Why Usability is a key factor in ERP selection
ERP selection is a major decision for any business. As ERP is the tool that sits at the heart of an organisation and drives the business forward, it’s vital that the right ERP system is implemented. There are lots of factors that should be reviewed when choosing an ERP solution but we believe two of the most important of these are the concepts of usability and fit. These both need to be right or the adoption of ERP in your organisation will be a real uphill struggle (and, in all honesty, is most likely to fail). Below we examine what usability is, why it is so important and suggested questions for you to ask when embarking on your ERP selection process. We’ll be breaking down the concept of software fit and what that means to a business in next week’s blog.
Usability – an explanation
Usability is defined in the ISO 9241 – Ergonomics of Human System Interaction as
“the extent to which a system, product or service can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use”.
Whilst usability is often thought to mean ease-of-use, the reality is that it is much more. User satisfaction also needs to be considered. In fact, for a product (or in this case, ERP software) to be truly usable, it needs to meet certain criteria – criteria defined originally by Jakob Nielsen in his book, Usability Engineering, and later by Whitney Quesenbery as the 5Es.
Why is Usability important?
You may be thinking this seems like a lot of theory (and you’d be right!) but we can use these 5Es to question whether an ERP system is truly usable. ERP users are likely to be using the software every day for hours on end and so it’s important to get it right. Because if you don’t – and this is why usability matters so much – and users can’t achieve what they need to in an effective, efficient and satisfied way, they will find another way of doing it. In the context of ERP this could mean a reversion back to the previous way of doing things, with multiple unconnected spreadsheets and guesstimating.
How to find out whether your ERP selection is usable
So what should you look at when deciding whether an ERP system is usable in your business?
1. Effective – will it provide you with accurate information to base business decisions on? Does it reduce the amount of errors? For example, E-Max ERP’s Shop Floor Data Collection sends live data from the shop floor (via barcode scanning) to management, so instant decisions can be made and error rates reduced.
2. Efficient – does the software work fast enough? Have the number of steps been reduced? Are there shortcuts users can take advantage of to reduce time and repetition? We’ve embedded single click functionality throughout E-Max ERP to allow users to convert each stage in the Quote to Invoice process to the next, reducing data entry and potential mistakes.
3. Engaging – is the software nice to look at and, more importantly, satisfying to use? Engagement is very important to us as ERP developers as we know some users can spend a huge proportion of their working day on our system. We’ve worked hard to configure functions within the system to match users’ tasks so they can continue to follow similar processes and put a familiar-style (Microsoft Office themed) front end on the system which most users already know and find easy to navigate.
4. Error tolerant – it’s impossible to completely omit human error but is the software designed to restrict opportunities for error? If an error is made, is it easy to reverse or get back on the right path? For example, in E-Max, process driven messages help users ensure the right data is in the right place. Fields can also be locked down and user access restricted to avoid unnecessary errors by those in different areas of the business.
5. Easy to learn – new software, and especially complex software like an ERP system, can be challenging initially but once employees have run through the system the first time, can they easily navigate through in future? Can they use that learning to work their way through other areas of the system? The standardisation of E-Max’s user interface throughout our software reduces the learning curve for the whole system. This screen uniformity helps to get E-Max up and running in less time than might be expected.
E-Max’s development team has been seeking and incorporating feedback from our users for over 20 years. User centred software is important to us and we will continue to ask our customers for their valuable feedback.
What’s next in ERP selection?
Great news, your ERP selection(s) passed the usability questions and you’re confident your workforce can handle the software! So, does that mean it is the right system for your business? It’s impossible to know that until you’ve looked at whether the software will ‘fit’ your organisation.
Read our blog on software fit to find out why it is equally as important as usability in terms of ERP selection. You can also ensure you never miss a blog by registering to receive our monthly update on the latest industry and ERP trends.
If you have any questions on our manufacturing ERP system, E-Max ERP’s, usability and functionality and how it can help improve your business, then please contact us on 0141 644 4424, drop us an email or take a look at our website. You can also arrange a free demo with us to see E-Max ERP in action.