We all know that groupwise in the backend is a technically very good system.
However, users have a total different idea about groupwise that is for a very big part based on the GUI. They don't like the GUI, it's nog intuitive enough and therefore many users start raising the question 'why are we still on groupwise and not on outlook?'. Many system administrators must have heard this question over the last few years in their companies. And I think that many of them couldn't come up with the right answer.
Based on those comments more and more companies start to go away from groupwise and migrate to outlook. System administrators many times hate the move, but can't stop it.
So we asked around in our company 'what don't you like about groupwise?'.
Conclusion; it's almost every time about the workflow and the intuitive side of the client. Outlook is more intuitive and groupwise is not so much. Some users also complain about features that are present in Outlook and not in Groupwise. There are more plugins for outlook than for groupwise. But the majority is about the GUI.
So, if the GUI is such a big problem to end users, why not make it more user friendly and intuitive?
When users are happy, there's more chance they start liking the product more which will result in lesser migrations to outlook. Right?
We did some research and came accross a study that a (don't know which one) university in the US has done involving thousands of end users to come up with a set of rules for the best possible User eXperience for all kinds of software.
The end results of this study have been picked up by many other big companies like Microsoft and Google to create a more intuitive GUI.
Also a book has been published; the UX book - process and guidelines for ensuring a quality user experience.
I'm wondering if Novell/Microfocus has been using these guidelines for the groupwise client?
If not, why not use these guidelines to create a more intuitive users experience for the client and webaccess versions and therefore make users more happy in working with groupwise?
If users are more happy, lesser complaints, lesser talk about moving to outlook, more happy system administrators ... everybody is happy. Win/win situation!!
by: Mario v. | over a year ago | Windows Client
Comments
I agree with this 100%. When you're the developer you know the product so well it's hard to understand why it might be complicated for your end users. Sometimes it needs not just a bit of tinkering around the edges but a fresh look at the product.
Users are more and more complaining/laughing about the GUI. It feels like a trip to a time ten years ago. It is getting harder to optin for Groupwise if users are comparing the client to Apple Mail, Windows Mail or Exchange.
We have been very, very disappointed after upgrding to 18.3 that everything still looks the same.
You have shown that you are able to create modern GUIs when you have updated the webclient.
PLEASE also take care of the desktop client.
@arne: please use the new IDEA portal at https://community.microfocus.com/t5/GroupWise-Idea-Exchange/idb-p/GWideas
and specifically the one you are commenting on: https://community.microfocus.com/t5/GroupWise-Idea-Exchange/More-intuitive-GUI-for-desktop-and-webaccess-clients-based-on-UX/idi-p/2789796
FYI, this Ideas Exchange is no longer used. The current location for GroupWise enhancements is https://community.microfocus.com/t5/GroupWise-Idea-Exchange/idb-p/GWideas