Introduction


Low code application development (LCAD)—Ah, here come the limitations. Where does my creativity fit in? How can I create a seamless experience within these constraints? It's a dilemma faced by designers. However, LCAD is here to stay and will continue to flourish. But what exactly is Low Code Application Development, and why has it become such a significant movement in enterprise software development?

Understanding LCAD


As the name suggests, low code development involves building software applications with minimal hard coding. By leveraging a drag-and-drop model, it requires minimal coding knowledge. LCAD platforms offer intuitive interfaces that allow users to effortlessly drag and drop elements such as buttons, icons, and text, enabling quick development and testing of applications. This has given rise to a new breed of developers known as citizen developers—individuals such as project managers, business analysts, and business users—who can develop applications using low-code and no-code tools. Organizations embrace LCAD for its ability to enhance agility, productivity, and cost savings, while fostering stronger business-IT partnerships. In today's fast-paced global environment, the ability to rapidly develop solutions and innovations is crucial for challenging existing products and services.

LCAD's Benefits Across Industries
Several industries stand to benefit from LCAD, with e-commerce serving as a perfect example. The e-commerce sector has witnessed a rapid shift as people increasingly avoid physical stores and opt for online shopping. To adapt to such market changes swiftly, businesses leverage low code platforms to survive and stay competitive.
And there you have it—an overview of LCAD.

What is UX in Low Code?
As UX designers, we often face challenges when working within the constraints of low code platforms while creating digital solutions. These platforms come with their own predefined design systems, UI components, and themes, which can limit our creative freedom. However, it's crucial to remember that constraints don't necessarily result in poor user experience (UX). The design systems provided by low code tools are extensively tested for usability. The primary advantage of low code is its ability to deliver solutions quickly, saving time and resources. While rapid development can sometimes impact UX, it's still possible to strike a balance between speed and meeting end user needs.

Low code applications typically involve simple processes such as lists, forms, and dashboards. However, for more complex processes, custom development might be necessary to avoid compromising on user experience. As low code platforms continue to evolve, even complex processes will become more feasible in the future. The decision to choose a specific low code platform is typically made by the business-IT team based on the application's requirements, and as UX designers, we have limited influence in that decision-making process.

Recently, I had the opportunity to work with a low code platform that is still refining its design system. Users always have a mental model of how applications should behave, and they expect consistency with other digital products. In a recent project, users specifically requested guided task completion rather than a long list of instructions. Unfortunately, the constraints of the low code platform prevented me from delivering a seamless user experience aligned with the users' mental model derived from their previous experiences with enterprise applications. Another challenge I encountered was creating a dashboard using the available graphs and charts within the low code platform. After extensive discussions, it became clear that the best way to display the data required a chart that was not available in the platform. This situation required compromising on the UX.

As UX designers, our goal extends beyond creating usable and learnable interfaces. When working on enterprise applications and engaging with users, we understand the importance of user journeys, mental models, efficiency, and the contextual aspects of use. Low code platforms, with their design systems, provide UX designers with more time to deeply understand user needs, align with their mental models, and create features that meet their expectations. These are critical UX considerations often overlooked by developers.

Of course, there are occasional conflicts and disagreements between designers and developers. As a UX designer, it's essential to ensure that a new design is feasible within the existing design system. In my recent project, I conducted extensive research to explore the possibilities within the low code tool, which the developer was not initially aware of. Developers also have their concerns since introducing something new to the application can result in additional development time and effort.

The Design Challenge in Low-Code & No-Code
User experience design plays a critical role in determining the market success of an application. However, the current trend of low-code and no-code (LCNC) development tools often overlooks the level of customization and exceptional user experience that design teams and stakeholders consider vital for differentiation. The success of this emerging product category hinges on the presence of strict rules, or guardrails, within the tooling that users must adhere to in order to achieve positive outcomes. These guardrails typically encompass:.
 

​Limited app layout capability or a templated driven design

Limited responsive design for mobile / tablet UX
Limited theming and branding
Limited custom interactions
Limited UI controls or no extensibility to add your own UI controls
Zero integration with design tools

Food for thought:
Should UX designers consider learning a low-code tool? Can it not facilitate the creation of rapid prototypes that function as real products? The answer is yes. Testing a prototype built using a low-code tool can lead to iterative improvements and provide valuable insights into the application's usability. It allows us to design, develop, and validate ideas with real users. While I am not advocating for UX designers to become proficient coders, drawing from my experience of starting my career in UI development before transitioning to UX design, I believe there are advantages if UX designers familiarize themselves with low-code tools.

Conclusion

Pros of UX in low code

We can design, develop, validate ideas with real users. Rapid prototyping developed in low code tool can bring in task conditions that might not be possible in vector prototyping tools such as Adone XD, Figma, Invision etc. This prototypes work as real products and can lead to quick iteration and usability testing.

Cons of UX in low code

Limitations and constrains in creating an end-to-end brand experience.