PowerApps Express Design – First Impression

Today at the SouthCoast Summit, I attended a great session by Michelle Wong (@MichelleWongNL) where we looked at the PowerApps Express Design.

It was briefly presented by Ryan Cunningham during the keynote, so it got me curious.

PS: Ryan’s post announcing this feature —> https://powerapps.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/new-express-design-in-power-apps-converts-images-and-designs-to-apps-in-seconds/

The idea is amazing, seems as if it was taken from a sci-fi episode.

You could draw an app in a piece of paper, and PowerPlatform can create an app for that.

Well, this is how it was presented, so you understand, why I had to know more about it.

Let’s talk Geek talks now.

The idea is that you have two options:

1- Draw a From (single form), or take a screenshot of a pdf (or any other) form:

Power Apps would be able to recognise the different fields and labels. I think we are using Syntex here, to interpret the drawing.

More details —> https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/educator-developer-blog/building-apps-made-easier-with-express-design-in-powerapps/ba-p/3530887

2- Figma

You can use Figma to design a mockup of your app with different screens and resources (images …etc.)

My Personal POV 😶

1- The first approach of drawing a form and letting PowerApps translate that into a Canvas App won’t be very successful, if not significantly improved. For me, as I spend long hours designing PowerApps, this approach won’t make my life easier.

I would just say, that this is a good use case to say Syntex and the AI Model behind are great.

2- The FIGMA Approach: Now this approach seems to have some good potential, I am definitely giving it a try. As consultant, especially when I start designing/building apps, it would make more sense to use a design tool to agree on the UI/UX and Screens’ flow with the customer, instead of templating in PowerApps.