We often tout the GUI as the most important design feature in software.  It makes sense; it is the most visible part of any software product.  But how important is the interface to the overall success of a product?   I’ve seen excellent products that have absolutely horrible interfaces – and here’s the thing:  they still sell.  An excellent product is one which fills a need, and companies will purchase it if it does the job – pretty or not.  The problem is that those needs change, and when they do it typically has been expensive and cumbersome to adapt a product to fit those changes.

We Humans are capable of learning new interfaces fairly quickly. Consider the slight variations in telephone keypads – how long does it take us to dial an unfamiliar telephone?  How difficult is it to use an unfamiliar automated cash machine?  How quickly do we learn the shortcuts for a new mobile phone?  Certainly these examples cite both excellent universally acceptable design practices but also our ability as humans to adapt and learn new designs easily.  More interesting – I propose it takes the average person less time these days to learn an unfamiliar interface than it did 15 years ago, and I attribute this to the fact that we are presented with new interfaces much more frequently now than we ever have been before.

Case in point:  Video game controllers have come a long way in the past 15 years.  Atari’s now-nostalgic one button joystick interface bears no resemblance to Microsoft’s XBox 360 ergonomic controller with it’s astounding 25 buttons.  Every year another new interface is presented, normally around the time that Santa Claus requires his wish list, and the next plastic race car wheel or wireless band instrument is marketed to eager consumers hungry for a new interface to master.

In business software, the same issues occur.  Interfaces grow and change throughout the system life cycle.  With time, all interfaces must adapt to support increased functionality – or just as likely increased marketability!

This prospect was once expensive and cumbersome for mobile software, because of the complexity and unique resources required to develop for these relatively obscure platforms.  Navara partners use the Navara Design Center to quickly and visually create and modify interfaces for the most popular mobile platforms, so the interface can easily change as the users’ needs change.  So when the next change comes depend on Navara, and let’s solve the interface puzzle together.

Enterprise-Wide Systems

SAP. No

three letters command such a wide range of emotion in the enterprise. Well, in the late 90’s perhaps CRM came close. Large-scale enterprise-wide

systems are incredibly complex. It’s a major investment not only financially but emotionally. For those who have lived through an SAP

implementation, the aftermath is varied:Â Some are delighted, some frustrated, and everyone can agree that it’s a long, long road.

As far as

installations go, SAP may be one of the most costly and complex systems in the world. Multi-year installations are common. SAP is so complex that

many consulting businesses focus exclusively on the system. Teams of dozens of engineers and analysts working around the clock and around the globe

provide customization and integration services while project managers attempt to keep their schedules on track. As with any long-term systems project,

extensions are also common – and therefore frustration and confusion are common as well.

The roller coaster ride of emotions is understandable.Â

SAP often replaces many home-grown systems and affects the very heart of every business that adopts it. Often a complete overhaul of the core systems

that control every unique aspect of a business are collaborated into one system for the whole of the business. Â This big of a change does not come

without stress for those who will use it.

Specialized Solutions

With such a wide range of customizations available, SAP

can be considered a blank canvas. This is fantastic for allowing a customer the ability to design their dream-system ; and a nightmare for those who

could use a little suggestion. Of course, infinite customization takes (infinite) time and money – and when some specific system needs are identified,

it can take an extremely long time and a large amount of resources to implement them. For some businesses, searching for a third-party to provide

additional specialized functionality has proven to be a great decision.

Both the strength and the weakness of wide-scope systems like SAP is in

its flexibility and complexity. Wide-scope systems are so flexible that they introduce a high level of complexity. Enter third-party solutions which

provide very specialized functionality, such as Mobility in a relatively simple product. These solutions focus on a much more narrow set of

functionality and work in conjunction with many different types of large-scale systems such as SAP. Because they are so narrow in focus, these

specialized solutions can provide increased functional and technical capabilities without increased complexity. Over the course of the systems life

cycle, the benefits of using a specialized solution increase even more as change control and enhancements are much easier and quicker to implement than

with a more complex wide-scale system. The flexibility:complexity relationship changes dramatically and the customer gets the best of both worlds – a

capable solution that is quick to implement and change.

Increased Functionality without Complexity

By using third-party

products for specialized functionality, suddenly we don’t need teams of dozens of people. We don’t need years to develop and implement. By

focusing on one specific functional need, specialized third-party solutions eliminate much of the complexity that would be required to configure a

wide-scale system to perform the same tasks. The resources required to use a specialized product are drastically reduced which translates into a

quicker and greater ROI, and much less stress for everyone.

