SAP Fiori

It is been approximately more than a month ago when on SAPphirenow (14-16 May 2013) also SAP Fiori was announced. SAP Fiori is a collection of apps with a simple and easy to use experience for broadly and frequently used SAP software functions that work seamlessly across different devices (desktop, tablet, or mobile). The Fiori is considered as “Consumer grade UI”. Meaning a new, modern and design thinking driven user interface (UI). Fiori currently has 25 apps which cover frequently used functionality with SAP software, e.g. create sales orders, entering time to timesheets, approve requests, etc.

Fiori targets to cover 80 percent of SAP users and 45 percent of SAP system functionalities usage. From technical perspective Fiori is based on SAP UI5 (also introduced quite recently). SAPUI5 is then based on HTML5 based standards. Fiori is optimized for the Google Chrome web browser. Fiori’s back end connectivity is provided by SAP’s oData (Open Data Protocol). Backend functionality is exposed by Gateway (NetWeaver Gateway (formerly called "Project Gateway)) services. Most likely Fiori apps can be ported to any version of ECC 6. Notice that Fiori doesn’t require Sybase Mobile platform called Sybase Unwired Platform (toolkit formally known as SUP).

The pricing of the Fiori? Seems only $150 per user for those above mentioned 25 apps.

To see demos of the Fiori check out: https://experience.sap.com/fiori

See documentation check out: http://help.sap.com/fiori

SCN resources of Fiori: http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-41598

PS: Curios about the name? Actually Fiori means "flowers" in Italian.

Design Thinking at SAP

These days the term of design thinking became very popular buzz word. All companies are pretending to be following the pattern of design thinking. So what is it in nut shell?

Methodology commonly referred to as design thinking is a proven and repeatable problem-solving protocol that any business or profession can employ to achieve extraordinary results (from Wikipedia). It is discipline that uses designer's sensibility and methods to match what user's need and what is feasible to achieve with technologies. Basically within the design thinking has three essences: Human, business and technology. 

You may wonder what is the topic of design thinking doing on my SAP related Blog? Actually design thinking is actually used at SAP to transition SAP as software company to cloud company. It means that classic SAP which is knows (or even is famous) because of on-premise ERP systems now wants to turn it-self to SaaS model delivery of software. 

Well in SAP case it may also be just a buzzword. However it seems they consider this initiative seriously. One of SAP’s founders Hasso Plattner is involved in so called Hasso Plattner Institute of Design which is design school based in Stanford University. The school was founded by David Kelley who is well known as buddy of Steve Jobs. David’s company Ideo was behind of scenes of many famous Apple products. 

In closing I would just point that transition from purely on-premise software company to the cloud company will not be easy. SAP really needs to change its mindset. In today’s world where almost no companies do mind to store their data into the cloud it will be extreme competition with pure cloud companies. Similarly we can see how other companies not only SAP are struggling with that transition. As an example I mention SAP’s archrival – Oracle. Last week they reported not very promising result in 2^nd consecutive quarter. Well maybe SAP is better positioned for that transition with their HANA offerings. But that’s something which only future will tell us.

SAP resources dedicated to design thinking:

SCN’s area

Design Thinking with SAP

User Experience@SAP