ess & webdynpro

ESS & WebDynproRalf HalbedelDevelopment Architect ESS, SAP AG

Dr. Christian WielePrinciple Consultant NW Foundation, SAP AG

2 © SAP AG 2004, Java Dev Day, ESS & WebDynpro, Ralf Halbedel

Agenda

ESS – Employee Self ServicesReasons for a new UIProject scope and design paradigms

Development processRecognizing floorplans and interaction patternsUsing WebDynpro and JDIBasic Architecture of ESSIntegration in SAP Enterprise Portal

DemoDemo of an ESS service: Leave Request

ESS / WebDynpro Stabilization Project


Why ESS got a new UI

Current status of ESS out in the marketHigh volume product (number of users in the millions) designed and developed 1996 - 98Considerable productivity gains with a transparent ROI

More user groupsTypical ESS-user used to be the educated computer-savvy white collar employee in the service industryESS moves to every desktop and even into blue collar area (Kiosk-systems)

A new paradigm the key to a high ROI is acceptance and usability Priority: Usability beats functionality

Technology: a new generation Replacement of the ITS by WebDynproSimplification of the system landscape by the Web Application Server New standard in portal integration

A new face not a „facelift“ Replacement of a proven but aging product


Project Scope

ESS design – Outside-in approachcustomer visits, analyst and customer workshopsUI First: extensive usability tests on UI prototypes with endusers

ESS reimplementation Most popular services according to usage

Typically most user volume and highest frequency of usage Coverage of all US and DE specific functionality

ESS ScenariosTime recording (CATS)Leave requestBenefitsSkills profile Personal information: address, bank, family, previous employers ...

localized for up to 30 country versionsRemuneration statement, time statementTravel expenses, travel planning...


General design paradigms to improve usability

A casual ESS user knows how to use popular consumer web-services like online banking, Amazon, Ebay, etc.

But not how to use R/3, Siebel, or PeopleSoft !

Design RulesIntuition and trust instead of efficiency Lead the user, confirmation of user action Summary of all consequences (changes, cost, order etc...) on a confirmation screen after save, send, enroll, order etc...Minimalism:

only the relevant use-casesdon‘t mess up the UI with 10% casesonly the relevant information but the right context information on demandonly few controls and simplified versions of controls

Consistency: use of the same user interaction pattern Use of real life “metaphors“ (e.g. business card, calendar, …)No toolbar, buttons within the screens close to the relevant fieldsShort instruction texts


Roadmap

Formular

Context Information

Header


Roadmap

Review

Header


Roadmap

Confirmation

Header

Message Area


ESS Floorplan / Pattern

Confirmation

Roadmap Pattern

Message Area

Header Pattern

Review

Roadmap Pattern

Message Area

Header Pattern

Object Manipulation Pattern

Context Assistant Pattern

Roadmap Pattern

Message Area

Header Pattern


ESS Pattern / Floorplan conclusions

There is a well defined Floorplan for the Self Service ApplicationsThere are some well defined Patterns that can be implemented centrally and configured for the different Self Service Applications. e.g. Roadmap Pattern, Header Pattern,...It is not possible to implement all patterns as central configurable components due to the complexity of the requirements, e.g. Object manipulation patternNo decoupled backend layer according to the Enterprise Service Architecture.


Floorplan Manager

Floorplan Manager is the central WebDynpro Component providing the framework for an application

Implementing different floorplans using configuration componentsInitializing the application componentsDynamically building the view assemblyProvide an interface for building visual components and enable reuse of the visual components.Handling the event loop

Self service application

Floorplan Manager Component

Window

Configuration

•Screens

•Events

Configuration Component


Floorplan Manager Configuration for Self Services

Support for the Self Service specific FloorplanHeaderMenu and Area PagesRoadmapMessage AreaContext Assistants

Handle different environmentsPortalLife and Work Events / Guided ProceduresESS in Manager Self Service…

User and Person ManagementHandle Connections to the BackendRoles and AuthorizationsLater: Personalization


Application Components

Edit Review ConfirmationPerspectives

VcLeaveEdit

Roadmap

Header

VcLeaveReview

Roadmap

Header

VcLeaveConfirm

Roadmap

Header

VisualApplicationComponents

Backendsystem

Function modules

LeaveModelRFC-Models

FcLeaveRequestBusiness Logic Components


Application development

Application ConfigurationPerspectives: visual app componentsNavigation: events changing the perspectiveRoadmap, Central Assistant configuration

Visual Application ComponentsVisual parts of the applicationReusable in different Self Service Applications

Business Logic ComponentsProvide efficient access to the business logicImplementation with RFC-ModelsLater switch to ESA-technology possible


