Exploring Deployment and User Experience

If the customer decides to choose the cloud model, the following applications are available:

• SAP S/4HANA

• Further Cloud applications (SAP Ariba, SuccessFactors, Fieldglass, Concur)

All applications are deployed via web-based UIs (see the following lessons). Therefore, SAP GUI for Windows cannot be used for this deployment option.

All on-premise applications support SAP GUI for Windows.

See the following video to learn more about the Cloud Models.

Note

Easy Implementation through SAP Activate

SAP Activate was introduced as an innovation adoption framework for both SAP S/4HANA Cloud and SAP S/4HANA On Premise, consisting of three closely integrated components:

• Best Practices

• Configuration Tools

• Methodology

SAP Best Practices provide configuration information that helps you to jump-start your solution and accelerate time-to-value.

For each solution, there are so-called Scope Items available, which contain Process Flows and Test Scripts for the corresponding business processes. Each scope item describes the available preconfigured content - such as equipment categories, notification types, order types etc.

This is particularly important for SAP S/4HANA Cloud, as customers have to use this content (except if they have subscribed to cloud model SAP S/4HANA Enterprise Cloud - where customer-specific configuration is possible).

IT and the use of electronic devices is no longer a phenomenon restricted to expert circles, but has reached the broad public and can be found in all social and all age groups.

In this context, a more and more powerful hardware meets a variety of software products with different capabilities and complexity, which is focused on a more and more comfortable use by the consumer.

The main drivers of this development are mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers, which offer fast and easy-to-use user interfaces, and the focus is no longer on a vast functionality, but on a comfort of use that attracts every consumer.

The focus on experts with many years of experiences no longer exists.

Against this background, business software has to react to this impulse and adapt to the different requirements of business users with the focus on the ease of use and a positive experience.

It is obvious that the different user interfaces have a major impact on this evolution.

With regard to the SAP software landscape, it is important not to be confused by the sheer number of possible combinations and use cases, but to first understand the existing strategy.

Moreover, it is important to understand goal and target group of each UI technology in order to make the right decisions and, thus, avoid frustration for the end user.

As a starting point, it is helpful to understand the different terms and concepts within this context. To better understand the change of philosophy, it might be a good idea to start with the concepts of User Interface and User Experience.

The terms UI and UX stand for different approaches:

• UI, from a (software) technical perspective, stands for the interface between human being and computer, and is focused on a most efficient communication during the moment of use.

• UX puts the focus on the end user, and is targeted at motivation and emotion before, during and after use. The intention of the UX approach is to create a sustainable positive attitude of the user and thus makes the use of the software a motivating experience.

The aspiration is to have harmonization across solutions. For the same role, moving from application to application, the aim is to have a single point of access and a similar UX across solutions.

The preferred technology for this harmonization is SAP Fiori.

Following the SAP UX strategy, the SAP Fiori Launchpad (FLP) is the common interface for both the Cloud and the On Premise model. FLP supports different application types: Fiori (SAPUI5), Web Dynpro, SAP GUI for HTML.

SAP Fiori apps are usually based on the SAPUI5 technology and are designed to work on any device, often with a smartphone look and feel. In most cases, they were designed for simple tasks and, therefore, they contrast with the heavy-weight SAP GUI transactions and Web Dynpro applications.

Different types of SAP Fiori apps are available:

• Transactional Apps
• Analytical Apps
• Fact Sheets
• Smart Business Apps

SAP Fiori apps are available for the solutions SAP Business Suite on AnyDB, SAP Business Suite on HANA, and for SAP S/4HANA.The apps can be differentiated from a technical point of view and, therefore, cannot be exchanged; that is, the transactional apps for SAP Business Suite on AnyDB are usually not supported under SAP Business Suite on HANA or SAP S/4HANA. SAP S/4HANA-based apps, on the contrary, are usually not supported under SAP Business Suite on AnyDB or on SAP HANA.

Web Dynpro applications are specially designed for use in web-based clients. Web Dynpro offers, in contrast to SAP GUI, the following advantages:

• Lists which display information across object types (POWL)
• Search functionality across object types (Enterprise Search)
• Context-sensitive additional information (Side Panel/Business Context Viewer)

SAP GUI transactions represent the traditional way of working with the SAP system and are based on the Web Dynpro technology. Within the SAP Fiori Launchpad, transactions can be used in their SAP GUI for HTML variant.