Bianca Visagie
6 July 2023
For enterprise applications, features and functions usually take precedence over design. Large enterprise systems like HR portals, task management apps, and other intranet sites are built to make employees’ lives easier, but do they really?
The buyers of enterprise applications often aren’t the end users. The buyer’s focus is on the benefits and functions of the app, but they might not have put thought into how employees will use the application.
For the users, poor enterprise application design can make their jobs more difficult, and contribute to a wide variety of problems.
Unfortunately, enterprise UX is something most enterprise applications lack. The importance of consumer UX isn’t given to enterprise UX, so you might be asking why enterprise UX is important? Let’s dive into that.
What is Enterprise UX?
Before we jump into the why, let’s look at the what.
Enterprise UX refers to the design of enterprise applications.
These applications are specifically designed to be used by employees of a certain company, and not the general user. That’s why there is a difference between consumer UX and enterprise UX. While designing for consumers might include a specific user, specific tasks and simple functions, enterprise design includes more complex procedures, multiple users and job functions.
Why is Enterprise UX Important?
So, why is enterprise UX important? Employees will use enterprise applications because they have to, unlike consumers who have their choice of applications.
Why spend time designing something that employees need to use?
The answer is simple, good enterprise UX is the groundwork for good business. Enterprise UX is important because it leads to:
Increased user satisfaction
Well-designed and intuitive enterprise user interfaces enhance user satisfaction by providing:
- intuitive navigation
- streamlined workflows
- error prevention and handling
- consistency and familiarity
- responsiveness and speed
- personalization and customization options and
- by incorporating user feedback through iterative design
These elements collectively contribute to a seamless and efficient user experience, reducing frustration, boosting confidence, and increasing satisfaction with the enterprise application. Satisfied employees want to use the application, and will become more productive as a result.
Increased productivity
Employees use enterprise software for the majority of their workday. When that software is poorly designed, many employees create workarounds or multiple processes for something that should be simple. This leads to slower workflows, and in the end, less productivity.
However, when the enterprise application is well-designed and workflows are streamlined, it leads to more productivity and faster workflows.
Reduce costs and increase ROI
As mentioned before, a well-designed user experience can greatly improve employee productivity and efficiency. Intuitive interfaces, streamlined workflows, and user-centred design principles reduce the time and effort required for users to complete tasks. Ultimately, improved productivity leads to cost savings by maximizing output and minimizing wasted resources.
Good enterprise UX can also significantly reduce training and support costs. A well-designed user interface that is intuitive and easy to use reduces the need for extensive training programs.
Employees can quickly grasp the functionality of the system and become proficient with minimal training efforts. Additionally, a user-friendly interface decreases the likelihood of user errors, increases the likelihood of adoption, and reduces the frequency of support requests. This reduction in training and support costs contributes to long-term savings.
What are the challenges of enterprise UX design? And how do we overcome them?
Designing UX for complex enterprise systems poses unique challenges that require careful consideration and strategic approaches. Here are some of those challenges and how we can overcome them:
Complex workflows and information architecture
Complex workflows and information architecture can make it difficult to create a seamless and intuitive user experience. With numerous steps, dependencies, and data interactions, it becomes essential to identify the most efficient and user-friendly paths for users to achieve their goals. Balancing simplicity with the comprehensive functionality of enterprise systems can be a complex task.
To overcome these challenges, thorough user research is crucial. Understanding the needs, goals, and pain points of the end users helps UX designers make informed decisions and prioritize features accordingly. This in itself can be a challenge, as the buyers of enterprise applications often aren’t the end users, but it remains important to conduct user research.
Integration with legacy systems
Integrating new UX solutions with existing legacy systems can present several difficulties that need to be addressed for a successful transition. Legacy systems often have outdated technologies, architectures, and user interfaces that may not align with modern UX principles. This misalignment can make it challenging to seamlessly incorporate new UX solutions without disrupting the existing system’s functionality.
Conducting a thorough assessment of the legacy system is essential. Understanding its limitations, dependencies, and areas for improvement helps in devising a strategy for integrating new UX solutions effectively.
Balancing security requirements
Balancing security requirements with user-friendly design is a delicate task in enterprise UX. On one hand, enterprises must ensure robust security measures to protect sensitive data and mitigate risks. On the other hand, a user-friendly design is necessary to provide a positive and efficient user experience.
A thorough understanding of security requirements is essential. Identifying the specific security needs and compliance regulations relevant to the enterprise helps in designing UX solutions that meet those requirements. This involves collaboration between UX designers and security experts to ensure that the necessary security measures are implemented without hindering usability.
Enterprise UX design at Integrove
At Integrove we specialise in developing enterprise applications with a strong emphasis on delivering exceptional user experiences. Our focus extends beyond UX design alone – we understand the unique requirements and complexities of enterprise environments, ensuring that our applications are tailored to meet the specific needs of organizations across various industries.
With extensive experience working on enterprise projects in sectors such as mining and manufacturing, we have honed our expertise in crafting user-centric designs that enhance employee productivity and streamline operations. We have successfully collaborated with leading technologies, leveraging their capabilities to create intuitive and efficient user interfaces for enterprise software.
By combining our deep understanding of enterprise systems, expertise in UX design, and a commitment to delivering outstanding solutions, we can build enterprise applications that not only meet stringent security and functionality requirements but also provide a seamless and satisfying user experience.
Partner with us today to unlock the full potential of your enterprise applications.