InternalToolsNobodyHates:LessonsfromBuildingThem
Gianluca Di Vita
February 22, 2026 · Updated March 24, 2026
Every company has that internal tool nobody wants to use. The one that requires 15 clicks to do something simple. The one with the interface that looks like it was designed in 2008. The one everyone works around instead of working with.
Why internal tools are usually terrible
Internal tools get the least design attention because they are not customer facing. Nobody hires a designer for the admin panel. Nobody does user testing with the operations team. The result is tools that technically work but practically frustrate everyone who touches them.
Three principles that change everything
We follow three rules when building internal tools:
- Design it like a product: the people using it 8 hours a day deserve the same quality as your customers get
- Start with one workflow, not 10: build the most painful process first, ship it, then expand based on feedback
- Speed over features: if it is not faster than the spreadsheet it replaces, nobody will switch
The best internal tool is one that makes the user's day easier, not one that checks a box on a project plan. If your team prefers the spreadsheet, the tool has failed.
About Gianluca Di Vita
Founder of Azro. Diagnoses business problems and deploys the right combination of strategy, technology, and process to fix them.
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