What is WAVE?
The WAVE Project, based at the University of Limerick, will drive advancements in platforms and methods for low-code/no-code (LC/NC) software development. Low-code is a new way for developers of all skill levels to design applications quickly and with minimum hand-coding. No-code is a way to help those who may not know how to program but want to develop an application for their specific use case. Low-code and no-code (LC/NC) development platforms enable the rapid deployment of powerful computerised functionalities without the need for a developer to have deep knowledge of the underlying platform or of computer science. These platforms and development tools speed up the production and delivery of applications, leading to significant economic and efficiency benefits for organisations.
The central aim of the WAVE project is to create, evaluate, and deliver a new software development platform (the WAVE Platform) that enables collaborative LC/NC development. This platform will have a significant impact on a range of stakeholders from industry and government to researchers and the public, enabling even those no computer science or software development expertise to create and customise software applications tailored to their specific needs.
The Challenge...
Software development has never been more important: it now pervades virtually every aspect of society. However, organizations are struggling to find enough skilled developers resulting in an unmet need for code that works. Low-code and no-code (LC/NC) development tools enable the rapid deployment of powerful computerized functionalities without the need for a developer to have deep knowledge of the underlying platform or of computer science, thereby overcoming many of the challenges faced by organisations in terms of acquiring legions of expert developers, which do not exist on the job market.
The goal of the WAVE platform is to act as a catalyst for the development of a strong LC/NC capability for Ireland, in both research and application. WAVE will accelerate this development of these capabilities into the future of LC/NC in close collaboration with Stripe and Tines, who are already constructing that future. We will also partner with Limerick City and County Council to embed a LC/NC approach within a societal and public government context.
WAVE Partners
WAVE is built on close collaboration between University of Limerick and three external partner organisations, two of which respresent industry with the remaining partner representing local government. WAVE also has an extensive network of national and international academics who bring additional expertise to the project. Visit our People Page here to explore WAVE’s collaborators.
We expect this collaboration to bring to life the ideas discussed at length in the past
three years in the context of the co-design of the new model of industry-academia
collaboration. Many of the traits of the research program in terms of choice of topics and their
priorities have been co-developed. We look very much forward to finally be able to hire the
young researchers, explore these and further new ideas, test them in practice in the
software platform in collaboration with the partners.
John Collison
Co-Founder & President, Stripe
I am very excited to be partnering with the University of Limerick on the project over the next 5 years. As a veteran of enterprise scale software solutions, I have had a front row seat to the challenges of building software solutions. With the advent of low code or no code platforms, the software engineering world has been opening its doors to the less technically minded. However, we are still a long way off being able to put true no code software development in to the hands of the user. In Limerick City & County Council, there are unique and complex challenges that I hope to bring to the table to help the significantly important research that the team will conduct over the coming years. This is the future, the tip of the spear. I’m very happy to have my hand on it.
Alan Dooley
Head of Digital Strategy & EU Programmes, Limerick City & County Council