Have you used Microsoft Power App and Power Automate? My limited experience with two low-complex initiatives wasn't very positive. 

We mid-size mfg org and have used both flow and a couple simple apps.  I love flow for email alerts based on data changes in our database -- it takes the dev work and maintenance off our developers.  We have 2 simple power apps that we very easy to create and tune, again without developer work -- our business analysts can do almost all the work -- plus there are SO many inexpensive contractors available that know these tools (just do a quick query on Upwork.com).

Apps that are complex, or touch a lot of people we still use traditional programming tools..

"I am convinced that these tools are exceptional. Within the municipality, my geomatics team has developed several applications for managing geospatial data. We have also created interactive maps and presented the results through SharePoint portals. These tools are not only easy to use, but their learning curve is also relatively short. What adds significant value is the abundance of online training and books available to master these two tools.

While Microsoft Power Apps offers impressive integrations that allow me to execute intriguing tasks such as office seat management, incident tracking, and anonymous question collection, it has flaws. The platform isn't entirely user-friendly, requiring users to invest time in grasping the intricate relationships between functions. Moreover, Microsoft's unconventional labeling of relationships adds unnecessary complexity. On the bright side, there's no denying that Power Apps is a potent tool. However, I found myself dedicating considerable time to fine-tuning the algorithms before they functioned as desired. Another limitation is that its functionality often seems tethered to a specific user, which can be restrictive. While Power Apps has commendable features, it could benefit from some refinements for a smoother user experience.

I would add another 'thumbs up' for the right use cases and have experience leveraging both PowerApps and Power Automate as a first pass on simple innovation ideas that we can then run before investing in later releases either as improved versions or transferring into more scalable/solid solutions. 

One recent and great example was building out a 'values' module outside of portfolio solutions to profile themes/initiatives to support a values perspective across enterprise portfolio. The main challenge we're experiencing at the moment is performance linked to hosting the data at the backend in SharePoint lists when the record number gets into the thousands. Another one is any requirements linked to complex security/access requirements for the application you create. 

It's a major win to prove a process for little to no additional investment, and it can provide opportunities for internal team members to try out ideas that can be exposed across the organisation within the MS Enterprise licenses model. 

We have incorporated it into our enterprise architecture in the area of automating data pipelines and transformations within an Azure analytics platform. Azure covers the whole chain from identity management to dissemination and so it made sense to leverage the platform.

Separately, and the topic of an emerging governance design for business technology projects (what once we used to call shadow IT) is the ruleset and monitoring of "homegrown" apps. It's a complex topic from data access rights to enterprise process coherence and sustainability, but one we must face. 

I would be interested in hearing more from anyone who has implemented a "shadow IT governance" that works.