top of page

QAD Configuration Data

How might we enable our customers to more easily configure their environments without the need for QAD involvement?
Roles & Responsibilities

UX Designer, user research, prototyping, testing, product launch, product management, training

Duration

Mar 2021 - Sept 2021

23 minute Functional Training Course that I put together showcasing the Configuration Data solution.

The Problem

Configuration Data was developed as a solution for a gap in the existing ERP software. In the existing system, if customers wanted to move their environment configurations, such as adding layouts and themes, they needed to add these into a QAD App. These QAD Apps needed to be brought in by QAD Cloud services, and therefore required system downtime. This was a time-consuming and complex process for customers to move their environment configurations from one instance to another.

The Solution

Configuration Data was designed as a flexible and lightweight solution to allow these environment configurations to be brought in without the need for QAD Cloud services, the SDLC process, or downtime.

Understanding the User

Product managers, functional experts, and customers were interviewed to gain a better understanding of who would use this feature, and how our customers are currently managing their environment configuration processes. 

Screenshot 2023-05-04 at 8.09.58 PM.png

Research

In addition to defining use cases and interviewing experts, I initiated competitive analysis to understand how other products handle the exchange of customer configuration settings. I reviewed solutions from competitors such as:

  • Oracle

  • IBM

  • Symantec

Defining the Problem

I created Storyboards for the primary use cases to illustrate the business scenario the user would be working in and the primary tasks they need to complete in their user flow. These were shared with the primary stakeholders and development team for feedback.

Screenshot 2023-05-04 at 8.21_edited.jpg

To begin the design process, I created environment configuration transfer workflow diagrams to visualize and communicate the expected end-to-end solution.

Screenshot 2023-05-04 at 8.41.16 PM.png

Defining Parameters

Among the issues that needed to be solved for were technical considerations:

  • How do we differentiate between the QAD configurations and their purpose, and the customer configurations?

  • What can be transferred?

  • How do we communicate clearly what these types of data are to the users?​

​

Artifacts:

The specification of a physical piece of information that is used or produced by a software development process, or by deployment and operation of a system.

App Data vs Configuration Data

Screenshot 2023-05-08 at 8.33.07 PM.png

Creating a distinction between App Data and Configuration Data helped define between how QAD would configure environments, versus the customer configuring the environments for their own business needs.

Prototype Designs

I created Axure high-fidelity interactive prototypes where users would save their environment configurations to our new type of data, Configuration Data. 

 

The prototypes were used to review the solution design with management, key internal stakeholders, and customers to validate or iterate on the design according to the feedback.

Screen Shot 2021-06-25 at 3.35.48 PM.png

The main Configuration Data screen shows a list of the environment configuration "artifacts" (layouts, themes, etc.) that can be transferred.

Screen Shot 2021-07-28 at 1.34.39 PM.png

Users can export their artifacts to a zip file.

Screen Shot 2021-07-28 at 1.33.27 PM.png

Then, when in another environment, users can upload the zip file and import those environment configuration artifacts and are able to configure the layouts, themes, and other elements to their business needs.

bottom of page