Enterprise resource planning system
Enterprise resource planning and scheduling
system which allows any organisation to track
and monitor it’s resources
***Please Note – Some sensitive operational and development information in this case study is not included in this case study at the request of the client, however I would be happy to elaborate during interviews***
BACKGROUND
Briteplan – enterprise resource planning and scheduling system
Corporate needs
I was contracted in January 2015 to consult and assist with the UX Design of this enterprise SaaS cloud application. Before my involvement the system was used by the client to track and manage their own in-house and contract resources on different projects, teams and locations. The client decided to develop the system further and offer it as a cloud based service. The company wished to showcase it’s talent and ability to develop custom made SaaS application. As one of South Africa’s leading software development houses it was decided to launch this application on web and mobile platforms and licence the service.
The company had a distinct advantage over competitors as their location offered the service at a lower rate per licence thanks to the currency exchange rate and being software developers they are able to use cutting edge technology and enhance the software on an ongoing basis.
Brand
The client branded the software as a stand alone product and a corporate identity and brand had to be created to support the forward thinking, innovative and vibrant piece of software.
The brand guide and style guide can be viewed here.
Personas
User Needs
After the initial competitive analysis a focus group of project managers, accountants, team leaders and resource companies were invited to share their views on the ideal software which could save time and serve their potential needs.
Three following target groups were identified as potential user personas.
APPROACH
Technology
The technology used on this large scalable project are established and emerging. I had to familiarise myself with the possibilities these technologies had to offer as well as keeping the user in mind.
Technologies used
- Custom Developed CRM framework
- Angular JS
- HTML 5 CSS 3
- C＃
- Web API
Discussions with programmers and Project Managers assisted my understanding of the basics of the technologies and what they had in mind when using it. I found that collaboration with technical departments and a clear channel of communication, although in this case I was one of the team working remotely, to be one of the building blocks of the success of the project.
Challenges Faced
Once of the first challenges the team had to overcome was the fact that a number of the members were working from remote locations. I was fortunate in the fact that I have had the opportunity to work with some of the team previously. The Challenge of everybody being on the same page was the most important to address.
The Solution
Communication to the success of the project was key as an Agile methodology was used. The project was managed using Agile as the application is cloud based where development, testing, improvements and deployment could be done in quick cycles. This not only allowed for the project to be completed in a shorter time period but also cut out the need for time consuming meetings and piles of documentation being sent back and forth waiting for approval. Decisions were made rapidly to keep the process on track.
Short meetings were held with the use of Skype and Team Viewer and all files were shared on the cloud.
PUTTING IT TOGETHER
Quick sketches helped to get a sense of the layout for the application.
These sketches were then mocked up in UXPin and rough prototypes were created to assist the developers in building the framework for the application.
Quick Sketch Wireframing
Intuitive Grid Based Dashboard
Broken down step by step registration process introduced to avoid one screen form overload
Enhancing the user experience with quick tour feature
COSMETIC SURGERY
After the final decision was made to use a grid based dashboard for easy navigation and compliment it with the side navigation bar it was time to do the cosmetics.
Working from the brand guidelines the application gained a smooth and slick look and feel with a modern touch. The end of my 3 month involvement was drawing to a close
Testing, Deployment, Launch, Maintenance, Mobile
- The testing of the application followed by utilising the client’s team of professional unit testers.
- The final product was released and launched in early 2015
- Improvements, upgrades and maintenance are ongoing with no impact on the client side because of cloud technology
- Mobile applications for IOS, Android and Windows Mobile were developed based on responsive version of web application
The End
Thank you for taking the time to view this case study.
Please feel free to contact me to discuss my work, skills or if you would like to discuss potential employment.