The iPhone 3G and 2.0 software were released last week. As I perused the new App Store it struck me how much the iPhone and what it represents, will impact the strategy and design of web and SaaS applications at the enterprise level.
The iPhone is just the very visible beginning to an infinite variety of future form factors for internet-connected devices and applications. There will be gesture-based iPhone clones of various sizes, tablets with or without keyboards, multi-screen large displays, MS “surfaces”, as well as new laptops and desktops. What this means for enterprise application design is that you cannot count on the guaranteed luxury of known screen real-estate, input devices, processor speed or server access speed.
Diverse form factors mandate particular strategies for the design of Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) and SaaS. The principals are not new. But they are worth re-stating. Each point would be worthy of a dedicated blog entry, but in this post, I am only going to briefly point out a few.
Identify the high value scenarios, simplify business process and validate this with users
It is more critical than ever to identify and model the scenarios that are of highest value to the widest set users. Then ensure that these scenarios/workflows are prominent in the software, easily understood, and require the fewest number of steps to complete. This likely also involves analyzing your business processes and streamlining them. The result is not a stripped down application - but rather one that is more refined, prioritized and elicits greater productivity. On smaller, low powered devices, the UI design should enable users to accomplish the high-value tasks in very short time. On larger devices you have the luxury to add in more options - but only when it makes sense.
Salesforce CRM for iPhone - high value tasks, integrated with email, phone and maps
Develop componentized, contextual interfaces
On-premise applications are typically dominated by the Windows OS desktop metaphor with drop-down menus, tabs, tables, combo boxes, modal windows, etc. They require a lot of screen real estate and cram in a large number of options and settings to accommodate every imaginable choice and feature. Applications on the web or mobile (where performance is constrained) need to surface just the components and data that are necessary for that device, at the moment.
Use agile design techniques to produce meaningful prototypes in a very short time
Internet-connected devices need to adapt to user feedback, new technology and real-time monitoring of user behavior (i.e. you can track what works and what doesn’t). Agile development processes let you iterate quickly. By using componentized design and user experience elements, you iterate prototypes with little wasted effort and are able to adapt to change throughout the development process.
Get your conceptual models right
Because you don’t have the real estate for sophisticated online help, or guaranteed ability of the mobile user to contact support, you need to make sure that users have the right conceptual models or previous experience models that users relate to high-frequency or high-value tasks. This will minimize training and support, and maximize adoption. Validate with representative users.
Plan for information sharing and social media (aka Web 2.0)
Users on an iPhone are by definition, working on a communication device. More broadly stated, user working on the web are likely involved in or familiar with some form of social interaction. Design SaaS and web applications to take advantage of the easy ability to share information.
Design for accessibility
People usually think of designing for accessibility as something for the visually or aurally impaired. But when you design for accessibility, you are by necessity also designing for devices that are resource constrained. Design for accessibility and you achieve several goals at once.
There are certainly many more strategic and design principals that I could cover. These are just a few that immediately jumped out at me when looking through the App Store. What is clear, is that any enterprise developing a new web application or SaaS solution, must have a strategy to accommodate a wide range of dispersed users using a diverse range of devices.
Categories: SaaS, Mobile, User Experience