Business software: Why user-friendliness is critical to success
Lack of usability in business software costs companies time
From the company's point of view, this is easy to understand: Software that is not really accepted and understood is not used to its full extent. Functions that are not accessible to the user have been programmed and purchased for nothing. If individual processes take too long because information is missing and the user has to switch to a different view or module in between, this costs valuable time. It is therefore understandable that usability is increasingly becoming a decision criterion when investing in software.
High expenditure for training and support
Last but not least, it costs time when highly qualified employees have to be trained in complicated software. But it also becomes expensive for the software provider at this point. Training is often expected as part of the "complete package". The more complicated the structure and user guidance of the software, the more time and effort is required for training. For larger companies with several divisions and locations, this quickly adds up to deployment times and travel costs, but a training marathon is not the end of the story; support is also required in day-to-day business - and is requested by companies as a service. This service is often charged at a flat rate. User errors are normal and unavoidable, especially at the beginning, but if the design of the application is unclear and unintuitive, this will repeatedly lead to user errors. Business transactions are then unintentionally triggered that cannot always be canceled by the user. As a result, support requests pile up until the actual cost exceeds the calculated flat rate, resulting in high training and support costs and the risk of being replaced by other providers: User-friendly design thus becomes a competitive factor for business software providers too.
The causes: Why a catalog of requirements is not enough
Although business software was not viewed from a special design perspective in earlier years, its developers also had the goal of programming lean and functional applications. Why is it that software does not meet users' expectations? For one thing, many business applications are already a little outdated, but users' expectations and requirements have changed dramatically in recent years. Mobile use, time and device-independent access, collaboration and cloud use are all part of this. Software developers will also have to live with this rapid change in the future, however, and the approach is crucial. Benjamin Uebel, Managing Director of Userlutions GmbH, knows the problem: "In the past, development was mostly based on functional aspects, often only on the basis of a catalog of requirements." The programs then do not reflect the real processes and improvements are made - a statistic here, a filter there to adapt the application to your needs. "The developer then has to look for where there is still room for these additional features in the program. This inevitably leads to uncontrolled growth, the structure is lost," says Uebel. In the end, not only the users but even the developers themselves find it difficult to keep track of the details of the application. From the provider's point of view, too, it is then time for a redesign or a complete overhaul with a new, future-proof interface.
Adapting the software to the user - not the other way around
To avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, the usability of the software should be the focus from the outset and become the guiding principle. The necessary expertise can either be brought into the company by new employees or initially covered by external support. Usability experts bring experience and a systematic approach to development. This helps - even if business software is often very specific. "The business applications we advise on are aimed at very different user groups," says Benjamin Uebel, "including software for tunnel drilling, a pay wall for paid media content or a virtual marketplace for 3D models. It's always exciting for us too and we learn something new ourselves. Ultimately, however, it's always about making complexity more manageable. And to do that, you first have to ask the right questions. "So a catalog of requirements alone is not enough. Benjamin Uebel's recommendation: first analyze the documentation, but also look around on site and talk to the employees: "The actual process often deviates from the specifications and there are reasons for this."
Testing, forward-looking and modular development
It is particularly important not to believe, but to test. With modern crowd testing methods, including for selected business users, this is now possible without great effort and quickly produces usable results. The key users in the company could be involved in the development and recruited as "ambassadors". A new program will be accepted much more positively if a colleague reports that it actually makes work easier and even fun.developers should adapt to new requirements from the outset, ideally address planned changes themselves and think in terms of alternatives. For example, if a company is considering moving applications to the cloud, this opens up new possibilities, but also places higher demands on data security. It is important to consider not only which processes are to be carried out with the software, but also from which devices and in which environments - optimization for mobile applications is essential, but networking with other systems will also play a role in the future. "In future, software in the production and logistics environment should also incorporate context-relevant information from ERP or machine data," says Uebel, adding that a modular approach can help to avoid overloading and the resulting confusion. Users are then more flexible and can adapt more quickly to changing requirements by booking individual modules. In the end, the focus on usability and user experience pays off for all partners: the companies save time in the application, the software manufacturers save on training and support costs. A side effect that should not be underestimated: the programmers are once again proud of their own product.
