JDA 2017 UI - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

JDA'2 2017 version and its GUI rendering is leaps and bounds ahead of previous versions.  Both in its presentation and its capabilities.  However, this dramatic transformation comes at a huge learning curve, especially for those converting from previous UI experience.

For me, even the conversion to version 8.2 UI was a challenge (not able to find the Exit button anymore).  However, the 2017's Web Based UI is a complete transformation in experience and usability.

In this Blog entry, I will share my experience (not to say it is the final word), and hope that it can be a conversation point to invite comments and feedback to further enrich this entry.  Also note that the goal of this entry is not to challenge the vision behind 2017.  I am of strong belief that this change is for the better and user adoption will attest to this.

The Good:

I must say that JDA has invested quite a bit into the 2017 product.  To go from old thought process and to rethink into this new version, one must be humbled at the sheer magnitude of the endeavor.  So what did JDA get right in this release?  Again a disclaimer that I have not fully gone through this version so I will continue to edit this article as I dig deeper.

• WEB Availability - The Portal version is slick, crisp and fast.  There is no need for any components to be downloaded and the user experience is rich with many available widgets, especially the embedded charts in almost every screen
• UI Transformation - I personally like the way this version's UI is put together.  Someone moving from version 8.2, would find it less of a change.  From previous versions, this may be a tough learning curve.  The User's 360 view approach as Dashboards, to WMS functions is revolutionary
• Integrated Dashboards - This version has been envisioned with the end user in mind.  Thus the UI is rich with dashboards, charts and hyperlinks to allow the user to continue to drill down as needed
• Data Approach - The UI is envisioned with Data first.  The user is presented with the data based on the function the user initiated.  The user then refines the presented data as needed
• Switch between Warehouses - For Multi-Warehouse installations, the ability to quickly switch between warehouses is nice and efficient
• Switch between Workstations - This has been a limiting factor in previous versions where a Workstation was tied to a printer and if the Workstation needs to act as a different role, it was quite difficult to switch it.  In this version, you can simply switch to a new workstation and adopt all the features of that
• Complete Knowledge Base in Help - The Help Icon provides rich information that is very relevant and allows to bridge the learning gap quickly
• Page Templates Easy to Develop - The Page Templates (substitute for DDAs), are quick to develop and provide a quick and rich experience
• Re-Envisioning Trace - The new Tracing paradigm is a better approach and allows to trace the needed functions only by keeping the Tracing Window on top and allowing to interact with the application in the background
• Double Pipe (||) is still supported - The Double pipe to provide a list of limiting values in search is still support.  Yeah!
• Dashboards with Auto Refresh Option - Most Dashboards and Inquiry screens have the Refresh Option where the user can choose the number of seconds for Auto-Refresh
• Relevant Data in Menu Options - This is quite a nice feature.  For applications that will bring up data (like Inventory Issues as an example) the menu will show the user what record count to expect when the screen is launched.  Neat!
• RF in General Stays the Same - This is a saving grace because of the learning curve involved with GUI, that most of the user population in a warehouse, especially in case of an upgrade, will remain largely unaffected
• RF Receiving without Receipt Option - I know, that the Blog is about UI, but wanted to say Kudos for this new RF screen.  Great for bringing in inventory as receiving (and not to do through Inventory Adjust)
• Data Model is very Similar - Data model, other than the changes needed around Locations/ Area is largely unaffected.  This allows for creation of conversion scripts that can effectively convert an existing setup into 2017 model if needed (See Oracular's approach to an accelerated technical 2017 upgrade - Coming Soon!)

The Bad:

Disclaimer again: My enumeration of the following is based on my experience with the application and again as a Functional User.  This in no way is meant to take away from a User's experience as mentioned above in the Good Features of this version.

The features I am counting in "The Bad" list are features that make the application setup quite cumbersome.  Furthermore, even as an advanced user, some of the features will start to be a nag, especially if the user was comfortable in the previous versions with using the advanced features of the Grids etc.

