Design easy-to-use tools for developers
We help teams turn powerful but clunky dev tools into clean, usable products without dumbing them down. From APIs to dashboards to SDKs, we design intuitive workflows that let engineers move faster with less friction.
100+ reviews on Clutch.co
Keys to designing developer experiences
Creating developer tools is tougher than designing consumer apps. To provide an awesome experience, we focus on understanding the domain and the developer's perspective. Our approach is based on three key principles:
Understanding the user’s tasks
While consumer apps are typically designed for specific tasks like sending emails or booking taxis, developer products are more challenging. They need to support a wide range of interactions and cater to complex user goals.
Understanding the context in which they perform those tasks
To create an excellent developer experience, we consider three levels of context: immediate context – the user's current actions; intermediate context – the user's ongoing task within the app; broad context – the user’s task for their job.
Striking the right balance between simplicity and control
Our goal is to make things as simple as possible for new users while also offering experienced users the power and control they need. This can be letting developers fine-tune low-level settings according to their preferences.
UX design at Eleken is about making things functional, not pretty
For software tools, functionality, lightweight design, and adaptability are crucial. Here are some examples of solutions we created with developers and for developers:
Focusing user attention on what is essential
Displaying dependabilities on a visual canvas
Concentrating lots of data on a single screen
Minimizing distractions with minimalist colors and visuals
What businesses say about working with us
"The designer was able to very quickly learn about what we wanted to build, even though our product was very specific to our domain. She asked the right questions and confidently pushed us until she was crystal clear in her understanding."
Harshil Parikh
CEO at Tromzo
"Eleken is very fast and efficient. Whenever we ask them for something, they have it ready by the next day. If we can’t provide immediate feedback, they keep working on other things to avoid wasting time waiting."
Anish Parikh
CEO at Favorably
"User feedback of our software has changed from "this looks complicated" to "this looks easy", and our software progressed from a prototype, to actual, real, usable software."
Moritz Uehling
CTO at Datawisp
Free 3-day trial — see if our design style fits
We don’t hire freelancers. Every designer is trained in-house for SaaS projects.
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Give us a starting point in your product.
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Expect 1–2 UI screens as a sample.
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Watch our process and give feedback.
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Continue if the collaboration feels right.
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Pick a small part of your existing product.
The pricing model is unique and fit our use case well. We subscribed for two months for a full time designer and have the option to continue part time or on a task-based subscription depending on what our ongoing design needs are.
They took the time to understand our business and brought significant value in helping us envision our product and ensure we are taking design approaches that would deliver great customer experiences.
Like your extended team, they will not waste time in unnecessary things and will not even let you do that.
FAQ on our UI/UX design services for developers
What are developer-first UI/UX design services?
These services focus on designing software tools that developers actually enjoy using. It means interfaces that don’t get in the way and workflows that match how developers think.
What kinds of products do you design for developers?
We design SDKs, APIs, internal dev tools, dashboards, low-code/no-code platforms, and everything in between. If devs use it — we’ve likely worked on something similar.
How do you approach UX for complex dev tools?
We go deep into the product’s logic, map out key user flows, and figure out where friction hides. Then we design clear, efficient experiences that make sense to developers without dumbing anything down.
How does the collaboration with Eleken work?
You get a dedicated designer (or a team), guided by our Head of Design. We start with a 3-day trial, work in sprints, and communicate daily via Slack and Figma. No middle layers — you talk directly to your designer.
What if we don’t have detailed specs yet?
No problem. We’ll help you clarify requirements, structure user flows, and figure out the best experience — even if you're still defining the product.
Can Eleken work with our dev team directly?
Yes — we’re used to working closely with engineers, either embedded in your team or supporting it independently. Think of us as your product-focused design arm.