For enterprise software, the customer is the person or group within the organization who decides whether or not to purchase the solution while the user is the individual or group who operates and/or uses the system. The customer is interested in finding the best way to bring efficiency to their operation such as reducing cycle time, improving information, and reducing resource costs. The users, on the other hand, are more likely interested in completing their daily tasks and assignments as easily and effectively as possible. The customer is looking at the overall workflow of their organization and how specific software solutions might improve it while the users tend to emphasize the software’s ease-of-use.
Enterprise software is only easy to use if the customers and users think it is easy to use. To determine “ease of use,” first understand the customer and user needs. To understand their needs, conduct research, iterate designs for validation, and evaluate the design for ease-of-use.
This blog series is based on the article Easy to Use for Whom: Defining the Customer and User Experience for Enterprise Software