• Nested Setup Screens - The setup requires a Functional User to go through nested hyperlinks for various setups.  This makes the setup part quite laborious.  In contrast if we can look back at the "Area Maintenance" with various tabs, it would feel like a luxury.  
• No Criteria Fields on Inquiry Screens - The new UI Paradigm is to use the search box for limiting your data.  A new user will find the absence of a "Find" button quite unsettling.  Utilizing the search box, seems to be a tedious way of doing searches, especially when a search is with multiple fields.  Furthermore, a user can easily make a mistake to pick a wrong field and has to start again
• Criteria Fields and the Ability for AND vs OR - A user can specify multiple criteria by using the search box.  If within these, the user needs to provide the condition of OR (instead of AND), the user needs to modify the condition manually.  However, this is limiting factor as the logical OR cannot be enclosed in parenthesis (and the expression is evaluated mainly from left to right)
• The Dashboards with Hyperlinks Do a Query First - Any Dashboards that are setup with Hyperlinks will go to a detailed screen and query the data right away.  The user needs to use the search box afterwards to limit the data.  This can become a problem in a live environment where users continue to click on (as an example open orders) and keep bringing up large amounts of data (A little bit of saving grace does exist that the grids are designed to only bring back 10 records initially)
• Dashboards with Auto Refresh Option - Most Dashboards and Inquiry screens have the Refresh Option where the user can choose the number of seconds for Auto-Refresh, which can be an issue in a live environment if a user sets up a refresh on a badly formulated query (or search criteria)
• Server Trace File Name - I have not found a way to name the server trace files to my specifications (If someone has found away, please feel free to comment and I will remove it from this list)
• Lack of Multiple-Screens - Any screen a user navigates to, replaces the existing one.  The user needs to make a conscious decision to invoke a screen in a new tab to achieve the multi screen/tab effect.  This can cause issues when trying to compare data between multiple screens
• New Naming Conventions - JDA has opted to change most of the naming conventions in this release.  This can be a huge learning curve for Upgrade Users.  The following is a list of commonly used ones where it will be challenging to relate to these terms.  There are others that are changed simply because of the new approach to things (like Pick Zones, Storage Zones, Location Types etc.) that need to be adapted to because it is a new version:
• LPN for Load/ Pallet
• Sub-LPN for Case
• HU for Asset (SAP users, watch out for confusion)
• Equipment for Trailer
• Inbound Shipments for Receipts
• Loads for Carrier Mobe
• Lack of Grid Features as compared to Previous Versions - Some of the Grid Features like saving your own views, Summary/ Grouping, and Grid Colors are not available.  Sorting is also a two step process, ability to see the native value of a code is not available etc.  Furthermore, the grid can show maximum of 150 records at a time.  Depending upon the screen, this may end up to be a limiting factor

The Ugly:

Mainly, I had to use this for reference to the old Western with the same name.  However, my classification for this list is where I am worried, the application's new approach to some data management can lead to issues in a live environment if it is left unchecked.  So mainly a word of caution for the reader that this list is comprised of items that I see as a potential to do harm, and not necessarily bad by themselves:

• Location Mass Update (and other Mass Updates) - This is a necessary screen for doing a lot of setup, especially because many setup screens are nested in nature, so you would need to come back to Locations to do updates again.  However, I am concerned that the way one enters a screen from the menu options (Like Storage Locations), can lead to potential update of more locations than needed.  A user must first further filter out the unneeded locations before applying the change, rather than starting with the correct set of locations
• Switch between Fat Client and Web Client - Since all screens are not converted to Web, JDA has taken the approach to not provide the Web screens on Fat Client.  This means a user needs to jump between two UIs for doing their job. So not a huge concern, but can be for a specific role like Pack Station User
• Data not refreshed quickly - I have noticed on some screens (especially nested ones), that the data is not refreshed quickly.  In some cases I had to reconnect to see data changes.  Could be a quirk in the Web Layer, but can be troublesome if the user cannot identify quickly what the issue is
• Search Box as the Only Search Tool - This one I listed above in the Bad list, but I am concerned mainly base don my experience with previous versions and users ability to interact with the application.  While I can save my criteria and use them, the interaction is tedious based on entering a value and then searching from the list to apply this value to.  While experienced users will take advantage by continuing to type their search, a novice user will be spending more time with this interaction.  This one, I am hoping I can move from this list to the Bad or even the Good features list, its just too soon to tell (Please leave feedback for your own experiences)

Conclusion

It is too soon to draw any conclusions on this product and its UI.  As stated in the beginning, when I moved to version 8.2, I was missing my Exit button and hated the idea of all tabs to go from left to right.  I remember when RedPrairie first introduced the Multi-Warehouse in its dictionary and how many bugs were introduced in the product as a result.  So I must say that this version, given the amount of changes there are, in UI, in Dictionary, and in Commands, that this is a very stable product.  The UI features, I am chalking off to learning curve and my own prejudices of previous versions.

All in all, I am hoping to get some feedback on this to see how others feel about this and hoping to alter my list based on all your feedback.