Experiences and Results

Build and Use a Network of User Interface Designers

The examples from the Treasury development department show the extent to which the network of distributed usability coordinators was a factor in the success of EnjoySAP. The usability coordinators in this area represented the suggested procedure model and supported the software engineers actively in the use of the methods. Moreover, the Treasury case shows that the procedure model was flexible and additional methods could be employed; in this case, questionnaire-based surveys and a system of suggestions for improvements as an additional input channel. The essential prerequisite allowing people to fulfill this role of usability coordinator and drive the process forward was to be relieved of their other responsibilities. This opportunity to concentrate fully on usability questions was thus the most important difference to the previous network of usability contact people. Added to this, the support offered by the project team made it easy to enter into the role. Examples of this were the specialist training and further training offerings and the specification of the required procedure model with method descriptions and tools such as check lists in the Enjoy Knowledgebase. In addition, the UEC supported the usability coordinators with training on the job in the use of the methods. In other words, after the training, support was offered when people began to use the methods. Z. B.A member of the UEC helped, for example, when a coordinator carried out the first usability reviews. Another difference to the previous loose network approach was the permanent exchange between the project team, in particular the UEC, and the usability coordinators, with the result that the communication between the central ergonomics group and the distributed usability coordinators was much more interactive.

An illustration of the fact that there was no alternative to building up distributed usability expertise was that the managing board of SAP formalized the role and task of the usability coordinator on the basis of the experience gathered in the project and created the job of "user interface designer" (UID). A UID was to be appointed in each development department. The UID took on the management of the entire process, as the coordinator had done before. The new job title was supposed to make it clear that, in addition to coordinating activities, the job involved providing more content-based support to the development teams in the design of user interfaces. In addition to process expertise, the UID also had to build up their design expertise.

Source:  EnjoySAP - Success Factors