You open your laptop.

Your PM says the feature has to go live tomorrow.

You look at the screen and realize the Ul is still in a very bad shape.

What do you do?

Make it prettier or make it usable?

I've faced this a hundred times.

And honestly, there's no perfect answer.

But here's what experience has taught me.

When the deadline was yesterday, clarity always wins over beauty.

A user will forgive an ugly button if it helps them finish the task.

They won't forgive a fancy one that confuses them.

So here's how I balance both when time is running out:

1. Start with the core action.

What is the one thing the user must do on this screen? Make that painfully obvious.

If that works, half your job is done.

2. Fix the flow, not the pixels.

If users can complete their goal without asking "where do I click?", your design is already better than most.

3. Polish the obvious.

Give love to the parts that people see first. Headings, buttons, forms.

No one cares if your shadow has a 2-degree angle, but everyone notices misaligned text.

4. Leave yourself notes.

Drop quick comments or sticky notes for the next design pass.

This helps you clean it up later without forgetting what annoyed you the most.

I've learned that shipping something functional now is always better than waiting to ship something perfect next week.

Because momentum builds trust.

Your product can evolve visually.

But a confusing experience kills trust instantly.

So when the deadline feels like a ticking bomb, Remember: Pretty can wait, clarity can't