Citizen developers, individuals outside formal IT departments who create applications using low-code/no-code platforms, are becoming increasingly pivotal as organizations navigate digital transformation. The driving force behind this paradigm shift stems from an exponentially growing demand for software solutions that consistently outpaces traditional IT departments’ capacity. Consequently, companies are turning their attention toward citizen developers, entrusting them with crafting solutions. In this work, we perform a systematic review of the existing literature to unearth the pivotal themes and subthemes and identify the factors contributing to citizen developers’ effectiveness. Our systematic review revealed a significant gap in scholarly understanding of factors contributing to citizen developers’ effectiveness. While some studies touched on these factors, none explored them comprehensively or provided an integrated framework for understanding their interrelationships. To fill this void, we propose a conceptual model to advance the understanding of the factors that influence the effectiveness of citizen developers in creating applications. While the model contributes to the theoretical understanding of citizen development, practical implications further reinforce its value. By leveraging the model, organizations can make informed decisions to enhance the productivity of citizen developers, align digital transformation strategies, and foster innovation.

In the context of this study, citizen developers are defined as individuals outside formal Information Technology (IT) departments who create applications using low-code/no-code platforms. The citizen developer role becomes pivotal as organizations navigate the intricate pathways to address increasing business demands for creating applications as part of their digital transformation journey. The driving force behind this paradigm shift lies in the ever-expanding appetite for software solutions that often eclipses the resource capacities of traditional IT departments. Consequently, companies are turning their attention toward citizen developers, entrusting them with crafting solutions. In this paper, we systematically review the existing literature to identify the factors contributing to citizen developers' effectiveness in creating applications. We discovered a lack of research papers discussing this topic. Our study fills this void and proposes a conceptual model to advance understanding of the factors that

Organizations often face delays and reduced agility when relying solely on traditional IT departments to address business needs. Low-code/no-code (LC/NC) platforms empower non-IT personnel, known as citizen developers, to contribute to digital transformation. However, the factors maximizing their effectiveness remain underexplored. This study advances citizen development theory by (1) empirically validating the relationships between technological, organizational, and individual factors, (2) uncovering previously unrecognized moderating effects among these dimensions, and (3) establishing boundary conditions for effective citizen development implementation. Building on a previously proposed conceptual model, in-depth interviews with 14 industry practitioners validate and refine the framework, providing nuanced insights into citizen developers' roles. The findings reveal how these interrelated factors shape the success of citizen developers, enabling organizations to optimize operational efficiency, foster innovation, and reduce dependence on traditional IT resources. By integrating industry-driven insights, this study offers a comprehensive roadmap for leveraging citizen development to accelerate digital transformation while addressing critical organizational challenges.