This site requires JavaScript to be enabled

ServiceNow Developer vs Citizen Developer Roles

4860 views

6.0 - Updated on 2023-08-22 by Jennifer Domnick

5.0 - Updated on 2023-06-12 by Michael Mears

4.0 - Updated on 2023-06-08 by Jennifer Domnick

3.0 - Updated on 2023-06-08 by Jennifer Domnick

2.0 - Updated on 2023-06-08 by Jennifer Domnick

1.0 - Authored on 2023-06-08 by Jennifer Domnick

Introduction

This article is intended for business leaders, IT professionals, and anyone involved in application development who is seeking to understand the difference between a ServiceNow Support Team Developer, an Embedded Developer and a Citizen Developer at NC State.

In This Article

ServiceNow Developers

ServiceNow Developers are skilled in programming languages, frameworks and tools necessary for building applications for various ServiceNow modules and have achieved certification in at least one of the following:

A ServiceNow Developer can be embedded within a specific department (Embedded Developer) or part of the core ServiceNow Platform Support and Development team (Core Developer).

The ServiceNow Platform Standards Guide contains management standards, guiding principles and best practices governing the NC State ServiceNow platform.  Developers can request access to the ServiceNow platform by using the ServiceNow Access catalog item.

Back to the top

ServiceNow Citizen Developer

A Citizen Developer can create and develop applications or solutions using the ServiceNow platform without formal coding or technical expertise. These individuals typically have a deep understanding of their organization's business processes and requirements but may not possess advanced programming skills. 

Citizen Developers leverage the low-code or no-code capabilities of the ServiceNow platform to design and configure applications, workflows, forms and other components to meet their organization's specific needs. 

By empowering Citizen Developers, OIT aims to democratize application development. This approach shortens delivery time and promotes collaboration between OIT and it's internal customers and business partners.

While Citizen Developers do not require extensive coding skills, they do need to have a solid understanding of their organization's processes, data structures and governance policies. We recommend that the NC State Citizen Developers take advantage of online self-paced training.

To access Citizen Developer Training please set up an account with ServiceNow:

  1. Navigate to https://www.servicenow.com/
  2. Click on the account icon. in the top right corner of the landing page.
  3. Select "Get a ServiceNow ID".
  4. Fill out the details and press "Sign Up" in the end of the form.

Once logged in, search for "ServiceNow Citizen Developer Learning Path."

Citizen developers can request access to the ServiceNow platform using the ServiceNow Access catalog item and choosing the option "other."  Please state in the request that you need the 'Citizen Developer' role.

Back to the top

Developer Role Matrix

Alignment, Technical Skills & Expertise

Core Developer

Embedded Developer

Citizen Developer

The developer reports into the Office of Information Technology, Technology Support Service and provides ServiceNow Application Development and Systems Administration Support for all of campus. They establish and adhere to polices and standards for the platform X    
The developer reports into the department using the ServiceNow platform.  Their time is managed against departmental needs.  They adhere to policies and standards set fort by the ServiceNow Platform team.   X X
Strong knowledge of ServiceNow platform and its functionalities X    
Proficiency in configuring and customizing ServiceNow applications X    
Understanding of IT service management (ITSM) processes and workflows X X  
In-depth programming skills and expertise in relevant technologies X X  
Knowledge of ServiceNow APIs and integration methods X X  
Ability to integrate ServiceNow with other applications or platforms X    
No-code/low-code development approach X X X
Familiarity with ServiceNow platform's tools and functionalities X X X
Understanding of service providers business processes and requirements   X X

Back to the top

Scope and Focus

Core Developer

Embedded Developer

Citizen Developer

Focus on maintaining and enhancing existing ServiceNow implementations Core Apps & Level 2 Support  Custom Scoped Apps & Level 1 Support  
Resolving incidents and implementing change requests within ServiceNow applications Core Apps & Level 2 Support  Custom Scoped Apps & Level 1 Support  
Continuous improvement of ITSM processes and workflows X X X
Building custom applications or modules within the ServiceNow environment X X  
Customizing and extending ServiceNow functionalities to meet specific business needs Core Apps & Level 2 Support  Custom Scoped Apps & Level 1 Support  
Developing integrations with other systems or platforms Core Apps & Level 2 Support  Custom Scoped Apps & Level 1 Support  
Creating and configuring applications using ServiceNow's low-code/no-code tools   X X
Addressing specific business requirements by designing workflows, forms, and reports X X X
Building catalog items and automating processes within the Service Catalog X X X

Back to the top

Tools

Core Developer

Embedded Developer

Citizen Developer

ServiceNow Studio: Design forms, workflows, business rules and other application components using drag-and-drop functionality, code editing, and debugging capabilities. X X  
UI Policy and Client Scripts: Advances client side logic using JavaScript code to dynamically change field attributes, perform field validations or customize user interface. X X  
Script Includes: Incorporate custom logic, data retrieval, or complex calculations to enhance the functionality and behavior of the catalog item. X X  
Java Script and Glide API: Server side scripts for complex data operations.  Implement complex logic, calculations, or data manipulations specific to the catalog item's requirements. X X  
Business Rule Builder: Advanced scripting techniques within business rules.  X X  
Catalog Designer: Used to build catalog items, create catalog items, define the associated variables, configure item descriptions and set up the approval processes. They can also determine the fulfillment workflows, notifications and user permissions for each catalog item.  X    
Catalog Builder: Create and manage catalog items, define variables, set up pricing and configuring basic item details. X X X

Back to the top

Related Documentation

ServiceNow Platform Standards Guide

ServiceNow Agile Code Review Process (Under Construction)

Cloning Practices (Under Construction) 

ITSM Governance (Under Construction)

ServiceNow Technical Review & Governance (Under Construction)

ServiceNow Platform Performance Key Performance Indicators (Under Construction)

Back to the top

Rate This Article

Please help us improve. Do you like this article? 

Do you not like this article?

Back to the top