What A Fantastically Interesting Outcome From A Major Implementation. Real Lessons For NEHTA and DoH.

This appeared a little while ago.

December 11, 2013, 5:18 PM ET

Avon’s Failed SAP Implementation Reflects Rise of Usability

The failure of Avon Products Inc.’s $125 million implementation of SAP AG software is the latest – and perhaps most dramatic – example of how usability has become a critical issue in the workplace. People who are accustomed to using simple, well-designed applications in their personal lives have no patience for disappointing technology at work.

As the WSJ’s Drew Fitzgerald reported earlier today, Avon is pulling the plug on a $125 million software system rollout that has been in the works for four years after a test of the system in Canada drove away representatives the door-to-door beauty product company relies on to drive sales.

Avon began testing the new order management software system in Canada in the second quarter. While the new system based on software supplied by SAP AG worked as planned, it was so burdensome and disruptive to the representatives’ daily routine that they left in meaningful numbers. Avon relies on a direct sales model where its representatives aren’t employees, which makes it difficult to add new tasks associated with the software system.

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“Basically, users will accept less crap today, when it comes to software,” says Michael Krigsman, an independent industry analyst. “That is because the world of consumer software has become easy and simple to use and has trained users to expect that business software will follow a similar model. And if it doesn’t, people are much less patient than they were in the past.”

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UPDATE–This story has been updated to add comment from SAP.

More here:

http://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2013/12/11/avons-failed-sap-implementation-reflects-rise-of-usability/?mod=djemCIO_h

This line says it all:

“Basically, users will accept less crap today, when it comes to software,”

Surely this is another reason for the debacle of the PCEHR? Users who use iPads, iPhones, late Windows etc. simply will not put up with hopeless, slow, inconsistent and unstable user interfaces.

Maybe someone should point out the basic truth to the powers that be (and shouldn’t be!).

David.