In its simplest terms, a product’s user interface (UI) is what enables the end user to easily interact with the back-end processes of the application. A good UI provides visual cues and a reliable information architecture so that users are able to easily navigate and find the information they need. Sometimes, however, a simple UI just isn’t enough. There are times when a user interface requires intricate visual designs, well-planned interactions, and data-rich dashboards. When a more robust UI is called for, you may find that turning to technologies that allow you to create a more complex interface is the answer.
But when solutions exist that offer a quick, easy way to create a UI, why would anyone want to turn to an external UI that requires more complicated technology? The answer lies in the benefits that an external UI has to offer.
Develop More Visually Appealing Experiences
Applications like Decisions allow you to create a front-end experience out of the box. You can do this without having to write any code, install anything extra, or work with technical stacks that create dependencies. Drag-and-drop capabilities in these types of solutions make things easy, but they do limit what you can create from a visual design standpoint. Using a technology that exists for the sole purpose of creating front-end designs, such as Bootstrap, Vue.js, or React.js, allows you to extend a UI’s capabilities. What you are able to create using JavaScript is limited only by your team’s capabilities to design and code up your user experience. This allows you more flexibility when it comes to:
- Displaying your brand elements
- Delivering a visually enriching customer experience
- Using animations and other style elements
In the webinar “Using Decisions with External UI,” there is a walkthrough of how you can connect the forms created in Decisions to a site built in React.js.
