User experience and human-centric approach
The key to leveraging AI advancements lies in our deep understanding of the unique needs of individual users within organizations. Our focus is on tailoring our ERP solutions to meet these specific requirements and challenges.
By prioritizing the end users’ experiences and the speed at which they can complete tasks, we ensure our technology not only keeps pace with the digital age but also drives significant improvements in efficiency and effectiveness across the board.
1 Economic potential of generative AI | McKinsey
At Unit4, we regularly gather customer feedback through various channels, including our community platform, user groups, and testing platforms. We also use research methods like ethnography to understand how users engage with our ERP applications in their workplaces. This valuable information guides us in shaping user experiences, refining AI frameworks, and enhancing system interactions.
Once we spot opportunities for improvement, we simplify ERP interactions using standard AI tools or custom machine-learning models. An example of these models suggests personalized options to users, making form-filling more straightforward. Other models identify errors or unusual patterns, promoting better decision-making and ensuring data integrity.
A prime example of how we’ve transformed user feedback into innovative solutions is Ava, our Advanced Virtual Agent. This application directly responds to our users’ need for more intuitive and intelligent support within their ERP environment.
Understanding that our users are people who serve, not people who build software, we’ve designed Ava to amplify service without overwhelming users with complex new technology. Ava works out of the box and doesn’t require users to learn new interfaces or build their own solutions.
Ava leverages AI to provide actionable insights and streamline workflows through familiar channels like Microsoft Teams. Ava can display alerts about issues detected by Unit4 ERP, offer smart recommendations based on data analysis, and facilitate easier communication by allowing users to chat with others involved in the workflow. Ava guides users in completing tasks and can automate certain steps, increasing productivity and decision-making efficiency while keeping users focused on their core work.
For many casual users, an ever-growing number of tasks can be completed entirely through Ava in Microsoft Teams, eliminating the need to enter the ERP system at all.
Our overall goal is to create adaptive, contextual experiences that focus on the real problems customers face. The successful integration of AI technologies into everyday work will result in a transformative impact on business processes and roles.
At Unit4, our commitment to putting people at the center of AI innovation for ERP drives our approach. Upholding data privacy, security, and ethical considerations is paramount in our strategy. We strictly adhere to regulations such as GDPR and the EU AI Act, continuously updating our practices to align with evolving legal and ethical standards. Our security measures are robust, designed to protect against cyber threats and data breaches, thereby ensuring the security and privacy of our clients’ data.
Moreover, we recognize the ethical implications of AI deployment, especially in decision-making processes. Transparency and accountability are core principles guiding our AI development. We prioritize clear communication with users regarding when, how, and why AI decisions are made. Detailed technical documentation and summaries of data sets are maintained to ensure transparency and mitigate biases. Compliance with EU copyright law is ensured, with detailed training content summaries published.
Accuracy is another key focus area for us. We strive to deliver reliable and accurate AI outputs, providing clarity on the level of accuracy and implementing mechanisms to monitor and maintain system accuracy over time. Human oversight mechanisms are also in place, allowing users to understand, monitor, evaluate, and override AI decisions when necessary.
In terms of data governance, we provide comprehensive documentation summaries on the data sets used for training, ensuring transparency and compliance with regulations related to personally identifiable information (PII). Additionally, our cybersecurity measures are tailored to mitigate risks appropriate to the circumstances. Technical solutions are implemented to ensure resilience against unauthorized attempts to exploit system vulnerabilities.