Low Code, High Impact: UX in Power Platform
Spearheading design involvement in low-code and no-code solutions
Role: Product Designer
Context
At my organization, we faced a gap where UX and product design were often overlooked in low-code and no-code projects. Many colleagues and clients didn’t understand the full value of design beyond the user interface (UI). They thought UX was unnecessary if custom coding wasn’t involved, resulting in missed opportunities for improving user experience in these increasingly common, low-code products.
Challenge: Misconceptions about the role and impact of product designers led to our product team getting overlooked in low-code projects and being underutilized. As a result, our organization was losing out on opportunities to improve project and user outcomes, reduce development time, and open channels to additonal work with our clients.
Why direct my efforts here?
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Gartner predicted that by the end of 2025, low-code and no-code solutions will account for more than 70% of new business applications, a prediction that appears to be on track this year.
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The global low-code development market is projected to reach $187 billion by 2030, growing at a rapid pace from $10 billion in 2019.
Approach
Self-directed learning
I knew that to gain credibility in these spaces I first needed to deeply understand the tools driving these projects. I took the initiative to learn Microsoft Power Platform tools including Power Apps, SharePoint, Power Automate, and Power BI, by completing tutorials and research that mirrored Microsoft PL-900 certification study (a cert I am working towards). This allowed me to get a clear understanding of the constraints and possibilities of these platforms, enabling me to effectively communicate with developers and practice leads and build a stronger case for the inclusion of design.
Picking up work
I proactively sought out opportunities to contribute my expertise. This included volunteering for proof-of-concept (POC) projects and collaborating on non-billable client work, such as a Power BI report and a Power Apps safety form for sales pitches. These small initiatives allowed me to demonstrate the potential impact of UX in low-code/no-code solutions, and helped me gain internal visibility.
Internal Advocacy
I shared my learning and project outcome with my colleagues through geatires in compnay townhalls, knowledge shares, and conversations, showcasing how UX could add value in these projects. This helped shift the internal attitudes and highlighted successful examples where design had made a real difference.
Outcome
As a result of these efforts, I became involved 8 no-code projects over the past year. I went from having long dry spells with no billable work due to lack of design scope on contracts to now being 100% allocated on two long-term low-code projects in Microsoft Power Platform. My design colleagues have also seen more low-code work coming their way.
Impact on projects
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Faster Development: My involvement in these projects led to a significant reduction in development time. By iterating on sitemaps, user flows, wireframes, and mockups first, we avoided costly rework on the developed solution. A developer I worked with several times said I cut his development time by at least 50% by preventing frustrating rework.
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Improved Usability: Being involved in these projects meant better understanding of requirements and designs that more closely mateched the needs of the user. Developers also commented that I increased their knowledge of design best practices, improving the usability of their solo engagements.
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Increased Awareness of Design Value: My work contributed to a shift in how design was viewed in low-code/no-code projects, leading to increased requests for design involvement amongst our clients and contributing to repeat work with a core client who saw the value in design involvement.
To explore one of these low-code projects in depth, see my case study on Rebuilding Information Architecture.
What I learned
It pays to put your hand up
Looking back, a key part of my success is that I actively looked for ways to get involved, even in non-billable or proof-of-concept work. Every colleague who interacted with me knew I was ready and willing to find additional work, and take on the tedious tasks not strictly in design scope that no one else wanted to do. Sometimes being restless and annoyingly persistent is a feature, not a bug.
Embrace Learning
I don't think I would have been able to get people on board if I hadn't done the hard work to learn the basics of these tools. It gave me the vocabulary I needed to get started and build trust. I learned the most from working with developers who became super collaborative and willing to teach me when they saw I worked hard to understand what they did.
Have your research at your fingertips
As designers we always have to be prepared to justify our design choices with sound research, but this pressure increases when you are trying to justify your presence on a project to begin with. I had to develop thick skin and a thicker folder of research on UX best practices.
Remember it's about the long game
It is easy to burn out when trying to shift mindsets in your organization, and I learned the hard way to preserve my energy for battles I had a chance of winning. Some clients and colleagues can't be convinced and that's okay — it doesn't determine your worth and relevance as a designer, so just keep showing up and providing value when you have the opportunity.