Design Project Management Software in a User-Friendly Way

User Experience (UX) is a huge topic, however, what is the point of a software house, especially a medium-sized one, making efforts in this area without disposing of its own UX design department? In software with a wide range of functions, there is a particular threat that users will be disoriented and overwhelmed with overloaded screens. Software developers often place their focus on integrating comprehensive functionality in their programs, especially if the tool is being developed further over decades. PLANTA – on the market for 40 years – was no exception here. Driving forces have often been customer requirements or software assessments and “trends in project management”.

Efforts pay off

When the benefit of excellent usability and the importance of user satisfaction has been recognized, efforts to improve usability and user experience of the software will soon pay off as a return of invest.

Most frequently asked questions:

• How relevant is UX for my company?
• What’s in it for me?
• What are the requirements?

Webinar series on the topic of UX in medium-sized companies

Such questions will be answered in the first web seminar of a series on the topic of UX in medium-sized companies, for which Usability in Germany e.V. (UIG) and BITMi e.V. have invited software company PLANTA to illustrate UX implementation in the case of a project management software.

Here you can register for the free web seminar:

• Date: 04/27/2021 at 4 pm
• Register here

Keynote address and live demo examples for UX improvements in PM software

In the webinar, the keynote address by Mrs. Dr. Michaela Kauer-Franz (UX agency custom interactions), expert on the topic of User Experience in research and practice, will serve as a general introduction to the subject of UX. Subsequently, Jochen Geißer (PLANTA Distribution & Key Account), will hold a presentation on challenges and solutions on your way to better user experience and will showcase examples for UX improvements live in the agile and traditional project management software PLANTA pulse and PLANTA project. Examples for UX improvements: especially implementation of software ergonomics, design optimization, leaner menus, modules, and screens, hiding of irrelevant technical data, on-boarding tours for PLANTA pulse.

This much may be revealed here: different factors, such as new internal processes, a new corporate design, and a better focus on feedback from both internal and external users, were decisive for PLANTA’s success. This was facilitated by the new agile project tool PLANTA pulse, which, being based on typical kanban boards, gives the user an intuitive access from the very beginning. Taking user friendliness into account in the further development of the software without having to sacrifice functionality: the latest version of a study on project management once again attests PLANTA project a range of functions of 92%.
All PLANTA employees work with the PLANTA software. They use it to plan their personal or team tasks and to report application problems or errors in an internal PLANTA pulse board. This board is checked by the hotline and the development department so existing problems can be taken into account for new releases. The benefit is huge since not only errors in the software but also UX problems of all user groups can be identified in good time. Users on the customer side also have an option to report application problems in respective feedback boards. The new processes for a user friendly software have increased acceptance and improved feedback both among internal and external users.