Why is UX important for process management?

The higher management often thinks UX is only about user interface. To prove them wrong you have to speak their language.

When is a process correct?

When we work we execute processes. Sometimes they are already defined and we just have to follow all tasks. But sometimes they are completely new and we do not have any experience yet. In order for a process to be correct it needs to be effective and efficient.

effective: do the right thing
efficient: do it right

Best Case and Worst Case

Let's say it is cold in your apartment and your family sends you to buy a device.

Best case

The most effective device is a heater and to buy it efficiently you would go to the nearest store.

• effective: true
• efficient: true

Worst case

But how does the worst case looks like? Before checking the answer think about it for a minute... ;)

• effective: false
• efficient: true

Oh well, how can a efficient process be the worst case? Instead of buying an heater you would buy a toaster but still get it from the nearest store.

Later you show the toaster to your family and you get yelled at for wasting money. What happens next? You put on your shoes and go for a refund.

If you would gone to a store far away there was a chance that you would have changed your decision and bought a heater or that someone reminded you. You had more time to make that process effective.

effective > efficient

Why is UX important for process management?

Let's say I have a friend which has another friend and his cousin lately bought a closet from Ikea. Probably you have already seen Ikea's amazing web app where you can design your own closet.

Sadly that process was not foolproof and the worst case occurred. He managed quickly to design a beautiful closed and ordered it. A few weeks later Ikea delivered and built it in his apartment. Now it comes... that closet was too high! Sincerely, who knows how high his room is? Well, you can say someone would measure up his room before buying a closet. Looks like not everybody does that. ;)

Consequences

Ikea has a policy where they exchange your stuff. Good for the user but bad for Ikea. The user and some employees lost time, energy and money for that mistake.

Solution

I am pretty sure this was not the first time this happened. But how can we prevent such user mistakes? I do not know but someone who has experience would find a solution.

Some ideas:

• Remove the default height.
• Set a lower default height.
• Remind the user to check the height.

Conclusion

The buying process of the closet was not effective but efficient. Fastly the user managed to order a wrong closet. Because of this the user and Ikea had unnecessary more work and costs. This could have been avoided if someone had focused on UX.