What is a business application?
A business application (or business software) is a management solution dedicated to company employees and designed on the basis of their specific needs. Whether it is a web or on-premise application, it therefore aims to automate operations to simplify the work of users and strengthen their collaboration.
To meet its specific needs, The organization can opt for the purchase of a software package or the development of a tailor -made business application. In all cases, the choice of the tool depends in particular on the size of the company, the sector of activity, the expertise of the users, the problems to be resolved … criteria which can be used within the framework of the computer scheme.
The use of a business application is therefore, by definition, a vector of productivity and profitability for the company. However, if it is essential to meet the needs of the organization, those of employees should not be overlooked: hence the importance of UX design.
What is UX Design?
The term UX is an English acronym meaning “user experience”, which can literally translate into “user experience”. Thus, the “User Design Experience”Is a set of techniques User interface designto meet all of the latter’s expectations.
UX Design incorporates a human dimension (we sometimes speak of emotional design), by placing the need for the end user at the heart of the process. Whether it is a website, a mobile application or software, the objective is to offer a Optimized user experience.
This concept, still nonexistent a few years ago, was taken care of for a long time by people who did not necessarily have the necessary expertise. Today, it is a full -fledged function with very specific skills: a Ux designer is not a web developer, and vice versa.
The importance of UX Design in a business application
Very often, the Direction of Information Systems (DSI) focuses on optimizing the user experience according to customer expectations, in order to satisfy and retain them. On the other hand, the experience lived by employees is little taken into account …
It is however a first-rate issue to guarantee their well-being and their efficiency. While digital transformation raises many technological and organizational challenges, The UX of business applications is a real performance and growth lever for the company.
It is therefore necessary to tend towards a Optimal user experience When creating the interface, but also when an existing tool evolves: new features, graphic redesign, etc.
Indeed, the update of software involves many risks:
- The design of an unattractive interface, causing bad user feedback.
- The implementation of unrelevant, even unnecessary features.
- The creation of a tool that is difficult to understand or handle, requiring important training and support efforts.
Fortunately, UX Design allows you to master these hazards much more effectively.
6 good reasons to use the UX in a business application
Optimizing the user experience of a dedicated application provides many profits for employees, but also for the company itself.
Design more ergonomic interfaces
An ergonomic user interface is Guarantee of the usability and efficiency of the business application. Concretely, it allows employees to use it more user -friendly and to achieve their objectives more quickly.
The ergonomic rules and the use codes essential for the development of the interface are recorded in a reference document: The ergonomic charter. This style guide is constantly optimized, depending on the user users’ feedback. It is also updated when new requirements of the emerging profession or when missing functionalities are identified.
In other words, UX design makes it possible to design a useful, intuitive and attractive business applicationwhose features can be quickly assimilated. In addition, an ergonomic solution, designed with a coherent navigation plan, ensures better comfort of use and allows you to boost the productivity of your employees.
More broadly, The UX approach federates developers and UX designers around the application design process. A process that promotes collective intelligence to create more efficient software, but also to provide a high -level user experience.
Improve employee satisfaction
The UX Design goes beyond the technical-functional angle, in order to integrate the user’s feeling in the design of the interface. This approach aims to facilitate the accomplishment of the operational tasks of employees, while promoting software membership.
Indeed, the application is designed taking into account the needs, the context of use and the specific constraints of the function. The end user will therefore be perfectly comfortable when using the tool. In addition, user -centered software uses an easy -to -understand language for the latter. The employee can focus 100 % on his job, without wasting time learning how to dialogue with the system.
In the end, The design of the user experience improves employees’ comfortwhich use daily application as part of their work. The UX makes it possible to deal with the problems of navigation and visual hierarchy upstream, which facilitates the reading and understanding of the information.
The choice of colors, icons, typographies and other visual elements also has an impact on the feeling of users. What design a simple and aesthetic business solution, which effectively meets employees’ expectations, while helping to improve working conditions on a daily basis.
Save time and money
By improving the navigation and intuitivity of a business application, UX Design is a powerful productivity lever. Indeed, it facilitates the handling of the tool by users and makes it possible to considerably reduce training efforts.
In addition, a good user experience avoids unnecessary actions, whether clicks or scrolls. It helps employees carry out their missions faster, While saving precious time on tasks with low added valuewhich can often be automated.
Nevertheless, a good UX requires involving the end user from the design of the business software. Indeed, it is the best way to understand the real needs of employees, to assess their level of expertise, but also their expectations vis-à-vis the tool. So, The design responds perfectly to the issues identifiedguaranteeing total operational viability.
Finally, The integration of the UX into a business application makes it possible to make significant savings in corrective maintenance. The CIO receives much fewer requests for modification and improvement after the development of the solution, since the features have been designed according to the needs and issues of users.
Adapt the business application to new uses
Work has experienced major changes in recent years. Mobility, telework and coworking are now part of the business daily.
In addition, outside the professional framework, employees use many applications offering a very careful user experience, especially on smartphone. They therefore expect their business tools the same level of ergonomics, of ease of use and clarity of information.
UX design is essential to make business applications more comfortable, but also more suitable for mobility and new professional uses. Indeed, these solutions are increasingly required to be used on a phone or on tablet.
Whatever the device, whatever the size of the screen, the UX Design guarantees the graphic harmony, the readability and the fluid navigation of the software.
Optimize the adoption of the software
User experience plays a leading role in adopting a new productas a business application within a company. By improving the ergonomics of an interface, it is possible to optimize its handling and the capacity of users to appropriate it quickly.
Thus, employees better accept the change in their working methods., While apprehension and reluctance linked to the new solution are only decreasing.
Guarantee the accessibility of the application
UX Design must also take into account the requirements in terms of digital accessibility. Indeed, the information present in the business application must be noticeable for all users, including disabled people. The different features, on the other hand, must be usable by all.
