Usability Evaluation of Microsoft Dynamics - Essay Example

Usability Evaluation of Microsoft Dynamics 1. Introduction Microsoft Dynamics is a software application that is usedin the business enterprises as a line of enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management. The Microsoft Dynamics applications are notably conveyed via network topologies of reselling associates who make available specific services. The history of Microsoft Dynamics dates back to 1983 when a company called PC&C ApS founded in Copenhagen began to sell accounting software packages to small businesses. PC&C ApS then changed its name to Navision Software after its initialization success and expansion to various regions of the world. Navision then began to offer Navision Financials 1.0, an accounting and enterprise-resource planning solution application in 1990s. This application was then offered for Microsoft’s Windows 2000 Professional operating system, and Navision later in 2000 emerged with rival Damgaard. In 2002, Microsoft acquired Navision or $1.45 billion after acquisition of Great Plains of Software in 2000. While still using the same name, Microsoft continued to be innovative and eventually came up with a new department called Microsoft Business Solutions. The name Microsoft Dynamics then came to be in 2006 after Microsoft decided to rebrand Navision when it realized that it needed to have stronger brand for its several product brands that were equally under Microsoft Business Solutions. The Microsoft Dynamics ERP as an enterprise resource planning product is an initiative meant for the middle size organizations, subsidiaries and divisions of major organizations. Microsoft Dynamic ERP is composed of; i. Microsoft Dynamics GP which was initially called the Great Plains Software ii. Microsoft Dynamics NAV, which was the initial Navision. iii. Microsoft Dynamics SL, initially called Solomon IV. iv. Microsoft Dynamics AX, initially known as the Axapta. The Dynamic CRM 2011 is remarked for being the Microsoft’s recent Customer Relationship Management application software which is geared towards the small to medium sized business markets (Dennison, 2011). With the increasing technological innovations and inventions, the hardware platforms upon which Microsoft Dynamics can be run have evolved from the initial stand along computers to laptops, palmtops and current into simple electronic devices such and the iphones. For the purpose of this usability evaluation on the effectiveness of Microsoft Dynamics, four participants were used. Two out of the four people used as the sample population were business operators while the other two were clients. All these individuals shared characteristics of using the Microsoft Dynamics in their operations of selling, buying, and window shopping for items that are available in the markets. Diagrammatic representation of the CRM Manufacturing Flow Chart The arrows indicate the direction of flow of tasks and services. Each square and rectangle represents entities that cannot act independently of other entities in the entire process of manufacturing as depicted in the flow chart above. 1.2. Aim of Usability Study The aim of carrying out the usability evaluation on Microsoft Dynamics CRM is to assess and ensure that there is (in practice), increased and efficient supply chain visibility and business processes streamlining for both business operates and the intended users. 1.3. Objectives of the Study The Dynamic CRM application is a front office suite including Sales Force Automation functionality, simple marketing functionalities and satisfactory levels derived from Customer Support functionality for the average small or midsize business. This application has come with a number of benefits for such businesses i.e. flexibility to small and middle-sized organizations committed to Microsoft technologies, with the modest requirements in the customer service and marketing lines of the business operations. 1.4. Usability Evaluation Criteria Evaluation, in this case, is the systematic sequence of determining Microsoft Dynamic CRM merit, worth and significance to its users via the standards set below so as to make judgments if the application can be able to facilitate achievement of the user’s individual or organizational goal of decision making, processes management and proper data storage. i. Customization Microsoft Dynamics CRM version 4 has the capabilities to create effective custom entity objects and other related attributes, with a definition of their relationships. One of the possible customization strategies involve the creation of custom attributes on a form displaying a list of some general field types i.e. date, time, text, list box, currency e.t.c. in this respect, the user defined entities and attributes are then made easily accessible through clear standard methods. However, a limitation of this feature of the application is a limitation of one form per entity object (Sims, 2007). ii. System integration Dynamics CRM developers enabled for a complement with a robust library of .NET based integration services and a Software Development Kit used for developing custom programs or simply supporting third party plug in options. iii. Services, Support and Training Services, training and support options are provided on the Microsoft Dynamics software application with the aim of helping small businesses grow through the initiation of their products and services