Visual Modeling Within the UCD Process
IA Konferenz 2009
Holger Deist, SAP User Experience – Research, Standards & Methods
Dr. Wolfgang Teusch, SAP Industry Solution Management
Hamburg, May 16, 2009

Introduction
What is our focus?
User-centered design (UCD) process @ SAP
Case study:
Re-design of a cross-industry business software
Visual modeling in user research and conceptual design
What is our message?
visual modeling of task flows / use cases, object structures and information architecture
leverages communication and a common, comprehensive understanding between all
stakeholders
A successful product design requires the integration of end-users from the beginning
Agile structures enhance quality and speed within research and development
© SAP AG 2009

Agenda
1. Introduction
2. User-Centered Design @ SAP
3. Case Study: Visual Modeling in User Research & Conceptual Design
4. Summary
5. Question & Answers
© SAP AG 2009

A Miss is as Good as a Mile …
What the CTO described What was communicated What product management specified
What development programmed What the field sold What the user needed
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Getting it right the first time:
UCD @ SAP
More details: www.sapdesignguild.org
© SAP AG 2009

Getting it right the first time:
UCD @ SAP
Determine UCD
Determine UCD
activities
activities
Plan resources,
Plan resources,
timeline, budget
timeline, budget
More details: www.sapdesignguild.org
© SAP AG 2009

Getting it right the first time:
UCD @ SAP
Understand the market
Understand the market
and business opportunity
and business opportunity
Update // create user
Update create user
profiles
profiles
Understand users (goals,
Understand users (goals,
tasks, tools, painpoints
tasks, tools, painpoints
and needs)
and needs)
Derive user requirements
Derive user requirements
Update business process
Update business process
models
models
More details: www.sapdesignguild.org
© SAP AG 2009

Getting it right the first time:
UCD @ SAP
Define the product
Define the product
scope from an end-
scope from an end-
user perspective
user perspective
Develop use cases,
Develop use cases,
user object model & IA
user object model & IA
Validate prototypes
Validate prototypes
iteratively with end-
iteratively with end-
users
users
More details: www.sapdesignguild.org
© SAP AG 2009

Getting it right the first time:
UCD @ SAP
Ensure design
Ensure design
continuity as the
continuity as the
system is coded
system is coded
Update design if
Update design if
required
required
Validate modified
Validate modified
design with end-
design with end-
users
users
More details: www.sapdesignguild.org
© SAP AG 2009

Getting it right the first time:
UCD @ SAP
Measure the usability
Measure the usability
of released product
of released product
More details: www.sapdesignguild.org
© SAP AG 2009

Faster in Agile Teams
Core Team
(Solution Management, Development, UX)
Close collaboration in all UCD phases
Key competencies are bundled
Common understanding of user requirements
360° view on system
Parallel work instead of waterfall approach
Internal collaboration with other departments
External collaboration with third parties
© SAP AG 2009

Agenda
1. Introduction
2. User-Centered Design @ SAP
3. Case Study: Visual Modeling in User Research & Conceptual Design
4. Summary
5. Question & Answers
© SAP AG 2009

Modeling UX by Complementary Views
3. UI Design
Information Architecture
Use Cases User Object Model
2. Conceptual Design
1. Field Research
© SAP AG 2009

Modeling UX by Complementary Views
3. UI Design
Field Research
Identify, analyze and understand Information Architecture
Goals
Tasks
Workarounds
Use Cases User Object Model
Painpoints and
2. Conceptual DesignNeeds
of the targeted end-users
show examplary model
1. Field Research
© SAP AG 2009

Modeling UX by Complementary Views
Use Cases
define the use, from the end-users' perspective, for accomplishing a specific goal within a system.
A single use case describes a set of steps — a sequence of user interactions — to successfully
accomplish the goal. The ‘use case brief’ outlines in a few sentences what the use case is about.
The collection of all use cases defines the functional scope (everything that can be done with
3. UI Designsystem by all users).
the
A use case describes the ‘what’ and not the ‘how’.
Information Architecture
show examplary model
Use Cases User Object Model
2. Conceptual Design
1. Field Research
© SAP AG 2009

Modeling UX by Complementary Views
3. UI Design
Information Architecture
Use Cases User Object Model
2. Conceptual Design
User Object Model
provides a holistic view on the system’s objects, their
attributes and actions from an end-user perspective in the
user’s language
show examplary model
1. Field Research
© SAP AG 2009

Modeling UX by Complementary Views
3. UI Design
Information Architecture
The Information Architecture Diagram
Use Cases User Object Model
maps the groups, branches, and interrelations among the
UI components of the application from an end-user
2. Conceptual Design
perspective
helps the team derive UI decisions based on a holistic
understanding of the underlying application structure
show examplary model
1. Field Research
© SAP AG 2009

Modeling UX by Complementary Views
3. UI Design
UI Design Information Architecture
The UI visualizes the underlying structures and processes of an
application
To design easy to-use UIs it is critical to understand and shape these
Use Cases User Object Model
structures and processes from an end-user perspective before
Iterative prototyping is the sure path to achieving high-quality user
2. Conceptual Design
interfaces
1. Field Research
© SAP AG 2009

Agenda
1. Introduction
2. User-Centered Design @ SAP
3. Case Study: Visual Modeling in User Research & Conceptual Design
4. Summary
5. Question & Answers
© SAP AG 2009

Summary
UCD leverages efficiency within research and development
Visual Modeling facilitates communication and a comprehensive understanding of the system
regarding
business processes and task flows / use cases
object structures and information architecture
A comprehensive understanding of the system from an end-user’s perspective
provides a solid basis for deriving product strategy
enables a modular, scalable architecture via focusing on the big picture
avoids patchwork solutions that limit the flexibility and address isolated parts of the user‘s
tasks
© SAP AG 2009

Agenda
1. Introduction
2. User-Centered Design @ SAP
3. Case Study: Visual Modeling in User Research & Conceptual Design
4. Summary
5. Question & Answers
© SAP AG 2009

Thank You!
© SAP AG 2009

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