Understanding the ServiceNow UI Landscape
If you have read our previous articles on UI Builder, you understand the strategic landscape of ServiceNow’s UI tools and have a plan for tackling your projects with a focused, goal-first approach. (If you missed them, we recommend reading our previous articles on defining what UI Builder is and how to plan your first project.)
Now, it’s time for the “how.”
This is where we look at the technical mechanics that make UI Builder tick. To truly architect with the tool, you must master its core customization engine. It’s about understanding the fundamental concepts that govern how experiences are built. Let’s look at the three “moving parts” you must understand: Page Variants, Audiences, and Application Scopes.
The Core Engine: Page Variants
At the heart of UI Builder’s flexibility is the concept of Page Variants. A variant is a specific version of a page. Instead of creating dozens of separate pages for different users, you create one base page and then design multiple variants of it.
For example, on an incident record page:
- An ITIL user needs to see technical fields, assignment tools, and action buttons to resolve the incident.
- A business stakeholder (like a department manager) needs a simpler view with high-level status, business impact, and comments, but not the deep technical details. You would build one “Incident Record” page with two variants: an “ITIL View” and a “Stakeholder View.”
You would build one “Incident Record” page with two variants: an “ITIL View” and an “End-User View.” This approach is cleaner and easier to maintain.
The Gatekeeper: Audiences
Having multiple variants is great, but the system needs to know who should see which one. This is where Audiences come in. An audience is the gatekeeper that directs users to the correct page variant.
An audience is simply a defined set of users, typically based on roles. To continue our example:
- You create an “ITIL Users” audience (based on the itil role).
- You create a “Business Stakeholders” audience (based on the business_stakeholder role).
- You then map the “ITIL View” variant to the “ITIL Users” audience and the “Stakeholder View” variant to the “Business Stakeholders” audience.
This combination is the magic behind creating deeply personalized and context-aware experiences.
The Safety Net: Application Scopes
Every piece of work you do in UI Builder should be captured in a dedicated Application Scope. Think of a scope as a protective bubble for your development. It isolates your configurations from the rest of the platform. This is critical for three reasons:
- Governance: It prevents your work from breaking something in another application.
- Maintainability: It packages all related components into one neat container.
- Portability: It’s the only professional way to move your solution between instances (dev, test, prod). Scoped applications are moved via the Application Repository, ensuring a reliable and controlled deployment process.
Working in a dedicated application scope is non-negotiable for any serious project.
The Architect's Takeaway
These three elements (Page Variants, Audiences, and Application Scopes) are the architectural pillars of UI Builder. They work together as a system to help you build experiences that are targeted, maintainable, and safe. Mastering them is what separates a UI Builder user from a UI Builder architect.
Need a Hand? Let’s Build It Together.
Feeling ready to architect a solution but want a second pair of expert eyes on your design? The technical details can be tricky, and a solid foundation is key. The team at Adeno includes seasoned ServiceNow architects who can review your plans, help you configure your first variants and audiences, and ensure your project is built for long-term success. Contact us to learn more about our architectural consulting and support services.
