SAP Fiori Innovation Day
On the 19th of November we were at the SAP Fiori Innovation Day in Heidelberg. Our SAP Portfolio Manager, Michael Englbrecht, author of several Fiori works, was talking about how we can drive change with Fiori by including the user’s perspective and their needs.
SAP Fiori – a holistic approach based on Kaizen
Kaizen refers to the philosophy of continuous improvement, which is how we recommend implementing UX transformation. In the context of application development, this refers to a holistic approach that starts with gaining a deep understanding of the problem, generating ideas, and rapid prototyping. Implementation uses modern, state-of-the-art technologies based on Kaizen. In the talk Michael Englbrecht explained how to achieve an optimized approach to development that overcomes people’s natural resistance to change and ensures adoption of better UX solutions.
For those who would like to read more about the topic, we recommend our blog series on Kaizen. Here we shed light on the role of user-centered design for an agile and lean software development process that meets actual user needs.
Panel Discussion – the state and future of UX with SAP Fiori
In a panel we discussed with the other sponsors of the event and SAP, how to create modern experiences. AI is not only part of a modern UX but also of creating them. In reality many SAP users are still working with the SAP GUI interface and to drive innovation with AI, we have to show them first the benefits of a consistent UX as its provided by Fiori.
New hires and young talents in particular expect enterprise software to work just as well and simply as the familiar solutions in the more private area. Nobody wants complexity. With mobile start it is also possible to extend the experience from web and desktop applications to mobile devices.
But the misunderstanding, that Fiori is tied to S/4HANA, keeps companies from implementing a beneficial UX right away. From our perspective it is better to start with the UX transformation before the migration to S/4HANA and to establish the guidelines and rules for the new UX at this stage. A clear understanding, clear objectives and all stakeholders working together is key.
Organizations that are successful with moving to an all-Fiori setup have this common understanding and a working change management system. The business processes were reviewed as part of the transformation and, if necessary, questioned in the context of SAP Fiori.
Regarding S/4HANA many users are still on premise and we also want to provide the new AI benefits of Fiori for them. We are currently experimenting with AI in the context of situation handling on premise. AI will support end users during their daily work to make decisions easier and things are getting automated. Also, developers will be supported by AI. Generate applications based on text or images with reusable code (APIs) and standards. Even here we are working on an on-premise solution to generate SAP RAP-applications using generative AI.
Michael Englbrecht
Michael Englbrecht is SAP Portfolio Manager and Business Manager at eXXcellent solutions. His main focus is on advising companies on the integration and implementation of SAP Fiori. Michael Englbrecht works on the conception, design and implementation of SAP Fiori and SAPUI5 applications and advises customers on the implementation of the new user experience.
eXXcellent solutions is SAP Gold Partner.