Why the User Experience of Enterprise Software sucks and what you can do about it

WHY THE USER EXPERIENCE
OF ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE
SUCKS ISN’T ALL THAT
AWESOME SOMETIMES,
AND WHAT YOU CAN DO
ABOUT IT.
Sean Rankin, Refresh Columbia
/ @srankin
HI. MY NAME IS SEAN
RANKIN, AND I DESIGN
ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE.
HI. MY NAME IS SEAN
RANKIN, AND I DESIGN
ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE.
I MAKE TECHNOLOGY
EASY AND FUN TO USE.
I MAKE TECHNOLOGY
EASY AND FUN TO USE.
ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE
RUNS ORGANIZATIONS,
GOVERNMENTS, &
BUSINESSES.
ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE
RUNS ORGANIZATIONS,
GOVERNMENTS, &
BUSINESSES.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE WEB AND
ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE?
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE WEB AND

ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE?
A QUICK POLL.A QUICK POLL.
DOES IT MATTER?DOES IT MATTER?
INSURANCE IS HARD.INSURANCE IS HARD.
Enterprise software vendors should make user
interface design a higher priority if they want
customers to consider purchasing a replacement or
upgrade to their enterprise software applications.
~Forrester Consulting
Enterprise software vendors should make user
interface design a higher priority if they want
customers to consider purchasing a replacement or
upgrade to their enterprise software applications.
~Forrester Consulting
“as relevant as general health and safety
considerations in the workplace.”
7 out of 10 people recalled the last
time they saw a product they just
had to have, and it was because of
the design of the product.
IEEE STUDYIEEE STUDY
Source:
$1,000,000,000
THE AMOUNT SPENT ON
TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS EACH
YEAR WORLDWIDE.
Source:
OF THESE PROJECTS ARE
ABANDONED EACH YEAR FOR A
VARIETY OF REASONS.

Source:
IT COSTS TWICE AS MUCH TO
FIX A PROBLEM AFTER A PROJECT
THAN IT WOULD HAVE DURING
THE PROJECT.
FORRESTER STUDYFORRESTER STUDY
Source:
DEEM AN APPLICATION’S USER
INTERFACE A PRIMARY REASON
FOR BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY
IMPROVEMENTS.
Source:
OF RESPONDENTS STATE THAT A
WELL-DESIGNED USER INTERFACE
DECREASES ERROR RATES.
Source:
ASSERT THAT A GOOD USER
INTERFACE REDUCES USER
SUPPORT REQUESTS.
WHY HAVE ENTERPRISE
SOFTWARE VENDORS
#FAILED WITH USER
EXPERIENCE?
WHY HAVE ENTERPRISE
SOFTWARE VENDORS
#FAILED WITH USER
EXPERIENCE?
THE BUYER & THE USER
ARE NOT THE SAME
PERSON.

THE BUYER & THE USER
ARE NOT THE SAME
PERSON.
1
ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE
USERS ARE A CAPTIVE
AUDIENCE.
ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE
USERS ARE A CAPTIVE
AUDIENCE.
2
ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE
IS RARELY CRITIQUED
LIKE CONSUMER
SOFTWARE.
ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE
IS RARELY CRITIQUED
LIKE CONSUMER
SOFTWARE.
3
ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE
DEVELOPMENT IS
LARGELY TECHNOLOGY
& FEATURE FOCUSED.
ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE
DEVELOPMENT IS
LARGELY TECHNOLOGY
& FEATURE FOCUSED.
4
BIG IDEASBIG IDEAS