When technology experts create a platform such as that used by a virtual data room, it’s tempting to try and put all the functionality in the same place.“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” The words are attributed to Leonardo da Vinci. There’s no proof he actually said it. What is proven, however, is that it was used as a slogan by Apple Computers in 1977 with the introduction of the Apple II personal computer, which has been a beacon of simple sophistication ever since. 

Simplicity in Technology

The benefits of having everything together, however, are outweighed by the difficulty this presents for non-technical users who are easily overwhelmed by a surfeit of options.

With the advent of point-and-click ability, software systems such as VDRs should be easy enough for a 10-year old to understand and operate. This includes making it stress-free for non-pro users, fast and easy to set up, providing technical support to help even the non tech-savvy feel confident.

It Takes Understanding

Designers put in a lot of time to achieve creating a data room that fulfils the requirements of a secure document sharing platform. They are required to really understand the software and its capabilities and to know how the system will be used. This makes it possible for them to eradicate unnecessary steps and automate wherever possible, in areas such as the indexing of documents based on identified criteria, the allocation of access to specific information based on a code and the automated availability to download, edit, print or copy.

The Zappos Example

Online shoe retailer Zappos doesn’t follow any of the norms and standards of other big retailers. It operates on a one-to-one basis with the customer; its reps don’t follow approved sales pitches or require approval from management to implement decisions. It’s image is refreshingly unfetterd and to the random observer things seem to happen all by themselves.

Like Disney World, however, it’s a shop window backed by process structure and training, with two weeks’ classroom education for new hires and unusual rules. For example, managers are required to spend between 10% and 20% of their work time “goofing off” with the staff they manage. And it’s all in the interest of creating strong relationships.

In our case, it is the same.  We strive to make our dataroom service simple to the user. Given the strict security and compliance requires in our business, that can only be done by very well defined processes, systems and policies. What the clients see is all this work distilled.

A Structured Service

The kind of service needed for a data room to deliver top quality performance requires a structured approach that’s everything but basic and primitive. Not only does it take sophisticated hardware and software to create a secure and efficient facility, but it requires employees with a high level of knowledge of the industry, best practices and risks that data rooms face.

At EthosData we love it when our clients exclaim “Is that all there is to it?” after seeing our platform or experiencing our service. For us, it means we’re getting it right and making it simple for the client to operate, while the real work takes place behind the curtain.