Paper Number
ECIS2026-1846
Paper Type
SP
Abstract
This study examines how abstraction in low-code/no-code (LC/NC) platforms, particularly through domain-specific languages, shapes the gap between what developers believe they can achieve (perceived affordances) and what they actually accomplish (realized affordances). While abstraction simplifies development and enhances accessibility, it can obscure system dependencies and constrain integration with complex legacy infrastructures. Using affordance theory, the study argues that abstraction mediates the translation from perception to realization, creating illusory affordances, i.e., actions that appear feasible but are technically or procedurally unachievable. A multiple-case study of three LC/NC projects on the Pega platform reveals five frictions (Semantic drifts, abstraction-induced opacity, control misalignment, adaptability lags and temporal slippage) which developers addressed through workarounds or by abandoning unrealized possibilities. The findings extend affordance theory by showing how abstraction not only enables but also limits action, and they contribute to LC/NC research by highlighting how system complexity influences the actualization of affordances in digital innovation.
Recommended Citation
Alguera Kleine, Rebecca and Hein, Andreas, "Affordance Tensions In Low-Code/No-Code Development: The Role Of Abstraction and System Complexity" (2026). ECIS 2026 Proceedings. 5.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2026/isd_pm/isd_pm/5
Affordance Tensions In Low-Code/No-Code Development: The Role Of Abstraction and System Complexity
This study examines how abstraction in low-code/no-code (LC/NC) platforms, particularly through domain-specific languages, shapes the gap between what developers believe they can achieve (perceived affordances) and what they actually accomplish (realized affordances). While abstraction simplifies development and enhances accessibility, it can obscure system dependencies and constrain integration with complex legacy infrastructures. Using affordance theory, the study argues that abstraction mediates the translation from perception to realization, creating illusory affordances, i.e., actions that appear feasible but are technically or procedurally unachievable. A multiple-case study of three LC/NC projects on the Pega platform reveals five frictions (Semantic drifts, abstraction-induced opacity, control misalignment, adaptability lags and temporal slippage) which developers addressed through workarounds or by abandoning unrealized possibilities. The findings extend affordance theory by showing how abstraction not only enables but also limits action, and they contribute to LC/NC research by highlighting how system complexity influences the actualization of affordances in digital innovation.
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