into this customizable system of ensuring a wider reach of people/ customers who have access to the online application and are able to use it effectively. Evaluation on the system to aid in its faster learning and subsequent used are always enabled by the fact that a system has its user manuals to provide support and training on how to fully utilize its applications in the event of seeking to enjoy its services. iv. Ease of learning Microsoft Dynamics application is in itself a very comprehensive business management solution aimed at helping companies and adapting to recommended opportunities and continued growth. Microsoft Dynamics as an application provides a comprehensive business management solution able to help such organizations/ companies to adapt to the new opportunities and continue to grow. This application equips its users to keep up to the pace of competition, changing markets management, provide for unique business requirements, and efficiently connect the full range of the available business processes across the organization v. Ease of expansion Every organization is set up with the mind of letting it grow. This application therefore presents the feel and functionality of familiar software the organizations’ employees in the use of Microsoft Office Outlook, Microsoft Office Word, and Microsoft Office Excel. Microsoft Dynamics allows for good performance with greater productivity with the application of customizable role centers and achieve the business results with efficiency. vi. Propels business productivity Microsoft Dynamic can help in the realization of the productivity goals an organization has set for its people and processes. It takes automation to a higher level and tentatively offers a number of avenues to turn insight into action, i.e. making it possible for the achievement of organizational goals such as better financial management, enhanced supply chain performance, streamlining of the manufacturing practices or enable for the gain of better control over the human resources and any type of payroll processes. It is proven, cost-effective solution to achieve the business needs. vii. Evidence indecision making Microsoft Dynamic gives the information needed by either an individual or an organization to make very informed business decisions. It provides easily access and analysis of real-time data concerning every aspect of the business operations, including individual transactions, customized performance indicators, trends, and growth opportunities when at the same time reducing ad hoc requests to the Information Technology department for more information. The interoperability of Microsoft Dynamics and Microsoft Office packages makes it easy for extended access to real-time data, reports, and collaboration tools whether when people are working in it (Microsoft Dynamic) or any other computer supported applications ( Dennison, 2011). viii. Generation of optimal value for all systems Microsoft Dynamics do easily and quickly become a core element of seamless business management infrastructures. This feature enables for fair competition even within market environments with very stiff competitive operations as it helps to streamline the organizational technology infrastructure and connect the business process for enhanced efficiency. 1.5. Evaluation of CRM application software The evaluation criteria on the suitability of Microsoft Dynamics as regards to its suitability while compared to other software with similar applications and functionalities will entirely depends on; a) Productivity: Microsoft Dynamics CRM applications are beneficial in that they help in the facilitation of organizational productivity and creation of interconnected organizations which are equipped offer lucrative services to their customers (DestinationCRM.com, 2009). b) Value: Microsoft Dynamics software package offers relatively the best values, when considering the numerous costs that have to be inquired such as licensing, maintenance services, training facilitations, deployments and constant system administrations. c) Familiarity: Microsoft Dynamics CRM come with a complete package of sets of CRM applications and capabilities ranging from within the familiar /Microsoft Outlook, Office and Excel applications. d) Global availability: An organization is capable of providing its team of employees everywhere in the world with the integrated though localized applications to enable them communicate, drive global results and collaborate sufficiently. e) Business insights: All users of Microsoft Dynamics are assured of multiple of business intelligence and possible data visualization capabilities that are usable to instantly attain accurate, current, sales forecast, targets, quotas, sales growth and uniform customer buying patterns (David, 2002). f) Extended CRM: All organizations are for the desire to manage and maximize any available critical relationships that can help them achieve their business goals. The possibility to customize Microsoft Dynamics favors the need to easily customize the application to support the extended CRM demands. g) The Cloud: In conjunction with Microsoft Office 365 together with Windows Azure, this application is capable of helping any organization to leverage the cloud to optimize their business productivities (Cloud CRM to Work, 2010). See the diagrams below which represents the actual outlook of Microsoft Dynamic interface in emphasize of the above evaluated