When people think of designers, they often envision someone sketching wireframes, picking color palettes, or tweaking typography. But in today’s fast-paced, problem-solving-focused world, the role of a designer can—and should—extend far beyond aesthetics. My experience at Sami Healthcare taught me exactly that, as I stepped into the role of basically a product manager, a designer and developer, who had to deliver a critical MVP using a mix of no-code tools and Python scripts.
Being creative with limited resources
At Sami, one of our biggest challenges was managing medical claims. The process was clunky, time-consuming, and filled with inefficiencies (check the whole process here). Our team needed a solution that was fast, effective, and lightweight enough to build quickly. Traditional development cycles wouldn’t cut it. The business needed results—yesterday.
The Solution: no-code meets Python
Leveraging third party tools
The first step was identifying tools that could handle the bulk of the heavy lifting. No-code platforms like Calendly provided an easy way to streamline scheduling and communication workflows, which were at the core of the medical claims process. By integrating Calendly into our operations, we could cut down on the endless back-and-forth emails and automate appointment scheduling seamlessly.
No-code tools were perfect for creating the user-facing layer of the MVP. They allowed us to iterate quickly and focus on delivering value to users. However, there were gaps these tools couldn’t fill—and that’s where coding came in.
Writing Python scripts to bridge the gaps
Those tools were powerful, but they were not flexible enough to meet every requirement. To handle custom data processing and integrate systems that didn’t speak to each other natively, I turned to Python.
Using Python, I wrote scripts to:
Automate data cleaning and formatting. Medical claims data often came in messy spreadsheets. Python allowed me to clean and structure the data for use within our no-code workflows.
Create custom integrations. Some systems we used didn’t have direct integrations with no-code tools. Python scripts served as the glue, connecting APIs and ensuring smooth data flow.
Generate actionable insights. Beyond just moving data, Python helped extract insights from the information, enabling smarter decision-making.
By combining no-code simplicity with the power of coding, we delivered an MVP that not only solved the problem but also demonstrated what a hybrid design approach could achieve.
Lessons from the MVP
Reflecting on this project, there were a few key takeaways that stood out:
Tool Selection Matters. No-code tools can get you far, but knowing their limits is crucial. Coding fills the gaps where no-code solutions fall short.
Start Simple. The goal of an MVP is to solve the core problem, not to build the perfect product. Combining no-code tools with lightweight scripts allowed us to move fast and deliver results.
Coding Isn’t Just for Developers. Designers who code aren’t stepping out of their lane; they’re expanding it. This hybrid skillset is a powerful enabler of innovation.
A Call to Designers
To all the designers out there: consider adding coding to your toolkit. You don’t need to become a software engineer, but learning the basics of scripting, automation, and integrations can unlock new possibilities for your work.
In a world where problems are increasingly complex and interdisciplinary, the ability to think and act beyond traditional design boundaries is what sets great designers apart. The future of design isn’t just about pixels—it’s about building solutions that work.
At Sami, coding didn’t make me less of a designer; it made me a better one. And it can do the same for you. :)