Roles
UX/UI Designer
User Research
Brand Design
Information Architecture
Duration
75 hours
Tools and Resources
Figma
FigJam
Miro
Overview
In this project, our primary objectives were to add a feature that would streamline package tracking, enhance user interaction, and to conduct user research.
BACKGROUND
Delivering to the nation
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is the primary mail delivery service in the United States, serving individuals and businesses across approximately 160 million addresses nationwide. As the sole provider reaching every address, USPS operates under the mission of providing reliable, safe, and secure mail delivery. Committed to modernization and efficiency, USPS utilizes technology and innovation to meet evolving customer needs while remaining an integral part of the US government.
THE PROBLEM
Addressing delivery challenges
Despite USPS's commitment to reliable and efficient delivery, complaints persist regarding delays, packages being held in facilities, or packages failing to reach their destinations. Customers often lack visibility into their package whereabouts, leading them to contact customer service, which can result in lengthy and inefficient processes.
THE PROCESS
The design process
To identify meaningful solutions for our client, we followed a structured approach consisting of 5 stages.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Exploring the landscape
We conducted an in-depth analysis of competitors in the delivery industry to gain insights from their visuals, features, and user flows. By studying their strengths and weaknesses, we were able to identify key elements to incorporate into our own designs.
USER INTERVIEWS
Route to understanding the users
Next, we conducted user interviews with 5 participants to better understand their experiences, needs, goals, and challenges related to USPS services. Here are some key insights from our interviews.
USER PERSONA
Customer profiles
Based on these insights, we crafted a detailed user persona to represent our target audience.
IDEATION
Ideating solutions for USPS
After pinpointing common user challenges and desired outcomes, we formulated a key question to help guide the design process.
HOW MIGHT WE help USPS users to effortlessly track their packages?
Our solution
We aimed to streamline the package tracking experience for USPS users through the integration of a live tracking system. This implementation would provide users with real-time visibility into the status and location of their packages, enabling them to effortlessly track their deliveries from dispatch to delivery.
Feature set and prioritization
Next, we proceeded to develop a comprehensive feature set to explore further enhancements for the USPS online experience.
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
User flows
Using user insights as our guide, we constructed user flows to visualize the structure and navigation of the website.
DESIGN
Bringing the vision to life
Low-Fidelity Wireframes
After building the flows, we began crafting the blueprints for our designs.
Our initial set of wireframes were sketched on paper.
High-Fidelity Wireframes
After creating the user interface kit, we developed our high-fidelity mockups. These mockups were used as the foundation for our prototype, which was used for usability testing.
The Prototype
TESTING
Usability testing
Once the prototype was complete, we tested it with five participants. Here are is the task we asked them to complete.
You’re a user of the USPS mobile app. You’ve been waiting for a delivery, but it hasn’t arrived.
Can you guide me through the process of tracking the package using USPS’s live tracking feature?
Usability Test Results
Next we conducted usability testing to validate our design decisions, using the following success metrics.
Task Completion
100% (5/5) of participants were able to complete Task 1 without errors.
Time to Complete Tasks
80% (4/5) of participants completed Task 1 in less than a minute.
User Satisfaction
60% (3/5) participants expressed a liking for the blue text and icons for important links.
40% (2/5) participants expressed a liking for the progress ring.
40% (2/5) participants expressed a liking for the map.
Ease of Use
100% (5/5) of participants expressed that the flows were easy to navigate.
80% (4/5) participants expressed that the flow felt familiar.
Areas For Improvement
60% (3/5) participants expressed the desire to see the deletion or modification of the checkboxes in Tracking History.
40% (2/5) participants expressed that it may be unnecessary to include the journey and stops of the courier on the live map.
40% (2/5) participants expressed that the driver’s full name should not be used.
TESTING
Priority Iterations
Through our usability testing, we were able to identify key areas for improvement.
IN RESPONSE TO USER FEEDBACK, WE:
Revision 1: Deleted check boxes from the tracking page
Revision 2: Removed courier stops on the live map
Revision 3: Removed driver’s last name
The Final Prototype
REFLECTION
Key takeaways
The users are our teachers
Their experiences, preferences, and feedback are what shaped our design approach.
Continuous learning and adaptation
We discovered the importance of continually expanding our knowledge base. Our initial limited understanding of USPS and its app prompted us to delve deeper, leading to a more informed and effective design process.
Independence in decision making
This project encouraged us to think independently and set our own tasks and timelines. This enabled us to grow as designers and develop our ability to make critical decisions confidently.
The next step
Integrating chatbot assistance
Chatbot assistance will ensure that users have access to support and guidance 24/7, aiding with tasks like package tracking, answering queries, resolving issues, and facilitating transactions.
Thank you for your interest in the USPS feature addition!
