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User Friendliness: What Makes EHS Software User-Friendly?

One of the ways companies ensure widespread user adoption is by choosing a user-friendly software.

They're able to roll out the new system with much less stress and resistance.

Plus (and this is a big plus) they’re able to leverage the system to its full potential and achieve the goals they laid out.

But what actually makes EHS software "user-friendly"? We've identified 8 key elements to look for:

1. Quick to install

Gone are the days when software had to be installed on each computer with a floppy disk or CD. With cloud-based EHS software, there’s nothing to install — just open your browser, navigate to the software login page, and type in your credentials.

2. Accessible from any device

Today’s EHS professionals need access to their data when they're away from their desk. To be truly user-friendly, your software needs to work on a wide range of devices including laptops, phones, iPads, and tablets. Another advantage of cloud-based EHS software is that you can access it from virtually any device with a web browser.

3. Easy to implement

If your software implementation drags on for months, you risk losing support for your software before you even get off the ground. User-friendly software is software that can be up and running in a reasonable time frame — typically 1-2 weeks for a basic system activation, or 30-90 days for a comprehensive system.

4. Standardized, not customized

While a customized EHS software system may seem attractive, companies later tend to regret the significant amount of time and resources it requires. Getting data out of a customized system is time-consuming. Maintenance and upgrades are slow, and bugs are commonplace. A standardized system that's utilized by hundreds of employees is far more powerful than a custom system that's only adopted by a handful of users.

5. Looks clean and easy to navigate

In order to be user-friendly, software must be laid out in a way that makes sense to the casual user. This is especially important if you plan on rolling out the software to employees across your organization.

6. Easy to update

Updates are critical to keeping your software secure and bug-free. Unfortunately, many users skip out on updates because they’re difficult or time-consuming to install. Again, cloud-based software solves this problem by allowing the vendor to update your software remotely without you needing to lift a finger.

7. Responsive support

Bugs and glitches are inevitable, even in the best-maintained software. But if users have to wait around for days to get a response from support, that’s not a very user-friendly experience.

8. Built on user feedback

At the end of the day, no one knows what users need from a software more than the users themselves. So what better way to make software user-friendly than to ask actual users what they want? Smart software vendors know this, and use information from user surveys, focus groups, and feedback to improve their product.

Your takeaway

Now that you’ve seen what makes EHS software user-friendly, you’re in a much better position to evaluate different vendors and choose the best solution for your organization. If you want to learn more, check out this article on how to get your employees to adopt EHS software.