Custom UX/UI Design? It is a concept that has recently gone viral due to the rise of AI. It refers to creating a unique and tailored user experience and interface for a specific product or application rather than using pre-designed templates or generic solutions. A custom UX/UI service would really bring your app to the next level and save you a pretty penny in the long term.
Why Do Successful Apps Don’t Prefer Template UI but Custom UX/UI?
A few years ago, I was looking for an app builder platform that would allow me to make a quick app without code. I needed a custom UX/UI to help my Kindergarteners understand LEGO building instructions easily. But at the time when AI was still a “baby”, there weren’t many “customised” app builders available in the market. Since I wanted to get the app done in a day, I tried several app builders with templates but realised template UIs were not quite right. Here are the two main reasons why:
1. Skipped iteration, directly to design, lead to poor user experience
Building an app is not just coding; it is a long and winding road that makes an app great. Utilising a template UI means diving straight into the design, skipping all custom UX/UI design progress that overlooks essential UX research, testing, and refinement—key factors that differentiate the quality of apps. Imagine if your mom had sent you a birthday card without handwritten wishes, it would not have felt great. Neglecting all these details will cause a loss of user loyalty.
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The action of getting your business an app is already an intention to invest to improve your business through UX. So why not make it truly meaningful to users?
80% of new apps fail within their first year. This is often due to overlooked factors during development, such as a lack of proper market research and poor user experience
Most of the template structures have limited customisability, mainly CRM based, and are not flexible for particular apps. In some sense, the UX can lead to workarounds when being used in a unique workflow, forcing users to adapt uncomfortably to accommodate a template UI.
Let’s look at some successful apps with their custom UX/UI that make their experience smooth and branded.
Spotify is a prime example of a well-designed, customised app. Its clean, modern design and intuitive navigation contribute significantly to its user-friendly experience. The dark mode, the way album art is displayed, and the overall flow of the application are all very specific to the brand, and make it very easy to use.
Discord, one of the ancestors of a channel-based messaging app, has cultivated a unique customised UX that is very specific to its target audience. The way that servers and chat channels are organised and the general aesthetics of the program all help to make it a very unique and successful application.
2. Lack of uniqueness and brand identification
Being a designer, of course, I like my app to look pretty. Our role as a custom UX/UI designer is to bring a brand’s identity and usability together to make a splash as a brand. Template UIs often look the same, making it difficult for a brand to stand out in a crowded market; users may perceive the app as unprofessional or unoriginal.
Templates rarely allow for deep customisation, hindering the ability to reflect a brand's specific visual language and personality. This can weaken brand recognition and customer loyalty.
Branding is not just about slapping on a new colour palette, font, or logo. Duolingo wouldn’t make a dent in the market if it were done with a template UI that looked like a run-of-the-mill CRM. Every detail within the design matters; the box shadows, line heights, corner radii, input fields, and pop-up screens can only be done with custom UX/UI, leaving a mark on a brand's identity.
Custom UX/UI takes your brand to the next level
A custom UI allows for the creation of a truly unique visual identity that perfectly aligns with your brand’s personality and values. It creates a tailored interface that sets your app apart from competitors; as it provides complete control over every aspect of the design.
It ensures consistency across all touchpoints, which can craft a unique experience, increasing brand memorability and, therefore, customer loyalty.
3. Security concerns, often targeted by hackers
Template UI are mainly built in the same way. They become attractive targets for hackers who understand their structure and potential weaknesses, increasing the likelihood of security branches. If the app is not regularly maintained and updated, it leaves vulnerabilities that are publicly documented, to be exploited. Consequently, leaving the user’s privacy data unsafe.
By building a custom UX/UI, the app will be using a unique codebase that isn’t widely known or easily replicated. This reduces the attack surface, as hackers can't rely on exploiting known vulnerabilities common in widely used templates.
In 2021, 99.42% of vulnerabilities in WordPress originated from plugins and themes, with cross-site scripting (XSS) accounting for nearly 50% of these vulnerabilities. WordPress websites are also the most hacked web applications.
AI App Builders have Custom UX/UI, Why Not?
Now, if you search “App builder without code” on Google, around 50% of them promote to use AI to create apps for you. They start with a prompt, analyse the prompt with user stories, map out the user journeys and generate a very nuanced UI for you. Not saying AI is bad; it’s just not emotionally developed as a human yet -- they don’t get the anxiety, frustrations and pain of being a user of a badly designed UI.
AI lacks the ability to infuse designs with emotional intelligence to create user experiences that evoke specific feelings or connect with users on a deeper level. AI struggles to grasp the subtle nuances of user behaviour and intent, often producing generic or clunky user flows.
Other than that, practically, there are the two main concerns:
Concern 1: Backend Capability, Security and Performance Concerns
To connect to a backend, you will need to connect to a third-party service like AirTable, Google Sheets, etc. Although they are powerful industry standards database services, linking to personal drives like Google Drive can lead to potential security breaches as they are highly targeted by hackers.
Nevertheless, if you have zero knowledge of backend designs, integrating with the backend could have done wrong that can significantly hinder an app’s scalability in the future.
Concern 2: Cost Efficiency
The initial fee of getting a custom app can start high, but as time passes, adding all backend service fees and editor plans may end up costing much more than a custom app in the long term. Additionally, deploying an app requires extra cost. All these stuffs will hold you back, giving you heaps of endless headaches.
Concern 3: Transparency and Privacy of AI
What data is collected? What is based on my result? Copy right issue? There are always several problems when you make an app with AI. You might have broken the copyright law without knowing. Blackbox AI can be complex, making it difficult to understand how they arrive at their decisions. And if the AI you used is open-sourced, security concerns might come next -- hackers.
Get a Professional Custom UX/UI Service with FONSEKA
With 15 years of experience in crafting bespoke applications, we excel at making your app truly outstanding. Leveraging the best frameworks, we design apps that are precisely tailored to your needs, ensuring a seamless user experience. No workarounds, no templates; we create something unique that perfectly aligns with your custom workflows. Reach out to us for a complimentary 30-minute consultation and take the first step towards turning your vision into reality!