It has become a global tendency to switch from desktop applications to modern Cloud solutions. Nevertheless, it is still difficult to automate business, and even more difficult if you are striving to include and enhance customer experience. The less time the customer spends on executing necessary tasks the experience is better and the customer is more satisfied. Simple things have always had a certain appeal and this is why we included them into our business tool.
As it is the case with most “SaaS“ applications the navigation is on the left, which gives us plenty of horizontal space on the right. By clicking the mouse we get additional options when necessary.
The number of options is reduced to a minimum, so instead of being intimidated the user is enticed to explore all the app’s possibilities through simple steps. Of course, a lot more items can fit into this menu as opposed to e.g. the traditional table menu which reigned in the top part of the screen. This enables the “scroll” option, and if it is necessary, the navigation menu can expand if you click on the page title.
By doing so, we haven’t built a better mousetrap, navigation like this has existed for years in the world’s most popular operational systems, therefore, it is familiar to a large number of our users.
The layout of the screen is used in three columns: the app’s options are available in the first column, the items of the selected option in the second, and in the third right column are the details of the selected item. This is how we can easily manipulate the content and move around the app. It is also possible to hide the second column if you, for example, need more space for details.
In the middle part there is a “tree” for the hierarchical view for more complex structures.
In the right corner there is an application menu which at the moment contains available options for refreshing, sending feedback, help and all the other items presented in the picture below.
Lists also have a paging possibility, so at the beginning, only 15 current items are displayed.
By scrolling down, other items are loaded too and the filter menu appears also at the bottom of the list.
With the help of a filter menu it is possible to browse the item’s options based on various criteria, e.g. case status.
If there is a field box above the filter criterion it means that it is possible to filter the filter itself as it is shown in the picture below.
If the list doesn’t have any items, a message with the primary action is displayed.
The right side of the app always contains a primary action.
In addition, there is a commands menu activated by mouse hover.
The right side contains details of the chosen item and it can be organized into sections.
Actions from the details are usually opened as the modal dialogs above, so they do not interrupt the flow and they do not require that the entire page loads unless it is necessary.
Some actions have the possibility to be temporarily saved, so that the next time you can pick up where you left off.
Once the action has been finished, you receive a message about its status, duration and recommended next steps.
“Drag–And-Drop” and “Double-Click” options also exist in order to enable transferring from one list to another, as you can see in the example below how it is done from the left to the right part.
Attaching a document to a request is simple, and easily done at any time.
It is also very simple to print out a document which was automatically created from the request, and it is available upon finishing the action.
If there is a graphic overview in the details, options for a certain element are available through the blue circles as shown in the picture below.
If a blue background appears when you move the mouse over the content while you are in the details of some item it means that the field can be edited immediately.
This is done by double clicking on the field and the edit field opens.
If you press “enter” the change will then be saved! But, if the process is more complex, meaning, it can’t be changed by a simple entry in the details, then a link appears which opens a dialog for editing the given field.
Then there is the element we are especially proud of, and that is the process status overview shaped like a tube map which explains what is finished (colored green), what the next step is (blue link) and what the remaining tasks are to finish the process (colored grey).
Being this much meticulously devoted to details makes one product much more appealing and better. And this is just one speck of the Smartwave’s universe of possibilities.
We are about to launch the “beta” testing and we are inviting you to sign up ASAP at http://beta.smartwaveltd.com/ and then tell us about your likes and dislikes so that we can better ourselves!
Regards,
Smartwave team