Open Source UI/UX is notoriously bad. How FreeCAD is breaking the curse | Ondsel
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Free and Open-Source Software has a reputation for poor usability and user experience (UX). FreeCAD is no exception. Some of the most common complaints raised by users are about the steep learning curve, inconsistent workflow, and ugly, confusing user-interface (UI). There are dozens of threads on the forum going back years where someone has come forward with a vision to ‘fix’ the usability problem. These efforts always devolve into bike-shedding, and nitpicking. Nothing changes.

The project has larger goals. They’re spending considerable time talking about zones of the UI, task flow, and what the default configuration should be. They’re also thinking about how UI templates can be created that make it easier for developers to implement new functionality without needing to reinvent the wheel every time. Effort has been spent on recommendations for color use, code structure, and other details that will help addon developers make their contributions feel like a native part of FreeCAD.