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MyIT 2.0 Transforming the IT Experience with Next-Generation Self-Service

From automation to cloud and mobile to mainframe, BMC Software delivers innovative IT management solutions to more than 15,000 customers around the world. The company believes that interconnected digital experiences will be key for its business success.

That is why BMC approached Artefact with a challenge – to help in its transformation from a feature-driven enterprise software company, to an experience-driven one. Our first task was to refresh MyIT, BMC’s award-winning internal IT service.

When BMC launched the MyIT service in 2012, CIO Magazine called it the “future of IT services” and a prime example of consumerization of IT. With the next version of the service, the company wanted to further enhance the MyIT experience by incorporating key functionalities and UI innovations that reduce IT friction, cut support costs and bring more value to users.

Reimagined with a new look and new functionality, MyIT 2.0 is the first in a series of key milestones on BMC’s path to deliver truly unique user-experiences. Since the launch on MyIT 2.0, BMC has added more than 100 customers with more than a million seats.

"We are at an age when the market for IT solutions is not feature and functionality driven, but it is experience-driven. MyIT 2.0 is our first step towards becoming a user experience focused company and the collaboration with Artefact has served as a blueprint on how to extend that transformation across product lines and offerings."

George Kaempf, AVP, User Experience at BMC Software

“Enterprise software doesn't have to suck...[BMC Software] introduced an enterprise suite redesigned with consumer expectations in mind.”

David Lumb, FastCo Labs, October 1, 2014

How do we create a self-service IT platform that fits today’s user experience expectations while allowing for the breadth and complexity of IT problems?

The first version of BMC MyIT already had thousands of users from Fortune 500 companies across industries. Our key challenge was to build on the solid foundation of version 1 of the product, retaining its characteristic framework, while broadening it with new features and functionalities. In addition, a key priority was creating an experience that is consistent across platforms and devices, thus helping BMC not only maintain, but enhance one of its key differentiators – solutions driven by user needs and centered around creating unique user experiences.

Your IT Social Network

MyIT 2.0 is a next-generation, self-service app that empowers IT organizations to maximize performance and productivity. MyIT 2.0 gives employees the power to quickly solve routine technical problems, eliminate frustrating forms, crowdsource answers and information, and visually navigate resources in any organization.

In order to do that effectively, early on in the process, we focused on a social media model of interaction to guide us in creating a network of devices, resources, and people. This approach ensured that users have real time access to information about any of the resources they need.

At the core of our design was the concept of the Superbox, a real time activity feed featuring service requests, appointments, and alerts. Leveraging best practices from social media, like tagging and hashtags, as well as designating new symbols for unique actions allowed us to create an interaction language that helps users easily and quickly obtain answers and solutions to issues they are facing.

Since its launch in February 2014, BMC MyIT 2.0 has already exceeded the revenue expectations. More importantly, the feedback from clients has been extremely positive.

Highlights

Superbox: your window to stress-free self-service

When MyIT 2.0 opens, users see a snapshot of their day, displaying an activity feed with upcoming appointments, pending requests, unresolved issues and alerts from systems they use daily. Each user, group or resource within the system has a dedicated profile. Like a Facebook timeline, the profile gives users the opportunity to get an overview of activities, interactions or details about themselves or relevant devices.

Formless IT

We did away with long form requests in MyIT 2.0. Instead, users simply write a short post saying what they need and MyIT identifies the best solution. By assigning symbols like “!” a persistent meaning – in this case, a request for help – we made requesting services as easy as updating your status.

Crowdsourced problem solving

Utilizing social media syntax allowed us to index every single participant in the ecosystem, making them all searchable. At the same time anyone can add assets to maps, report outages, and contribute solutions on MyIT 2.0. Users simply drag and drop new assets to location-aware floor maps, helping complete the overall picture of the organization, and building a richer self-service system over time.

Beyond IT: smart resourcing and collaboration

Beyond problem-solving, MyIT 2.0 enables brand new experiences that make collaboration and finding the right resources easier than with many dedicated solutions. For example, if a user needs to book a conference room, MyIT 2.0’s office map displays available rooms and equipment.

Process

Understanding

We created four personas based on the number of IT tools needed in their roles, attitudes toward self-service IT, tech savvy and other factors.

Ideation

We then took a deep, heuristic dive into version 1 of MyIT, consolidated our insights and analysis and identified concepts and opportunities for the redesign.

Design

Taking cues from a social media-based model of interaction, we created a network of devices, resources, and people and updated MyIT with a modern UI.

Delivery

We delivered findings from our research and workshops along with design style guides for the final, cross-device and cross-platform designs of MyIT 2.0.