FedEx Office sought to refine the user experience of their consumer-facing applications and enhance the functionality of their internal software. The quest was not merely about introducing incremental improvements; it was a transformative project aimed at redesigning the in-store kiosk-based shopping interface and revamping the back office fleet management applications. Added to the complexity of these tasks, the Covid-19 pandemic necessitated us to pivot our research methodology entirely to a remote mode. As the UX lead for our consulting team, I navigated these challenges to shape the transformation FedEx envisioned..
Research and Understanding
In partnership with the FedEx team, we conducted extensive remote interviews, surveys, and workshops with stakeholders, including employees and customers. The objective was to gain deep insights into their needs, frustrations, and expectations.
From the customers, we understood that the current kiosk system was complicated and lacked clear instructions. From the employees, we learned that the fleet management application was outdated, slow, and lacked intuitive features.
Ideation and Prototyping
Armed with these insights, we entered an iterative design process, sketching, wireframing, and prototyping potential solutions. For the consumer-facing application, we aimed to simplify the interface, introduce intuitive navigation, provide step-by-step guidance, and improve aesthetics. The fleet management application was designed with a modern, user-friendly interface, fast load times, and enhanced, priority-driven features.
Testing and Validation
We conducted thorough remote usability testing sessions on the prototypes, collecting user feedback on their interactions with the applications. The feedback led to refinements and improvements in the design. Encouraging responses on the simplified kiosk system and the efficient fleet management application reinforced our design decisions.
Conclusion
The project was a testament to the importance of a user-centered design approach in a rapidly changing environment. Despite Covid-19 challenges, our team successfully delivered solutions that were well-received by both FedEx Office customers and employees. This success underscored the power of collaboration, flexibility, and the ability to pivot under unforeseen circumstances.