Even with the advent of the SAP CRM WebClient UI, native SAP CRM screens are not always friendly to navigate. Standard SAP CRM screens are often complex and have fields that are not used by certain groups of users, and users often have to go through several of these to complete one task. Also, if SAP CRM is linked to a third-party or legacy system of some kind, users may have to switch between multiple systems to get the job done. Under such circumstances, users usually require extensive training, take longer to accomplish their tasks, and are less likely to adopt the technology.

One way to mitigate the usability limitations of native SAP systems is through rich Internet applications (RIAs), user interfaces that are layered on top of the SAP system. These interfaces can be designed to include only the functions needed by users, and to reduce the number of screens and clicks needed to accomplish a particular task. The resulting simpler process is easier to teach, remember, and convince users to adopt.

In designing these interfaces, usability is key. Here are 10 dos and don’ts for designing RIAs with usability in mind.

1. Do promote user-centered design and usability within your organization. While buy-in from executives is important, talking to your colleagues and clients about the value of usability is equally critical. Support from all levels will make it easier to obtain the resources necessary to effectively execute a usability project.

2. Don’t forget to keep the user involved at every stage. End users’ pain points and priorities are a key consideration when designing and building your RIA. Yet users’ needs frequently get overshadowed by resource constraints, short deadlines, and internal politics. Make sure that the voice of the user is not lost in the process.

3. Do determine appropriate metrics to measure user engagement and success. When embarking on a usability project, decide how you will determine project success. This helps focus the project on concrete goals and guide the design of the application.

Metrics apply to both productivity goals for your employees as well as user engagement goals for your customers

Some examples of metrics include:

• Reducing from 20 to 12 the number of clicks required for a sales representative to submit an order
• Reducing from 7 to 3 the number of screens a customer has to go through before checkout
• Increasing by 25 percent the number of product reviews by customers

4. Don’t let the latest technological trends shape your RIA. The look of the Web is constantly changing and it may be tempting to build an RIA with the latest charts, graphics, and effects to dazzle users. However, excessive animations harm usability by distracting the user and reducing the performance of your applications

5. Do bring a user experience (UX) designer onto the team. A UX designer would already have knowledge of usability leading practices and familiarity with common interaction patterns, which can accelerate the design process. Note that this is a distinct role from a graphic designer who is responsible for the look or “skinning” of the RIA application.

6. Don’t underestimate the importance of the integration technology platform. While a well thought out interface is a large part of user engagement, the RIA will not be usable if performance is poor. The choice of what technology to use when integrating SAP CRM with your application affects the client-side performance of your RIA, and hence user satisfaction.

7. Do stay in perpetual beta by releasing early and often. Reevaluate and redesign your RIA frequently based on user feedback. Keep checking back against your metrics to make sure the goals of the application are being met.

8. Don’t rely on waterfall methodology (a sequential software development process visualized as flowing downward through various phases), as an Agile approach is more suitable for user-centered design methods. Agile is an iterative and incremental method of software development, and it takes several iterations to lock down users’ needs correctly. The phases from design to deployment will be repeated several times throughout the life cycle of your SAP CRM project.

9. Do align change management efforts with the usability approach. Establish a clear link between the vision, organization, and people, and collaborate with the leadership to guide the change and assist them in leading the change by example. Keep track of progress and effects of the strategic shift towards usability. Incorporate lessons learned from users during training into future releases of the RIA.

10. Don’t set unrealistic expectations of what the RIA will accomplish. Manage expectations of stakeholders throughout the process by setting guidelines of what the front end will and will not accomplish. This is accomplished in part by demonstrating prototypes to the leadership early on, and deploying the RIA to a pilot group of users before releasing it to the wider group.