Summary
Lots of legacy enterprise product suites are being re-platformed to become updated SaaS offerings and offer richer, responsive, device agnostic experiences. While the benefits of such initiatives are many for the business and their customers, it also comes wrought with many major challenges in strategy, technology, time to market and managing change and disruption for the existing customer base. This talk will present a case study and 10 learnings from a 4-year long re-platforming journey of UKG Ready, a HCM product suite. As we follow the journey, we will also learn from UX strategy and contributions at each stage.
Key Insights
-
•
Re-platforming is a multi-layered process that can include re-hosting, re-architecture, and re-platforming.
-
•
Successful re-platforming requires flexibility and adaptability in response to evolving business needs and objectives.
-
•
It's vital to consider the entire ecosystem, including user personas and their unique challenges, during re-platforming.
-
•
Engaging power users and understanding their needs is critical to avoid pitfalls in user adoption.
-
•
Change management should be integral from the beginning of the product design process, not treated as an afterthought.
-
•
Effective communication and alignment across cross-functional teams help mitigate customer resistance.
-
•
Collecting feedback closer to the point of use helps identify and address user pain points better than relying solely on community forums.
-
•
Understanding SaaS metrics and adopting strategies like feature tours can significantly improve user onboarding and adoption rates.
-
•
Maintaining team morale during lengthy re-platforming projects is essential to sustaining productivity and motivation.
-
•
Designers should prioritize user experience to remain focused on providing value despite the myriad of other considerations.
Notable Quotes
"Re-platforming is not just about the user experience, it's about technology, business, and market drivers."
"The journey is not necessarily a linear upward path but rather a circular one that involves continuous adjustments."
"Don't lose sight of the experience amidst other considerations like speed to market."
"It's important to distinguish real pain from initial resistance and not take immediate action based on loud voices."
"Change management should never be an afterthought; it should be woven into the re-platforming strategy."
"Managing resistance is crucial, as change can cause discomfort for users accustomed to legacy systems."
"Don't forget about your power users—they are the ones who can greatly influence successful adoption."
"Listening is key, but differentiate between initial resistance and genuine feedback to guide improvements."
"The ultimate goal is to help customers through the transitional roller coaster with empathy—this earns their loyalty."
"The re-platforming journey is deeply transformative for both the product and the teams involved."
More Videos
"The earlier you consider inclusion, the less costly it is."
Samuel ProulxInvisible barriers: Why accessible service design can’t be an afterthought
December 3, 2024
"Whenever we converse, there’s an opportunity for conversion."
Victor UdoewaTheme One Intro
March 27, 2023
"We as design leaders work a lot on levels one, two, and three, but sometimes we forget the most important alignment with the company strategy."
Gonzalo GoyanesDesign ROI: Cover a Little, Get a Lot
September 8, 2022
"The future of technology shouldn't rest solely on the ethics of individual designers."
Alexandra SchmidtWhy Ethics Can't Save Tech
November 18, 2022
"We have to be relentless at saying no to avoid overcommitment."
Jose CoronadoFrom Zero to Hero
September 8, 2022
"Imagine the good we can do if we can reach more people."
Pippa LomasPaving the Path for Neurodiversity in Design
October 4, 2023
"Finding a community of fellow travelers can provide support and motivation in climate work."
Louis Rosenfeld Matt Jones Olga Khroustaleva Michael Leggett Karol MunozDo you want to work on climate? (Climate UX Discussion Series)
November 15, 2023
"The best organizations are the ones where design is part of the organizational value."
Jeff GothelfThe Intersection of Lean and Design
January 10, 2019
"There are a lot of badly designed canvases out there, and I do intend to write a blog post about what it takes to do a good one."
Dave GrayGroup Activity: Making Sense of DesignOps
November 7, 2017
