Closing the Loop
Putting Business Automation Back in the Hands of the People Who Know the Business
A white paper by Keith O. Hudson, published October 1, 2026
This white paper examines how the history of software development gradually increased the distance between subject-matter experts and the people building software, and how modern rapid-development tools can shorten that feedback loop again.
Using SharePoint and Dynamic Forms for SharePoint as the practical example, it explores how subject-matter experts and developers can build, test, and refine automation much closer to the people who actually understand the work.
What You’ll Learn
- How software development evolved from short feedback loops between problem experts and programmers into more specialized, layered processes.
- Why long feedback loops make requirements discovery, correction, and delivery more expensive.
- How Agile attempted to restore faster feedback through working software and closer collaboration.
- How DFFS and Modern DFFS can let SharePoint subject-matter experts and developers prototype and refine automation much more quickly.
- Why rapid development still benefits from disciplined testing, governance, and DEV-UAT-PROD practices.
About the Author
Keith O. Hudson, J.D., is a SharePoint developer, business liaison, and former attorney with decades of experience translating business needs into practical solutions. He has worked extensively with SharePoint, DFFS, workflow automation, and low-code development, with a particular interest in helping subject-matter experts automate repetitive processes without unnecessary complexity or expense. His current work focuses on shortening the feedback loop between the people who understand a business process and the people and tools used to automate it.
© 2026 Keith O. Hudson. All rights reserved.
