Driving the end-to-end UX/UI Design and User Research
SAP partners (e.g. Deloitte, EY) contributed to 70% of the SAP deals by reselling or helping customers implement enterprise software — similar to how car dealers operate. Partner Finder is the key platform for customers to identify SAP partners who meet their needs.
Open Partner Finder
Since the keyword search often returns wrong SAP partners, I redesigned the search workflow on the homepage to enable users to precisely input their needs to find the right SAP partners.
As the sole designer, I led the design process and collaborated closely with Agile team members to deliver this upgrade in June 2023.
From 135 in-app survey responses, users complained that the app often recommends SAP partners who do not meet their search criteria. This has brought the app’s satisfaction score down to 48% and also caused SAP partners to miss potential deals.
Simplified Journey Map
To dive deeper into the survey feedback, I collaborated with my Product Manager to interview 6 business representatives from the customers to identify the main pain points:
After the initial ideation, I reviewed the options with our developers and decided to use filters because they offer predefined options, avoiding the risk of incorrect manual input.
As the team debated on the usability of two layouts, I decided to conduct A/B testing to get input from the users. Although I preferred an easy interaction (option A), the users will only pay attention to the filters if we prioritize the filters’ visual prominence (option B).
One issue arose during development: the content was positioned off-screen, requiring users to scroll down to complete the interaction. In response, I promptly redesigned the layout and collaborated with the developers to implement the fix.
This taught me the importance of simulating various use cases and device sizes during the design validation process, eliminating the risk of last-minute adjustments after handoff.
From the search bar to the use of filters, the user can now input multiple search criteria to find SAP partners who fit all aspects of their needs.
The addition of filters offers predefined options, eliminating the need to memorize intricate SAP terms and reducing errors from manual typing.
Since users need to shortlist a dozen relevant SAP partners, the search results numbers are updated as the users input the criteria, allowing users to adjust their requirements to narrow down the best fits.
After finalizing the design, I documented the design specifications to support the implementation. I also annotated accessibility details for keyboard navigation and screen reader users.
The project's success was featured in the board area because of its strong business impact and a great example of design-led development. As part of the highlight, I got the chance to present the project to the Chief Information Officer of SAP!
