Case Study: Workflow Analysis
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Centralis delighted Friedman's current and new customers alike with a fresh new design.
The Challenge
Friedman Corporation, a provider of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software to manufacturing companies, wanted to upgrade their outdated Frontier software from green screen to a new graphical user interface. They needed to please current customers, who had mastered the status quo, while appealing to a new customer base, who expected a modern web-based application.
Friedman turned to Centralis to uncover users’ needs, understand existing workflows, and design a flexible and appealing solution that would work in a variety of settings for a range of customer types.
The Process
Centralis began with contextual inquiry, observing users in their own work environments as they used Frontier. We watched as they used the software to customize a diverse group of products, from windows and doors to cabinets and furniture.
We discovered surprising variability, which we captured in three personas and detailed workflow diagrams. We established design principles to guide our implementation of a new interface for Frontier and illustrated its complex functionality via an interactive prototype.
The Impact
Centralis’ research revealed that speed and accuracy were critical to Frontier users, and that the display had to be flexible enough to accommodate the different types of information needed across industries. We created a solution with streamlined key-stroke control and made the new interface intuitive and easy to learn, cutting down on the need for months of costly training.
Friedman took our design and made it a reality, boosting the experience for current users and sales of the software to new customers.
Our Value
Centralis’ extreme focus on the micro-steps in users’ processes ensured that we didn’t miss a single detail. We designed the new Frontier to be a modern, accessible product that appealed to both existing and new users.
Frontier was immediately popular with existing customers, with a six-month waiting list to transition to the GUI. Interest from new customers made our redesign of Frontier the best-selling software offered by Friedman Corporation.
and detail you put into this. Very much appreciated."
- Centralis Client