When you’re building a new product, especially at an early stage, speed feels like everything. You skip user flows to ship faster. You hardcode buttons “for now.” You duct-tape a user journey just to hit that next milestone.
And before you know it, you’ve accumulated something most people don’t see until it’s too late: UX debt.
This is a lesson I learned the hard way.
What is UX debt?
UX debt is what happens when user experience compromises pile up over time, decisions made in haste, without proper user validation, scalability, or long-term structure in mind.
It’s similar to technical debt, but instead of slowing down your backend, UX debt confuses your users, increases friction, and silently erodes trust.
Some examples:
- Clunky onboarding flows no one ever revisited
- Multiple button styles competing for attention
- New features bolted onto a layout that no longer makes sense
- No real design system — just a Figma file full of one-off components
How I got there
I was working on a product that evolved rapidly, the team was growing, priorities were shifting, and everyone was just trying to keep up. We launched MVPs, pushed features fast, and honestly, the UX wasn’t too bad… at first.
But then:
- Users couldn’t find what they were looking for
- We were redesigning the same component multiple times
- Developers were constantly asking: “Which version do we use?”
- Our once-simple UI had started to feel overwhelming
We realized the real cost: we couldn’t scale confidently. Every new feature added more confusion instead of clarity.
Signs you’re accumulating UX debt
If you’re in an early-stage team, keep an eye out for these red flags:
- Users asking for help to complete basic tasks
- Inconsistent icons, labels, or navigation patterns
- Team members creating “quick fixes” that keep growing
- Onboarding flows that no one’s tested in months
- Features with no clear priority in the layout
UX debt doesn’t always look broken. Sometimes it just feels… clunky.
What I’d do differently now
I’m not saying early-stage products need perfect design, they don’t. But here’s how I’d balance speed with intention:
1. Set UX foundations early
Define 3–5 core UX principles the team will follow (e.g. clarity > cleverness, minimal steps to complete tasks, consistency wins). These help guide decisions even when things move fast.
2. Document core flows
Just enough flow diagrams to know how onboarding works, where users land, and how key tasks happen. It saves hours of guesswork later.
3. Build a mini design system
Nothing fancy, just a Figma file with reusable buttons, inputs, colors, and layouts. Reuse saves time and improves consistency.
4. Do lightweight testing
Even 2–3 users walking through the product on a call can highlight confusing flows. Don’t wait for a “proper” usability test.
5. Schedule UX debt reviews
Every 1–2 months, look at what’s causing confusion or inconsistency, and make a plan to fix or refactor before it snowballs.
My Takeaway
In fast-paced product teams, UX debt is inevitable — but it doesn’t have to be expensive.
By setting simple guardrails early, you can build quickly and thoughtfully. UX design isn’t about slowing down; it’s about building trust at scale.
And trust is something you can’t afford to lose, especially in early-stage products.
“Design like your user has one chance to fall in love. Because sometimes, they do.”
