Motivators - things that bring me back
Task achievement
Perhaps the strongest positive, or motivating, factor is the capacity to succeed. If the Intranet facility enables the end-user to complete a required task that could not otherwise be completed, it is inherently useful. The same applies to Intranet applications that replace less effective processes by enabling the end-user to complete a task more quickly, more conveniently or more easily.
User-centric design
Applications that comply with the end-users’ expectations will also be perceived as more useful. To achieve this, the application should work the way the users expect. It should be flexible enough to permit each user to sequence steps in the way that best suits them. Finally, if the user can see a clear link between each work step and successful completion of the task, then each step will feel meaningful and productive.
Automated process support
Well designed IT systems make the users’ lives easier by eliminating duplicate steps and by using information already entered to make reasonable assumptions. Those parts of tasks that can be automated, such as the duplication of an address or a calculation based on factors already entered, should be automated. The user may be asked to confirm the details, but not to capture them again. Applications should also offer default settings wherever relevant. Wherever possible, information already captured should be used to make reasoned assumptions about the default values to be offered. Each of these methods will enhance the perceived usefulness of the application.
Adding value to information
A further form of automation that is immediately recognised as useful is the aggregation of relevant information onto a single page to ease comparison and decision-making. The comparable information should be presented in standard form and common units of measurement. The user should be free to adapt the presentation of the information to suit the task at hand. Where there are several dimensions of comparison the user should ideally be able to sort by several nested dimensions.
Exit and re-entry support
Designers can also make an application more useful by supporting the user in leaving it and coming back again. Interruptions are a normal part of life for most of us, so it is likely that all but the simplest tasks should be able to cope with breaks in the process. I should be able to leave a process at any point and be able to return later without having to redo all of the work I had already done. Another truly useful facility is the ability to recall previous work both to check what was done and to re-use the work. It should be easy to find out when I last ordered small green widgets and to generate a new order without repeating the entire process.
Hygiene factors – things that keep me away
Good usability in design is seldom noticed. The same is probably true of many aspects of usefulness. As I mentioned above, people are more likely to notice the bad than the good and there are always many ways of getting things wrong.
Undue difficulty
One sure-fire way to generate resentment is by making the task more complex or more difficult than it used to be. This generally happens when short-cut techniques are eliminated or extra data is required. Applications that introduce new or unwarranted constraints on task completion will also draw adverse reactions. One common example is where an Intranet site that is subject to corporate access control introduces its own registration requirements.
Too many choices
Another way of making the task more complex is to offer the user far more parameters than are normally necessary. I’ll use an online room booking application as an example. Most meetings are simple affairs. Only occasionally will people need to arrange catering, lighting, projection, audio systems and car parking. Requiring all users to indicate choices for these options adds an absurd extra layer of complexity. It would be far better to offer a standard room set-up as a default with links for “Special equipment, Catering, and Parking” or even a link for “Additional facilities and services”.
Poor communication
People can only use an online facility effectively if it communicates clearly. Much has been written about writing for the Web, with Gerry McGovern (http://www.gerrymcgovern.com) being one of the leading proponents. The principles he advocates of using simple, direct, explicit language in short, clearly demarcated segments are equally valid in any on-screen application. If links, usage instructions and guidance notes are difficult to find or understand, users will tend to ignore them. The probable result is confusion, frustration and another under-used online facility.
If you want to frustrate your users, introduce new and unfamiliar terms. If you really want to prevent them from using your application, try using familiar terms in a new and different way. To avoid confusion, write for the target audience, learn how language is used in the specific work environment and use the same language the same way.
Irreversibility traps
People are not perfectly accurate, perfectly decisive or perfectly consistent. We make mistakes and change our minds. Unfortunately many applications prevent us from retracing our steps or changing earlier choices. Often the only choice is to abort the process and start again. Most processes can permit reversals and changes. There may be technical costs, but these should be weighed against the benefits of increased uptake. In the rare case that a choice really cannot be reversed, the fact should be made extraordinarily clear before the choice is made.
Keeping users waiting
Whatever the cause, slow response is a very effective way of making the facility inconvenient and unattractive. The end-user typically doesn’t care why it’s slow. A friendly phone call or a walk down the corridor is more appealing than staring at a crawling progress bar, even if the offline method ends up taking longer. If there is no economical way to avoid a delay, at least make it clear that something is happening. Ensure that pages load progressively, starting with text and text links so that I can continue without waiting for the pictures if I choose to.
Burden the user’s memory
Intranet and public sites have come up with a number of interesting memory testing techniques. One of the most popular is the assignment of meaningless, arbitrary User IDs and passwords made up of random characters. This is particularly obnoxious when applied to mundane tasks in a secure Intranet environment. Another challenge is offered by listing complex procedural instructions followed by a link to the operating environment that opens in the same window, obliterating the instructions.
How did we get here?
I have been invited to study and assess Intranet facilities for a number of well-known companies during the past few years. The Intranets I have studied typically started out as enthusiast-driven platforms for internal communication and knowledge sharing. These shared platforms have subsequently become home to more commercial tools. Most of the companies I have worked with have moved applications online for two main reasons: to reduce costs and improve control. It is these business benefits that have justified the ongoing investment in Intranets. We can illustrate these benefits with an example of an application that is often moved online.
One of the more common examples, across business types, is an online expenses application. If employees fill in their expense claims online, then I don’t need the admin staff to transport, capture and file paper forms. I can run the claims through validation filters and immediately query incomplete or disallowable claims. I have immediate sight of expenses in my management and financial control systems and can allow managers to check and approve the claims online. The Intranet–served application delivers significant benefits for management and some probable benefit for the shareholders.
Conclusion
It makes sound commercial sense that developers focus their efforts on these audiences since they sign the orders, but the recent downturn has focused attention on generating returns on investments of all types. Managers will only continue to approve investment in technology if the projected benefits are realised. This can only happen with acceptance and implementation by the end-users. It seems that most application designers have yet to recognise the importance of building in end-user benefits. Perhaps management will move end-user benefits up the requirements list when they come to recognise how strongly this influences return on technology investment.
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