You can build the most powerful business logic in the world—and still lose users in the first five minutes.

Feb 9
2 min read

Updated: Feb 14

After years of working with Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform, one pattern shows up again and again across clients:

The data model is solid.The automations are clever.The UI… looks like nobody was invited to care.

Model-driven apps don’t have to feel sterile, dated, or intimidating. But in practice, they often do—because teams stop at “it works” and never get to “people enjoy using this.”

Let’s talk about two simple, underused ways to dramatically improve the look and feel of Dynamics 365 model-driven apps—without rewriting your solution or abandoning best practices.

1. SVG icons in the sitemap: small change, massive perception shift

The sitemap is the front door to your app. And yet, most implementations treat it like an afterthought:

Default icons everywhere
Inconsistent visuals across areas
No visual hierarchy or personality

This is wild when you consider that the sitemap is one of the first things users see every single day.

Why SVG icons matter

Using custom SVG icons in the sitemap instantly:

Improves scan-ability (users recognise icons faster than labels)
Reinforces purpose (Sales ≠ Service ≠ Finance)
Makes the app feel intentional, not autogenerated

SVGs are lightweight, scalable, theme-friendly, and fully supported. There’s no technical excuse not to use them - just a design one.

What I typically see instead: Clients invest months in business logic but ship with the same generic icons they started with on day one.

2. HTML web resources as dashboards and welcome experiences

Out-of-the-box dashboards are functional. They are also… brutally uninspiring.

Most model-driven apps open straight into:

A dense grid
A dashboard built for reporting, not orientation
Zero guidance for what the user should do next

That’s a missed opportunity.

HTML web resources = lightweight UX upgrades

HTML web resources let you create:

Welcome pages with clear calls to action
Role-based landing experiences
Simple, branded “home” dashboards
Friendly onboarding for new or infrequent users

All without fighting the platform.

You can:

Use clean layouts
Add icons, tiles, and micro-copy
Link users to the right views, forms, or actions

This isn’t about turning Dynamics into a canvas app. It’s about making the first screen feel human.

What I typically see instead: Users dropped into a system with no context, no guidance, and no visual warmth—then blamed for “low adoption.”

The uncomfortable truth about adoption

When users say:

“Dynamics is clunky”

What they often mean is:

“Nobody designed this for me.”

UI polish isn’t cosmetic. It’s communication.It tells users:

This system matters
Your time matters
We expect you to succeed here

And the irony?These improvements are usually among the cheapest changes you can make in a Dynamics project.

Final thought

Model-driven apps will never win awards for visual flair—and that’s fine.But they can be clear, welcoming, and attractive enough that users don’t resist them.

If your app still looks like the default template: