Regularly, Akuiteo changes to adapt to its users' uses. For several years now, we have been setting up web portals, which answer to a simple use of certain functionalities (time entries, expense reports, etc.). Today we have decided to go even further by gradually abandoning the desktop application of our solution in favor of the full web! Our wish? To allow each user to work 100% on the web version of Akuiteo without having to install anything on his computer... meanwhile, both platforms will continue to work with the same level of service!
A redesign of Akuiteo according to your needs
As you may have guessed, the purpose of this redesign is to better meet the requirements of our users, and especially the needs of their businesses.
A move to full web
Several reasons pushed us to start migrating our desktop functionalities to the full web:
- The ergonomics of the desktop application is no longer suitable for the "simple" uses of the majority of ERP users;
- Accessibility and web usage are more easily understood by users;
- CIOs are increasingly demanding full web applications, especially from software publishers and consulting firms!
A persona approach
The idea of this web redesign is to adapt our platform to each persona (aka - Typical user profile).
In order to address a profile and make its use complete - without having to use the desktop version - our objectives are the following:
- Identify the most used functions of the desktop application;
- Complete these functions with the modules / services that are currently missing.
For example, the sales persona did not have the possibility to manage his quotes on his web portal, although this is an essential function for this profession. We will remedy this in the next version of Akuiteo as part of this redesign!
A prioritization of needs
Our approach was mainly based on customer requests, collected on our customer portal and on interviews with our users. That's why we re-challenged our priorities according to their needs, and those of our prospects.
For example, the "Hotliner" Persona of our "software publisher" friends will also be served in the next version. The web development of the Support module has started, to eventually benefit from a dedicated web portal. The technical base based on API "Rest" is already in place. All that remains is to develop the "Web Front" from the POCs carried out with our users.
Standardization of desktop and web versions
To facilitate the appropriation of this new ergonomics and the new induced uses, all these new developments will of course be tested by our quality team.
We also want to capitalize on the study and R&D time invested by standardizing the existing portals. This will make our interfaces easier to use and more consistent!
Finally, we now have the Chromium browser (formerly Internet Explorer) directly embedded in the Akuiteo desktop application. This will facilitate the hybrid use of our tool with a desktop with embedded web pages, and will allow access to web features without having to leave the application.
A dedicated project team
In order not to block the global progress of all our projects, we have assigned a dedicated team to the web developments of Akuiteo. The goal? To allow the other teams to remain available and operational to maintain the level of service.
Thanks to Volaris, on which Akuiteo now depends, we are now reinforcing our teams with the hiring of several developers and product owners to accompany our evolution. Thus, the two generations will continue to collaborate hand in hand until the web version is complete.
The conceptual data model and the service-oriented business server (SOA) have been in place for several years. With each new version, Akuiteo's web perimeter expands and pushes us to think about the new expectations of our users. Leading several evolutions at once is nothing new for our teams!
Picture credit : Designed by Freepik – Vectorjuice
