Minimizing the number of failed import jobs in SAP Analytics Cloud and SAP Datasphere.
SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) is a cloud-based analytics platform from SAP that integrates business intelligence (BI), augmented analytics, predictive analytics, and enterprise planning into a single solution. It enables organizations to visualize data, analyze trends, and make data-driven decisions in real time.
SAP Analytics Cloud is one product that interfaces with other products within SAP's data and analytics ecosystem such as SAP Datasphere (DSP) and SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC).
A Bulk of Import Jobs Were Failing Due to Poor UX and System Performance
Customers using SAP Analytics Cloud and SAP Datasphere were filing complaints to our internal customer influence portal regarding how long the import processes took. A lot of our customers were importing 10,000+ objects in each import job, and the larger the import package, the slower it took. The overall design of the current import tool also lacked consistency with the Export tool and presented UX issues.
New Import Design: Split Screen Experience
After a UX audit, countless design iterations and critiques, and a round of usability testing with customers, we concluded with a split screen experience for customers. This design not only boosts transparency, showing customers how their import settings directly impact package content, but also enhances error visibility and also system performance through changing component usage.
IMPROVEMENT 01
Faster Load Times⚡
Customers won't need to wait 3+ minutes for their import package summary table to load. After collaborating with the dev team, we’ve implemented a more efficient tree table component with lazy loading from our component library.
IMPROVEMENT 02
Diagnostic Exception Handling 🔎
Warnings are common during imports in SAC and DSP, often due to specific configurations. Our new exception handling framework simplifies this by providing real-time messages, filters, and row indicators to help users quickly identify and resolve issues.
IMPROVEMENT 03
Catering to Muscle Memory 💪
We designed the import settings to balance familiarity for existing users and ease for new ones. By keeping the layout similar to the current design, we maintain consistency while improving UX and minimizing the learning curve.
It Was a UX Bug Infestation! 🐜
To understand the current pain points and bottlenecks of the Import experience, I conducted a UX audit in the form of an ad hoc heuristic evaluation. The entire Import experience from entry point to import job processing was analyzed. The themes found in the audit paved the way for design decisions for the proposal made before customer sessions.
Areas of Improvement:
Our Customers Cared About Speed and Transparency
I collaborated with the UX Research team to facilitate usability testing sessions with 9 users (from 5 companies). These sessions included an initial portion where our customers walked us through how they currently use the Import tool in SAC and a second portion where they tested the new design proposal.
Our Customers Cared About Speed and Transparency
I collaborated with the UX Research team to facilitate usability testing sessions with 9 users (from 5 companies). These sessions included an initial portion where our customers walked us through how they currently use the Import tool in SAC and a second portion where they tested the new design proposal.
ITERATION POINT 01
Warning Filter
Better querying patterns were created for warnings in the import package table. Using a toggle button to show only affected rows allowed for more streamline warning handling.
ITERATION POINT 02
Redesigned Overwrite Settings
We found users often clicked 'Import' without configuring all of their settings. We added a 'No selection' option for Overwrite Settings so that users would be prompted to make a conscious decision before importing.
ITERATION POINT 03
Exception Handling by Case
We designed the import settings to balance familiarity for existing users and ease for new ones. By keeping the layout similar to the current design, we maintain consistency while improving UX and minimizing the learning curve.
Final Solution & Next Steps
I collaborated with the UX Research team to facilitate usability testing sessions with 9 users (from 5 companies). These sessions included an initial portion where our customers walked us through how they currently use the Import tool in SAC and a second portion where they tested the new design proposal.
Impact:
TAKEAWAYS
What I Learned
I collaborated with the UX Research team to facilitate usability testing sessions with 9 users (from 5 companies). These sessions included an initial portion where our customers walked us through how they currently use the Import tool in SAC and a second portion where they tested the new design proposal.
2025
William Lee