The paperless business became a popular idea in late 90th. But technologies was very low and people used to make deal with papers. Nowadays this idea is not still realized to the end. What do we have today? I am going to check a service for electronic document interchange (EDI) - docusign.co.uk.
The site takes some information here at the start. I think they need it for their call center to sale the product by phone. Usually this is a bad way of communication with customers but here are many high-motivated businessmen who really want a callback. You can also choose the type of document you are going to test.
Than users come directly to demo without any welcome screen. People can think that it is a real agreement they have to sign for using this service. The demo needs some extra page or window with welcome greeting.
If user clicks on "Sign on paper button" – it goes to print and download window. It is complicated. I prefer put “Download” and “Print” icon on the previous window. If users try to close the window here, they come back to previous.
Users can read the document. Here are simply navigation to the right and menu in the top.
The sign part is ugly. The company name does not come from my account information and users have to retype it again. Where is the partner’s signature?
Signature process has some gaming elements. Users can choose the sign. This is cool “investments” into the service. This action makes a good anchor in the mind.
Users can also draw their signature by the mouse.
When user has finished filling all required fields, the system notifies him with some kind of tooltip. The “Confirm signing” button doesn’t looks like a button. Users cannot understand what they have to do without tooltips.
On the next step the system compliments you and invites to use trial. It sends a letter to the user also.
The full electronic document interchange system looks like this. The first page is good organized. Users have a direct access to main actions. The only problem is “Buy” button in wrong place.
When user uploads the document, he can fill fields with connection information and even chooses what they have to do.
Rare actions are hidden. If users need more security, they can open it like this.
Here are many hidden windows. It is good that people cannot see what they never use.
The “Next” button are put in bad place. Just try to understand that this document is connected with an inconspicuous button in the bottom.
Here user can put any field in blank places of his document. The process looks like a dress-up game when you use it the first time. The icons are too tiny aside the heavy lines of PDF document. I prefer make them more remarkable.
Every field you can customize in the right part. For example user can force his partner to fill some fields. I think it is better to put quick customization just below the field and leave right part for advanced.
Users can check out all his documents in the manager. They can sort the list by the filter to the left side, make mass action with drop-down in top menu, and sign the documents. The “Sign” button drives users to the document. I think they have to give users the opportunity to sign it blind in case they highly trust the partner.
The settings are too complicated. Each item has only a couple of customizations. The rest of the space is empty. I think they can group them better – Personal information, Contacts and System settings.
You can also customize a design of the system and emails.
I think developers made big afford to make this site useful and comfortable. Some parts are very user-friendly but all electronic document interchange system is not very clear and simply as users expect for. I hope it will be better some time and we will never use paper in our business at all.
EDI (electronic document interchange) system user interface and user experience design, 2014
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