The fastest way to build a bad app is to open the builder first. The best no code builders spend their first hour with paper and the people who will use the app. Corporate roles that ask for Power Apps also ask for end user support, and good planning is what keeps support calls few.
Start with people, not screens
List every type of user and what each needs to do. For a cooperative's input loan app:
- Field officer: register a farmer, record inputs given, check a farmer's balance.
- Cashier: record repayments.
- Manager: see totals, overdue loans and each officer's activity.
- Farmer: probably does not use the app at all, but may receive a message.
Each user's tasks become screens. A task done ten times a day deserves a big, obvious button. A task done once a month can sit in a menu.
Sketch on paper first
Draw each screen as a phone sized rectangle. Write what appears at the top, the main content, and the buttons. Draw arrows between screens to show how a person moves. Then walk through a real task with your finger: "A farmer arrives. I search her name, tap her, tap Record inputs, choose fertiliser, enter two bags, save." If you get stuck on paper, you will get stuck in the app.
Paper sketches cost nothing, need no data, and are easy to change. Show them to a real user and ask, "What would you tap next?"