A guest post by Misha Vaughan, User Experience Architect, Oracle Fusion Applications
The Apps UX team continuously seeks out feedback from customers and partners on our applications products. We also find it extremely valuable to know what our colleagues at Oracle think, especially when we get feedback like this from a recent training event.
“The insight into what the UX team does, how the team "navigates" and
persuades the larger Oracle organization, the "fresh" perspective --
that changed my mind from a skeptic to a loyal supporter to a front-line
evangelist,” said Oracle Fusion Apps Leader Anand Subramanian from
India (pictured at right). He attended one of our recent internal user
experience trainings and sales updates held in Amsterdam and Dubai.
We hosted the in-person events for Subramanian and other Apps UX Sales
Ambassadors (SAMBA) in EMEA so they could become regional experts on our
applications user experiences. We wanted them to see and give feedback
on what's new, what's coming, and what is "wow." Their counterparts in
North America had been updated in Oct 2012 and it was time to ‘train up’
the rest of the world.
What Say the SAMBAS?
The SAMBA program is a team of senior-level application solution
consultants and applications technologists who provide front-line
feedback to us about the applications user experience strategy and
roadmap. These team members also have the responsibility of passing
along what they learn to their colleagues. Julian Peters, Master
Principal Solution Consultant in the UK, said it well (pictured below).
“I am always inspired by these events – the key thing is to ensure that
the enthusiasm is then replicated and instilled across the wider Sales
Consulting community. At a recent UK HCM SC team meeting, I replayed
some of the messaging and content from the Amsterdam event, and it was
gratefully received.”
Peters is enthusiastic, as well as appreciative. He goes on to say, “Like any sales consultant, I am always keen to see and understand new
stuff coming down the line – all too often the visibility of this is
limited and controlled within organizations. It was great to understand
in more detail the roadmap ahead. I always get skeptical when future
ideas and concepts are not shared – this was NOT the case at this
event!”
Subramanian also was up for the task of passing on what he had learned
to his Middle East colleagues -- and beyond. He said, “Having been with
Oracle for more than 16 years, the event (and the preceding discussions)
was an eye-opener. It makes me confident and also creates enthusiasm to
take this message to a wider audience (customers, partners and
colleagues).”
By way of recognition, these team members stepped out of a crushing Q3
to attend these events in Dubai and Amsterdam. We know they learned a
great deal, but they also taught us about what they need in the products
to compete. A big public thank you to all of them.
Visit the Usable Apps website to learn more about Fusion Applications User Experience.