facts. Other evaluation techniques can include the facts that: Microsoft Dynamics can be highly customized and adapted to any application while at the same time another CRM package is targeted to sales automation; It smoothly integrates with other Microsoft desktop applications such as Microsoft Access, Excel and Outlook; and it provides cloud implementation of their Customer Relationship Management Systems package where they host the software for clients at a fee which charged monthly or depending on the agreements made. Even though the application comes with complete packages to enable for higher productivity to all its individual or user organizations, it has failed in some situations (Darrell, Reichheld, & Shifter, 2002). The reasons for its failures include: i. CRM implementation before Creation of Customers’ Strategy Any interested company or organization in the use of CRM must in the first instance formulate its strategy and make distinct the reasons for the implementation of CRM software. Rather than the assumption managers always make that the implementation of CRM software is in itself equivalent to the entire process of developing a marketing strategy. Certainly, no solutions really solve any business’ problems in case the intended users fail to adopt such devised measures. The user-adoption rates for any solution built on Microsoft Dynamics CRM is relatively higher, in part for the reason that the framework‘s integration with the Microsoft Office software that several people are confirmed to be already using in their every day’s lives as they do their businesses. For instance, Microsoft Dynamics CRM applications can integrate so well with the Microsoft Outlooks as their user interfaces, and hence people can have access for themselves confidently and intuitively. In addition, out-of-the-box integrations with Microsoft Word provide easy mail-merge capabilities, and Microsoft Excel too presents quick data-analysis tools. With the multiple users’ devices and interfaces supported, with enhanced access to customers’ information via the World Wide Web or mobile electronics enhances the immense usability of Microsoft Dynamics CRM as based resolutions. ii. CRM Rollout before making changes on the Organizations to Match Having spelt out the right organizational goals, the company can then revamp its business processes in accordance with the CRM implementation expectations. For instance, the organization has to come up with among other things; performance measures, compensation systems, employees’ training courses and proper job descriptions. All these steps will ensure that workers are in a position to recognize the nature and benefits of the newly implemented strategy in their organizations (Doug, & Ireland, 2002). iii. Assumptions that more CRM is better for organization’s advancements In the use of CRM software application, organizations should actually narrow down the software specifications so as to minimize the load on its users. Concentration on newly devised functionalities may at times not work so well for the organizations rather than the use of the common functions. Dependencies on the new function may lead to false of integration of CRM software and any existing systems at the moment, hence resulting into costly pitfalls. Microsoft Dynamics CRM has become very popular with all kinds of businesses and organizations for the reason that it is easy to use and has high levels of effectiveness as compared to the traditional customer relationship management applications. On the other hand, Microsoft Dynamics CRM includes much more, and is also an outline that is user-friendly, innovative, flexible, and collaborative business elucidations that can be handled quickly enough and cost-effectively than when they were based on the traditional development advancements (Doug, & Ireland, 2002). This is step is considerable because similar clarifications do repeatedly convey the greatest business values in accordance to the business’ particular, exceptional, and ground-breaking processes, and enabling them sooner through the solution drives more rapid rates of returns on investments. The potential benefits of creating cost-effective business solutions depending on Microsoft Dynamics CRM as the expansion outline is significant, but in-depth understandings of the framework is required for business organizations to gain the greatest advantage from it. iv. Stalking Clients Qualities of customers’ data are more realized by the marketing managers with the effective use of the CRM software, allowing them to contact or reach their customers promptly (Darrell, & Ledingham, 2004). CRM software helps in the establishment of contacts with only those potential customers who have the real interest in doing business with such companies/ organizations. Taking of the right data/ information about clients helps in the avoiding of stalking and lose of other customers. Methodology As a methodology, subsets of the Microsoft Dynamic unit tests were defined as check-in tests (CITs). These assessments were carried out and necessitated to attain the expected limits as part the gated check-in devices that all Software Design Engineers used for any check-in to the source codes warehouse. This hindered most important degeneration from being initiated into the codes base. Using the sample population of four participants that were carefully selected, and a descriptive technique of research analysis, the below