BLOG: Introducing SAP® PLM in the Cloud – E-Bite Review of Chapter 6.6 on User Experience

Exploring the Evolution of SAP's User Experience: From Classic GUI to Modern Fiori

by Jeff Fox, Principal Consultant I Gramont North America - Apr 2024

Introducing SAP® PLM in the Cloud – Chapter 6.6 E-Bite Review
After having time to read and reflect on the User Experience chapter of the new Introducing SAP® PLM in the Cloud E-Bite, I am reminded about how far SAP has come in the area of user interfaces.

If you are like me, you can easily remember the classic SAP GUI of the late 90s. Many of us felt it was outdated and reminiscent of SAP’s mainframe roots –even in the 90s. When SAP introduced Fiori in 2013, it was a game changer. It transformed how we work -- from having to remember t-codes and work with the same old data entry screens to apps that were intuitive, informative, and modernized!

By now, most of us use Fiori/UI5 daily so it has become the norm for interacting with SAP products like PLM. That leads us to ask the question “What has SAP done lately to improve the User Experience for PLM”? As the PLM E-Bite points out, it's all about being intuitive, flexible, and extensible.

With SAP BTP UI Flexibility, you can customize your Fiori interface by removing unnecessary tabs, renaming labels, and even adding customer-specific applications to make your launchpad a “one stop shop” for all your PLM needs. Similarly, SAP Build Work Zone allows you to create your own launchpad to streamline internal processes.

SAP continues to find ways to leverage Qualtrics to improve their PLM User Interface as well. User feedback can be captured in a variety of ways to drive continuous improvements in the overall UI. Taking customer feedback to the next level, SAP’s Customer Influence Programs are another way for you to help shape the future direction of PLM. Having participated in many influence activities over the years, I can assure you that they work and yield positive and, I’ll say it, exciting results. SAP carefully evaluates customer feedback in these forums and will incorporate common customer recommendations into future releases of their products. It is such a good feeling to see one of your recommended features show up in an enhanced version of PLM.

If you want to learn more about the latest capabilities in PLM and related User Experience, be sure to check out the E-Bite.

As a Gold Partner and SAP PLM Ambassador, Gramont is happy to provide you with a discount code to use so you can secure your own copy and get up to date on the latest information. The e-bite can be purchased here and the discount code is PLM10.

Gramont is here to help you navigate changes in SAP PLM. Visit us here to learn more about our expertise and SAP PLM solutions.

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