The iPhone for Business

With multiple commercials for the iPhone on TV every single

evening, the most recent of which have been targeting business applications, we have to ask – how ready is the iPhone platform for some serious

enterprise use? As consumers we have been absolutely canvassed with Apple’s marketing for the device. From its simple design and ease of use to

it’s now-lower price point – but is this really the enterprise platform to derail RIM and Microsoft?

Backoffice Integration

In one

recent commercial we see Apple demonstrating a credit card terminal application on the device, so that the user can accept a credit card payment for a

business transaction. What isn’t shown is how that order ties in with the backoffice applications that manage the order. Another segment shows a

shipping label being generated and printed – but how does the application tie in with the inventory management system or the fulfillment system? –

hint: they don’t.

Without that integration, these transactions are “off the grid” for the rest of the enterprise. Can you imagine the chaos

that would result from a field force of sales people taking orders without a systematic way for the orders to be fulfilled? The real challenge of

enterprise software is in the integration, to design a system to interconnect front-office applications in a way that streamlines business processes.

Hardware and Software Limitations for Enterprise

The iPhone’s lack of Bluetooth stack support for data input devices is a serious

handicap for the enterprise marketplace, specifically for asset management implementations. Adding peripheral devices such as bar code scanners, RFID

readers, mag stripe readers, and printers means all data entry must be done on the touchscreen. Without the ability to add integrated or tethered input

devices, we have only one choice – the fat-finger-prone touchscreen.

That said, the touchscreen is incredibly responsive and capable for many

data input tasks.  Even so, let’s not try to do a physical inventory without a bar code scanner, OK? Some of those asset tags might be

accidentally… tarnspoesd.

For other types of field services applications, the consumer-grade device construction renders the iPhone fragile by

industry standards for field services devices. Cracked glass screens are common for the device in the consumer space, and one should expect such a

phenomenon to have increased occurrence in the field services demographic. The iPhone is anything but durable, and screen protectors with silicon

protective cases are all but required to keep the device intact.

That leaves us with the enterprise office environment for a potential market.Â

For applications in an office environment where non-ruggedized hardware is acceptable, and for those without a critical need for peripheral data input

devices, the iPhone is a reasonable contender. Applications such as CRM, Helpdesk, Change control, Sales Force Automation, and perhaps even light-duty

Facilities work flow all seem feasible with the iPhone.

Conclusion

Compared to the established enterprise mobile platforms, Microsoft

Windows Mobile and Research in Motion Blackberry, the iPhone is still the underdog. While gaining considerable traction in the consumer market, the

iPhone platform is still relatively new to the enterprise market. Apple is targeting the enterprise market actively now, and it is clear that they

intend to make the iPhone an enterprise platform in the future. For now, that means somewhat limited availability of mission-critical software – for

example VPN clients. Enterprise email support now opens the doors for other application software to be developed for the platform, but just how long

will it take to cross the chasm? That’s anyone’s guess, and unless your organization has uniquely-fitting requirements AND is in the very small

“early adopters’” category, it may be best to hold off on the platform for now.

This is a piece that I wrote for Support World Magazine, due out in the Nov/Dec 2007 issue – see the request, and

my response below…

 Mobilizing Your Service Desk

When it comes to supporting the IT infrastructure,

IT service personal in the field often have limited or no access to their company’s help desk or CRM applications/systems.  With the onset of mobile

gadgets such as blackberries, cell phones, Read the rest of this entry »

One problem that I frequently encounter is presenting non-x86

software to a large group. Crowding around a mobile device to examine features and functionality with a group of larger than a few people is

impossible – and if you use online meeting webinar services, you need something to show that little mobile device screen on your x86 monitor. The

solution? Emulators, Simulators, and Display Software. Read the rest of this entry »

Remember the days of having to physically meet with people? Flying

in to see some random potential client who may or may not have any idea what your software does is a very expensive way to pre-qualify an account. How

did businesses survive?

Today we have another tool in the toolbox – online meetings. Don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely still a need to

meet face to face, and I’ve never seen a sale occur without an in-person meeting. However, we can use online meeting services to cheaply pre-qualify

accounts. Make sure your potential customers understand what you do before spending thousands to send a team across the country or across the world.Â

That makes good business sense to me.

Read the rest of this entry »

I use Microsoft Virtual PC to create virtual machines for my various

software demonstrations. In the past, I have used VMware Workstation, but I found the Microsoft product has more straitforward virtual networking

setup options, which ultimately means that it is less customizable, but it works just fine for sharing network adapters with the host operating system,

which is perfect for me.

Important to note, there are two different types of Virtual Machine products out there – Desktop and Server.

Read the rest of this entry »