Company Overview
TOTVS is Brazil's largest technology company, renowned for providing robust enterprise solutions across multiple sectors.
Goal
The aim was to modernize the user experience (UX) of TOTVS’s flagship legacy software products, originally developed in the 1990s. The goal was to bring intuitive, seamless innovation to platforms that serve thousands of users while minimizing friction. The objective was to align these legacy platforms with contemporary user expectations, achieving a user-friendly experience that would enhance both satisfaction and engagement.
Software Products Targeted
Protheus: A versatile ERP platform serving diverse industries, recognized for its comprehensive modular features.
Datasul: An ERP solution designed to optimize back-office management processes, offering extensive administrative functionalities.
RM: An ERP suite that integrates financial, HR, and operational functionalities to deliver streamlined enterprise solutions.
Winthor: A specialized ERP for the wholesale and distribution sector, offering tools for logistics and inventory management.
Challenges
Technical Feasibility: The software products were built on complex, outdated architectures that were not designed for modern UX principles or responsive design. Implementing contemporary design elements without compromising software stability and functionality posed a significant challenge.
Organizational Resistance to Design: The design team faced skepticism regarding the value of a design-led transformation, with a predominant focus on functionality over user-centered design.
Lack of Innovation Culture: Although TOTVS’s legacy software was highly trusted for its stability, modernization initiatives were perceived as risks to reliability, leading to reluctance around innovation.
Solution Approach
User-Centered Research and Usability Testing: To understand the needs and frustrations of TOTVS’s user base, the design team conducted a series of user-centered research activities, including interviews, usability testing, and surveys. Engaging both power users and infrequent users, the team gathered insights into specific pain points that hindered daily tasks and identified areas where the legacy software could better align with users' workflows.
Agile Design Sprint Implementation: The team introduced agile design sprints to establish rapid cycles of ideation, prototyping, and testing. This approach allowed the design team to produce iterative improvements while gaining stakeholder buy-in through frequent updates and visual mockups. Sprints focused on specific pain points, such as navigation complexity and cluttered interfaces, leading to targeted UX improvements that could be implemented in stages.
Modernization with Minimal Disruption: To minimize friction, the design maintained familiarity with new elements. By applying contemporary UX principles, such as progressive disclosure (showing information only as needed) and customizable dashboards, users could transition to the new interfaces without an overwhelming learning curve. New features were implemented incrementally, allowing users to adapt gradually rather than through a complete overhaul at once.
Building Trust in the Design Process: A transparent design process was established, involving product managers and developers in regular feedback sessions to align design goals with technical constraints. By sharing early successes from user testing—such as increased task completion speeds and reduced error rates—the design team demonstrated the practical benefits of a user-centered approach, helping to build trust in the design process among skeptics.
Impact
By demonstrating the tangible benefits of design, the project helped TOTVS’s internal teams recognize the value of continuous improvement in UX, sparking an organizational shift toward embracing innovation as an asset. The successful implementation of iterative updates fostered a new level of trust between the design and development teams, laying the groundwork for a more design-forward approach to future projects.
Conclusion
This case study exemplifies how TOTVS is successfully revitalizing its legacy software products by focusing on user-centered design.
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