Highlevel UML model of Self Service applications

FPMComponent

<uses> class FPMComponent Controller

FPMComponent-Window

XSSApp

InterfaceIFPM

<implements>

VcXSSApp1

ComponentInterfaceController

<uses>

ApplicationProperties

<launch>

class MessageManager

<uses>

class ApplicationContext

Utility Classes

<supplies>

ComponentInterfaces

Floor Plan Manager

<implements>

FcEmployeeServicesFcNavigation

Utility Components


Component Architecture

Self Service applications make use of software components from 3 layers

TECHDEV: Basis functionality of J2EE, WebDynpro etc.PCUI_GP: Floorplan Manager, Utilities, …ESS: all Employee Self Services

Integration of componentsDependencies between SCs are set at design-timeand are evaluated both at build- and at run-timeDevelopment components expose their interfaces via public partsReuse of functionality is made on DC-level bydeclarative usage of public parts

Granularity1 DC normally reflects 1 self service


Software and development components for Self Services

Software ComponentsESS - Employee Self Services

~150 Development Components~180 Self Service Applications ~780 WebDynpro components

PCUI_GP - Reusable parts for all self service applications

8 Development Components~40 WebDynpro Components

MSS – Manager Self Services

Development has started!


Java Development Infrastructure during development

Developer Studio

ComponentBuild Service

Cha

nge

Man

agem

ent S

ervi

ce

CentralTest

Server

ComponentModel

Design Time Repository

Local Test Server

Name Server


Integration in SAP Enterprise Portal 6.0

ESS Applications Are integrated with the iView creator wizard into the portalHave no additional portal-specific code, but use the WebDynproAPIs to run there

Runtime integration handled by Floorplan ManagerNo additional code on application side necessaryPortal-specific WebDynpro APIs are implemented centrally in theFloorplan ManagerGeneric portal-specific UI processes handled centrally

confirm loss-of-data vs. work-protect modeuse menu navigation vs. toplevel navigationdisplay own header vs. usage of portal header


Creating ESS WebDynpro iViews using the iView wizard

ESS & WebDynproStabilization Process

Dr. Christian WielePrinciple Consultant NW Foundation, SAP AG


Stabilization Process for ESS / Web Dynpro

OptimizationFunctional

StabilizationIncreasingComplexity

MTBF Scalability

morescenarios

includeportal

Development


KPIs: Stability/Scalability/Performance/Resources

• 24 Hrs no fail• Full system w/App• 1000 concurrent users• <3 sec response

• 12 Hrs no fail• Full system with App• 500 concurrent users• <3 sec response

• 8 Hr no fail• Platform without App• 200 concurrent users• <6 sec response

• 1 Hour no fail• Platform only• 50 concurrent users• Any response

• 2 Hr no fail• Application• 50 concurrent users• <6 sec response

June 1st Sep 1st Nov 1s Jan 1st Feb 15th


Test Results

Number of simulated active ESS users

0200400600800

10001200

Oct-03 Nov-03 Dec-03 Jan-04 Feb-04

# ac

tive

user

s

1000 active users ~23.000 ESS scenarios / hour


Test Configuration

Load generation• 1000 concurrent users• 10 sec think time

ESS Frontend (Engine)•6 AppServer•limit ~ 1000 concurrent users

ESS Backend (R/3)•7 AppServers / 1 DBServer•limit ~ 1000 concurrent usersSLD (Engine)

•1 AppServer

J2EEDatabase

pwdf2029(2 x 2,4GHz, 4GB)

J2EE Engine 6.40

SLD

pwdf0257(4 x 550 MHz, 4GB)

LoadRunner7.8

HTTPjRFC

HTTP

SAP Web Dispatcher


J2EE Engine 6.40

ESS Benefits


J2EE Engine 6.40

ESS Benefits


J2EE Engine 6.40

ESS Benefits


J2EE Engine 6.40

ESS Benefits


J2EE Engine 6.40

ESS Benefits

J2EEDatabase


J2EE Engine 6.40

ESS Benefits


J2EE Engine 6.40

ESS Benefits


J2EE Engine 6.40

ESS Benefits


J2EE Engine 6.40

ESS Benefits


J2EE Engine 6.40

ESS Benefits


J2EE Engine 6.40

ESS Benefits


J2EE Engine 6.40

ESS Benefits


J2EE Engine 6.40

ESS Benefits

R/3Database


CentralInstance

HTTP


Conclusion

ESS / Web Dynpro

Web Dynpro is a robust technology for large scale ESS deployments with very good performance

Project management (projects with lots of customer code)

Stabilization takes time !plan the stabilization process in an early stage of the projectstart with single-user tests, increase complexity over time


Copyright 2003 SAP AG. All Rights Reserved

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