methods were deployed to authenticate and verify usability implications of Microsoft Dynamics. Basic hardware requirements included four computers (one for each participant), internet connection devices to enable access to the online portal for Microsoft Dynamics, and sources of power. Skills and knowledge needed included the ability to read, observe, experiment, listen attentively, and follow instructions. a) Function testing The first practical use of the features provided by the Microsoft Dynamics package came as a segment of the scorecard testing of the testable components. These actions of testing are lightweight form of acceptance tests–driven developments (ATDD). b) Sub-process, process, integration, and user acceptance testing Besides testing that was carried out and focused on the fundamental characteristics, the Software Design Engineers in Tests enlarged their testing exertions to concentrate on major interface components with other areas of the system to check its full functionality. As described earlier, end-to-end situations were a key part of these usability testing and evaluation efforts (Doug, & Ireland, 2002). In addition to the scripted E2E circumstances, the usability evaluation teams coordinated a number of interactive test sessions with the system based on laptops as the hardware support systems. All these laptops were ensured to have met the minimum requirements of the system of; 40GB (Hard Disk Memory capacity), RAM of 512 MB, and computer speed of 2.1 GHz. The goal of each assessment was to combine SDETs, PMs, and SDEs to focus on some defined business cycles or particular areas of the product lines. In the entire assessment, the effectively used sessions were of benefits to the driving of completeness into the Microsoft Dynamic products by enhancing their usability. Data Analysis Because of the scales of the software products and the long-term support systems that are required of Microsoft Dynamics, the development and assessments teams had to make heavy and effective investments in automated regression tests during the Microsoft Dynamics development cycle. The entity assessments were one component of the entire regression group. Furthermore, various functional analyses were automated. For these investigations, the intended users’ interface of the product was the most important interaction point. The automated deterioration tests for features fell into one of three major groupings: i. Build verification tests (BVTs): These tests were used in the verification of the most basic functionalities in the Microsoft Dynamics package products and then considered as smoke investigations. These tests were then run as part of the gated check-in systems for every SDE changes. On average, ten BVT test cases were executed ten times during the Microsoft Dynamics package development cycle. ii. Build acceptance tests (BATs): These tests established core functionalities in each and every functional area of the Microsoft Dynamics’ products. As the central features of the products were generated, newer test cases were invented too, and the already obtainable test cases were modified. These tests were then also run collectively with every night by night builds. They were as well recurrently run prior to an SDE check-in to authenticate that no functional breaks erupted from the check-in. a number of BAT evaluation cases were executed for each run. iii. Weekly examinations: These assessments fabricated the remainder of the automated analysis suites. As can be derived from the name, these experiments were run one time per week for much of the release. As Microsoft Dynamics drew nearer to its release to the intended customers, the tests were run much more frequently. Recommendations and Conclusion Organizations are encouraged to implement the use of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. However, it is recommendable to note that essential qualifications for doing so should be because of high frequencies of customers who are interacting with the organization/ company. With no such frequent dialogue/ interactions, an organization may experience difficulties in maintaining a healthy dialogue with its clients for the purpose of persuading them to do more purchases with your company (Michael, & Wiersema, 1995). Full utility of this application has not been exploited. It is therefore recommendable that Microsoft should consider smaller business and come up with affordable applications to them. Most small and upcoming enterprises are indeed still using the traditional techniques of running their businesses because of the initial costs of acquiring genuine Microsoft Dynamics software. Works Cited Cloud CRM to Work PC World: April, 2010 Darrell R., & Ledingham, D. CRM Done Right. Harvard Business Review November 2004. Darrell R., Reichheld, F., & Schefter, P. Avoid the Four Perils of CRM. Harvard Business Review February 2002. Dennison, D. Customer-Transparent Enterprise: Beyond 20th Century CRM. Motivational Press, 2011. ISBN 1-935723-23-5 DestinationCRM.com. CRM Market Grows for Fifth Straight Year, 2009 Doug, T., & Ireland, K. Why CRM Projects Fail Common Strategic & Tactical Mistakes, 2002 Jeffrey, P. CRM: Redefining Customer Relationship Management. Woburn, MA: Digital Press, 2002. Joachim, David. CRM tools improve access, usability. B to B 87, no. 3 (March 11, 2002): 1 Michael T., & Wiersema, F. The Discipline of Market Leaders. Cambridge, MA: Perseus, 1995. Read More