How to design SaaS architecture

If you have ever had the goal of creating a SaaS product, the first step that you need to do is design the SaaS architecture.

This can be a difficult and tedious process, especially if you do not know where to begin, particularly with SaaS UX design. Today, we will be diving deep into SaaS design as a means of giving you insight into everything you need to know.

Where to start

The process of figuring out how to build a SaaS product will begin even before you begin designing the overall solution. First, you will need to figure out the context and which end-users you are targeting, then try to figure out what kind of hierarchy you will implement.

1. Create a value proposition that will establish your product within the marketplace

Currently, within the market as a whole, there are numerous SaaS solutions that almost any user can choose. What this means is that even before beginning to develop your own solution, you need to understand the idea behind the product you are creating. You will need to go over how it will look, what kind of functionality you want to implement, and who your target audience will be. The main goal here is to create something different that future users will want to use on a consistent basis—something that might not be available among current solutions.

2. Establish a solid customer onboarding procedure

When you begin designing your SaaS architecture, you will need to analyze the cost of getting a customer and how much profit the average customer might bring. Make sure that you consider the customer acquisition cost (CAC) and make a direct comparison with the customer lifetime value (LTV). Typically, SaaS solutions have long sales cycles when compared to other kinds of businesses, so you will need to maintain a relationship and convince your target demographic to buy your solution. Here, you need to clearly understand and implement SaaS login page design.

3. Keep performance and security in the equation

Anyone interested in a specific SaaS product can create an account and utilize the service in an instant. This has been the main appeal of many SaaS websites currently available. However, users also need to enjoy their experience without worrying about performance hiccups or someone compromising their passwords. You need to develop both the product in a way that is easy on computer resources and the browser used, while utilizing the best security practices. Combined, these details will ensure that users don’t lose trust in your product long-term.

4. Pick the technology stack that works for you

You will need to find SaaS developers or create the software with your own team. Whatever the case might be, there are multiple tools available. As such, you will need to decide how the client-facing components will be utilized and how the server-sized components will be created. Ruby, Node.js, MySQL, and PostgreSQL are all tools available for this step. Make sure that you estimate the platform's scalability and potential profits, then pick the software stack that works best for your use cases. Make sure to try and pick up some tips for hiring a SaaS designer if you are having difficulties completing this step yourself.

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Designing further

There are many more elements that go into designing SaaS architecture, but today, we’ve covered some of the most important ones. Once you’ve established a clear roadmap, you can begin the development cycle and bring your SaaS product to the market the way you want.