A UX approach finds that sweet spot between what is desirable for end-users and what is both feasible and viable for the organisation. The value of UX isn’t just about knowing the needs, wants, and desires of end-users – it’s about compromise. Designing within the software’s capabilities and constraints (and don’t forget the organisation’s objectives!) to deliver a user-friendly digital experience is where the real value of UX sits.

Typically, cloud-based software solutions are designed ‘at’ end-users, rather than ‘with’ and ‘for’ end-users. As a result, many end-users end up confused and frustrated – to put it simply, the solutions are not user-centric and don’t address fundamental pain points and opportunities.

This comes down to a stock standard delivery approach which could be described as ‘build, test, release’. Yes, ‘test’ is a part of the approach, but this usually takes the form of User Acceptance Testing (UAT), which looks to see if the solution is functioning the way it is intended to, not whether the solution is simple and intuitive for end-users. Engaging with end-users (even if it is light touch) throughout the design and delivery phases will allow organisations to gain an empathetic understanding of the requirements to drive the delivery of a user-friendly digital experience.

It is essential to apply a lean UX approach as this helps keep key stakeholders at ease and focussed on what is most important to end-users. It is paramount to plan upfront where UX can make a valuable impact - especially when faced with urgency and demanding deadlines. 

Two key things that should always be ascertained up front are: who the key user groups are (front and back-stage), and secondly, what the hygiene factors are that fundamentally have to be right for that particular user group. We call these hygiene factors, ‘Moments that Matter’. Getting them right will support a positive base-level user experience.

Moments that Matter sit across the front and back-stage experience and should help define the scope for the Minimal Viable Product (MVP) and following iterations. Taking a lean UX approach is about getting your MVP scope into the ‘build, measure, learn’ cycle as quickly as possible. The purpose of this cycle is to test prototypes with end-users for iterative value-add feedback. This is where the organisation’s assumptions are validated and any fundamental flaws in the design can be ironed out. A delivery approach that integrates genuine end-user testing before the cloud solution is pushed to the production environment will have higher rates of adoption and reduced enhancement costs after go-live.

Regardless of your solution and the degree of urgency, getting the use of language right is vital. By adopting plain English throughout the cloud solution, organisations can fundamentally improve the end-user experience. Plain English will help ensure instructions are concise, helpful, and easily understood – end-users will be enabled to self-serve to seamlessly complete tasks.

‘Good design starts with good content. Clear, well-designed, and well-planned content means your messages get through with less effort.’ – Craig Christensen

Delivering cloud-based software solutions ‘with’ and ‘for’ end-users in will always benefit the organisation – both in the short and long term.

Find out how Deloitte can support your aspirations to make your cloud-base software solutions more user-friendly by embedding a UX approach. Get in touch with us here.