We need User friendly enterprise software

The iPhone spoils us!

Remember the time before the iPhone? The so called 'smartphones' were bulky, unresponsive, had to be constantly restarted, were terribly slow and best of all required a really expensive toothpick to operate called a 'stylus'. Ever since the iPhone's release in 2007 (yes its been that long..), smartphones have become easier to use. Most don't even ship with a manual. You open the box and you are good to go. Funny thing though is the price of smartphones has stayed relatively constant.

With the success of the iPhone, consumer software has undergone a paradigm shift. Most software applications available to the general public, have become simpler and easier to use. Websites today are more just more powerful and feature laden, yet they are also much easier to operate and navigate.

In the consumer space, If the software doesn't "just work" you can be guaranteed it will fail. Some of the usability success can be attributed to the fact that technology is more prevalent and some things have just become so blatantly obvious with extensive use of standard interface designs. (Like for example, a bolded 'B' generally signifies text bolding, in any text editor, no need to write a whole manual about it).

Enterprise software stuck in pre-iPhone era

Enterprise level software, or the 'un-glamorous' stuff that powers hundreds of companies, is stuck in the pre-iPhone era. Most of the software is feature rich, but nearly impossible to use without extensive training. In fact most vendors discount the price of software knowing they can make it up in the training. Anybody who has worked in a large company knows what I am talking about. The email systems, the document management and file sharing systems, the internal search system, etc. If you have to click one button on your Gmail, you have to click five on your enterprise email.

Try to complain to your IT department and sure enough they will tell that it's that complicated because of security reasons.They're probably right. One requirement Enterprise software has the need for IT to have increased control. But, still that doesn't negate the need for a great end user experience. At the end of the day, its humans that look at front ends.

Make it easy!

Enter the new age of enterprise tools. Dropbox is a really good example. Their interfaces are so easy to use (I'm sure a caveman could use it), yet, with their latest round of developments for the enterprise version, they have satisfied the IT community. Dropbox was not a pioneer in cloud storage solutions by any means, but, by making it so easy to use, they have cornered a huge market.

Market Killers

The net effect? Make it easy, or its not going to take off. Especially if you are starting out. The market is used to iPad like ease of use,give it to them! If not, somebody else will.

Mazira is building the next generation personal search engine and document management system. Follow us on Twitter for updates. Take the Mazira personal version for a spin.