08/24/2022

The Difficulties Of Enterprise UX And How To Handle Them

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Enterprise user experience (UX), software that is designed for employees and not for consumers, is called enterprise user experience. It’s confusing, complicated, and difficult to understand for users. The software is difficult to use for work and causes frustration among employees. Employers keep outdated technology as it is too costly to replace and may slow down production. UX allows designers to improve the lives of large groups of people. However, it is time-consuming and requires a lot of work. This is why enterprise UX can be so difficult.

It Requires Multiple Tools

Enterprise UX refers to all software that employees use. Here are some examples:
  • Human resources portals
  • Content management system
  • Apps to track inventory
  • Proprietary Software
  • Intranet websites

Employee frustration can be caused by a lack of consistency and integration between tools. Employees feel like they are switching between different systems because each one has its own quirks. Fatigue can result from constant frustration.

UX consistency becomes a problem when a company has more than 25 employees. If similar elements behave and look differently in different applications, it makes each program more difficult to use and causes users to waste their time and money.

Software is often seen as a tool for achieving an end. Large companies view software as a means to that end. They don’t see any benefit in investing in user experience improvement if it is working and accessible. Why fix it if it’s not broken?

Designers need to explain the benefits of a better user experience in terms that businesses can understand. A better UX can lead to faster processes for large companies. The software can be more flexible, adaptable, and easy to update. This will make the company more efficient.

Experience is hard to measure

The emotional response is not measured. It is easy to list the features of an application and present that list to management. Everything works fine when employees are trained and can use the systems correctly. It doesn’t matter if there is frustration or fatigue caused by poorly designed applications.

However, 

Companies are managed by people. Therefore, emotional value is crucial to their success. Employees who are unhappy are less productive. They feel less fulfilled than they do, and are more likely to look for work elsewhere. They feel empowered when they have the right tools and can work efficiently and quickly.

Experts suggest that companies adopt a user-centric mindset to improve their customer experience. Encourage developers to change the way they approach problem-solving. They can use techniques such as rapid prototyping or design studios to help them imagine more effective solutions.

Collaborate with developers and designers to carry out usability testing, such as field studies and contextual interviews. You can observe how the product functions outside of the design studio, and then you can address any inconsistencies one by one. This progress can be used to build trust with stakeholders and address larger problems.

Designers Are Stuck with Legacy Technology

Although it would be great to start over and create the best solution possible, this is not always feasible. The 2017-2018 Enterprise UX Industry Report revealed that legacy technology was one of the greatest challenges. 61 percent of respondents stated that it was a problem when there were 500 employees or more.

Larger companies are more likely to use outdated technology such as application programs or computer systems. However, this is not the case for smaller firms that have between 26 and 100 employees. 33% of respondents stated the same for smaller businesses.

Many legacy systems existed long before user design was even a concept. Some employees may be so familiar with them that they are reluctant to let go. Sometimes, they can be redesigned. Sometimes you’ll have to solve the problem.

Expect resistance to change if you are redesigning legacy technology. To find out what users love and dislike about the old system, get user feedback. You can build trust and improve the user experience by providing popular features and removing any misunderstandings.

To stay informed about the latest developments in user experience, you should attend UX events. A variety of professionals can improve user experience understanding from many angles.

Executives aren’t Users 

UX should be created for the user and not the client. It can be difficult to gain access to users.

Software systems are chosen and approved by executives. They want to be able to travel the most distance possible. They won’t be using it. To reach the employees who will use the final product, designers must pass through several layers of management.

A Boeing company manager for app development recommends that you take the necessary time to reach your end users. He recommends getting approval from the UX team, the project manager, and the customer management. Conduct focus groups to gather feedback and build better products after you have received approval.

Unfortunately, 

Because they are busy working, end-users can be difficult to reach. They are under pressure to meet their deadlines and don’t have the time or energy to participate in software development. Talk to functional managers to free up time for user feedback in a stress-free setting.

Get a lot of information about potential users. To better understand the user experience, gather feedback from them and use analytics. Communicate your findings to all stakeholders and talk to anyone who is interested in the experience.

Your design strategy should include the following:

  • User experience goals that are clearly defined
  • Documentation of features, functionality, content, and other information that will help you achieve your goals
  • Test design during development
  • Planning that connects business objectives and user needs

Users are reluctant to take risks

Fear of failure can be very powerful, but fear of losing your job can make it even more terrifying. Employees will be anxious if you ask them to change the way they do something. Things that are familiar make people feel more secure. You introduce new software to an outdated program.

It takes time to learn new systems. It can feel slow for many people to learn new technology. As you implement change, be compassionate with your users.

No Executive Buy-In

Sometimes, there is no common language between designers and executives. UX strategy can be difficult to understand if you are not an expert in the field. Executives and designers don’t always understand the creative process. Each side has concerns about their budgets and timelines. Both parties bring their stress to the table.

UX design can improve relationships and increase understanding through:

Teach each other. Both sides can sit down together for brown bag lunch sessions, where each side will share information about their respective fields. Both sides will be more productive if they have a natural relationship and can exchange information.

Doing your homework

To identify unmet needs, study your company’s culture. Your insight can be used to improve the employee experience.

> Speaking their Language

If you are concerned about design issues, consider what motivates stakeholders. While they might not be concerned about the emotional responses of employees, they are motivated by content that calls for action and increases conversions.

Communicating your company’s objectives

A style guide should be created that describes your company’s goals and strategies. This document identifies the company’s core principles and communicates them to potential employers.

Many players want to protect their interests

Users feel pressured to complete their work. Functional managers feel under pressure to increase the productivity of their teams.

IT departments need to be able to meet their own requirements for enterprise resource planning systems. They are rewarded for using new technology, but they are not required to impact the user experience. Although IT consultants like to be viewed as experts, they don’t usually perform any user-centered analysis before selling new products.

Although product management is well-informed, they have little insight into the specific organizations. While developers are encouraged to create new functionality and features, there is little focus on the user experience.

Improved communication can help all parties achieve their goals. Designers should think about creating a program to reach executives and explain the negative effects of poor usability on worker satisfaction. Enterprise UX design will be prioritized when the people who buy the software are aware of how user experience impacts profit margins.

About the author

Kobe Digital is a unified team of performance marketing, design, and video production experts. Our mastery of these disciplines is what makes us effective. Our ability to integrate them seamlessly is what makes us unique.