-on (e.g. Social Work England's website) and integrated with APIs for GOV.UK Verify, Pay and Notify.

It is important to consider the broader implications change management has on BAU operations and upskilling staff. Good case management requires close collaboration. When you have multiple caseworkers to consider, you stand a much better chance of achieving high productivity and communication when collaboration is easy and intuitive. Low-code platforms provide organisations with the flexibility to quickly implement new procedures and change workflows. A good case management system needs to respond to changes in business processes quickly. Low-code offers agility in integrating and responding whenever an update is made.

CDS case management features and benefits

Case management features:

  • Cloud-based – secure access everywhere on any device
  • User-led interfaces enabling personalisation
  • Task management and allocation
  • Search capabilities 
  • Single sign-on
  • Low-code development
  • Security, auditing, and access controls
  • Real-time dashboards, reporting and analytics (MI)
  • Ease of integration with legacy systems and APIs
  • Scalable

Case management benefits:

  • Drives cost and time efficiencies
  • Ability to streamline processes and workflows (business process automation)
  • Search enables access across legacy systems records and datasets
  • Allows legacy IT to be exploited instead of removed
  • Buyer ownership over time with training and upskilling of staff
  • Enables continuous improvement and maximum flexibility

Download our case management guide