For enterprise apps, K.I.S.S.
Enterprise applications must be more user friendly, more often updated, and offer external users more transparency than ever to be successful. While you are at it, find the key to world peace! ECF editorial director Bill Laberis
Start with outcomes the users want and work back from that, then? Microsoft is famous for jamming a zillion features into Windows and Office when the 80/20 rule applies - 80% of users use only 20% of the features. Make sense? You could strip out at least 60% of the features in these two platforms and I'd never know they were gone!
Totally agree, Bill. One of the largest challenges with application modernization is porting the myriad of features that may or may not be needed. Many (so called) "mission critical" features are perceived to be important, but may not be used. Sometimes existing complexity causes apps on the fringe to be overlooked because they're so dense. Lets face it, there's still a fair amount of apps using a command line interface.
So, what's needed. Perhaps we need to strip an enterprise app down to its simplest component. Make a mobile-style simple interface and deploy as an app (with each feature recorded and monitored). Continue to use the backend data sources already in place, but optimize the app for the way computing is done today. Maybe even make it cool.
Is the answer embracing the consumerization of IT?
(note: I work on projects sponsored by EnterpriseCIOForum.com and HP)
