Royal Mail's first phone app

Overview:

Royal Mail, seeking to establish their inaugural mobile application, partnered with our creative design agency. As the lead UX designer, I played a pivotal role from the pitch phase through to delivering comprehensive design solutions. We provided both the UX and UI design, which Royal Mail's in-house development team used to build and launch their first dedicated mobile application. This project was a significant opportunity to shape Royal Mail's digital presence, delivering a user-centric app tailored to their customers' needs.

A view of the inital version of Track An Item as it was in the first version of the Royal Mail application

Goals:

The primary goals were to secure the Royal Mail project through a compelling pitch, and then to deliver a complete design solution, encompassing both UX and UI, for their mobile application. This involved creating an app that met Royal Mail’s strategic objectives and provided a seamless and intuitive user experience. We aimed to deliver high-quality design deliverables within the project’s constraints, enabling Royal Mail's in-house team to successfully build and launch the app.

Process:

My process began with extensive preparation for the Royal Mail pitch. This included a thorough competitive review, analyzing global postal service website homepages to understand market trends and user expectations. This research informed our strategic recommendations and was crucial in securing the project. Following the successful pitch, I led the UX and UI design process. This involved conducting stakeholder workshops to define application scope and functionalities, creating user flows and wireframes, and collaborating closely with visual designers to develop the UI. We delivered detailed design specifications, including information architecture and layouts, which Royal Mail’s in-house development team used to build the app.

Screenshot from a Competitive Review of multiple national postal service websites from across the world - desktop and mobile.

Approach:

My approach was rooted in a user-centered design philosophy and strategic planning. The competitive review informed our pitch and design strategy. I facilitated stakeholder workshops to gather requirements and align on project goals, prioritizing user needs throughout the design process. We used clear documentation and prototyping to communicate design decisions, ensuring alignment between our agency and Royal Mail’s development team. We maintained open communication throughout the project, ensuring our designs were technically sound and met Royal Mail’s specifications.

Key Insights:

The competitive review provided critical insights into global postal service trends and user expectations, essential for securing the project. Effective stakeholder workshops were crucial for defining application scope and functionalities. Delivering comprehensive design specifications, including both UX and UI, enabled Royal Mail’s in-house team to build the app efficiently. Clear communication and collaboration were essential for ensuring our designs were implemented accurately.

Further screenshot showing the 'empty state' version of Track and Item

Outcomes:

The successful pitch led to our agency delivering a complete design solution for Royal Mail’s first mobile application. We provided both the UX and UI design, enabling Royal Mail’s in-house team to successfully build and launch the app. This project not only established a mobile presence for Royal Mail but also demonstrated our agency’s ability to deliver comprehensive design solutions and facilitate successful collaborations between design and development teams.

Recommendations:

For similar projects in the future, I'd really recommend keeping user testing front and centre. Getting feedback from real users early on helps catch potential issues and ensures the design is truly user-friendly. Also, it’s important to make sure the design documentation is as clear and detailed as possible. It makes the handoff to the development team, especially an external in-house one, much smoother. And finally, maintaining open and consistent communication between the design and development teams is key. It helps everyone stay aligned and work together efficiently, which is crucial for a successful project.