APP Design

TRACK & SHIP

toolbox
Figma
Photoshop
Illustrator
Employer
School project
My Role
Product Designer
When
May 2021

Track&ship OVERVIEW

Track & Ship is a mobile lifestyle application that serves as an all-in-one operations platform, seamlessly integrating parcel receiving, tracking, and sending services. With this app, users can effortlessly monitor the status of their packages within a unified platform and even initiate pick-up requests with various logistics companies.

CASE STUDY PROGRESS

Welcome to our streamlined design process, a journey of problem identification, in-depth research, creative ideation, rigorous evaluation, prototype development, thorough testing, and continuous improvement. This process culminates in the release of our final, polished product.

Project background

Takeaways:  Having goods delivered directly to you is convenient, but figuring out how they were sent and finding the companies used to send them is definitely not! 

The inspiration for this project comes from my roommate, who likes shopping and returns. One day she and I went out to ship some returns. We went to many express companies to return the goods because each one was sent through a different courier. We spent nearly an hour driving around. So I came up with an idea: Is it possible to send all packages from the same platform? And then have the platform assign those packages to different logistics companies? Do other people have the same trouble as my roommate?

initial assumptions

It takes a long time for people to query multiple packages, especially packages from different logistics companies

People who often buy online download a lot of logistics apps to their mobile phones, which also takes up memory on those phones.

Some people travel all over the city to send the return packages—this is tiring and difficult.

KICK OFF MEETING

Welcome to our kick-off meeting, where we embark on the journey to align our vision, set strategic business goals, outline product objectives, and address the current challenges that lie ahead. This meeting marks the beginning of our collective efforts to achieve success and drive meaningful progress.

MAIN PROBLEM

Online shoppers often face the inconvenience of not having a centralized platform to efficiently handle their parcel services, including receiving, tracking, and sending. This fragmented experience can be time-consuming and frustrating as they juggle between various logistics platforms. The intended user demographic comprises individuals frequently engaged in negotiations with logistics companies. This includes avid online shoppers seeking to streamline the process of receiving, tracking, and sending their checked parcels while saving valuable time.

mia

Mobile Maven

Mia, at the dynamic age of 32, excels in her role as a marketing manager within the vibrant heart of a bustling metropolis. Her life is a constant whirlwind, deftly managing demanding professional responsibilities.

pains & goals

Mia values a courier app that's fast, intuitive, and allows her to schedule pickups and track packages seamlessly from her smartphone. She particularly appreciates the convenience of an all-in-one platform that integrates with multiple courier companies, enabling her to switch between different services effortlessly.

Ethan

E-commerce Entrepreneur

Ethan, 35, is an aspiring e-commerce entrepreneur who runs a small online store from his home. He ships products daily to customers nationwide and often works with multiple courier companies.

pains & goals

Ethan seeks a courier app that can handle bulk shipments, provides cost-effective shipping options, and offers real-time tracking within an integrated platform. He relies on the all-in-one convenience to efficiently manage his business operations and seamlessly switch between various courier partners based on specific shipping needs.

Olivia

Tech-Savvy Home Shipper

Olivia, 28, graphic designer, works from her home studio. She enjoys the convenience of managing her shipping needs without leaving her workspace and frequently collaborates with different courier companies.

pains & goals

Olivia desires a courier app with a user-friendly interface for easy label printing, package scheduling, and a straightforward process for managing returns. She values the app's all-in-one capabilities, which simplify her shipping tasks and allow her to work seamlessly with various courier providers based on the specific requirements of her freelance projects.

SOLUTION

Set up an operations platform for integrating receiving, tracking, and sending packages. Users can track all-in-net packages on this platform, and create a shipping label or send pick-up requests to different logistics companies through this platform.

product goal

Guided by the core principle of user-centered design, our goal is to create a courier app that prioritizes clarity, simplicity, and user-friendliness. This app will empower individuals to effortlessly send and track packages from the comfort of their homes.

Image Credit: UX Planet
Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

business goal

Create an all-inclusive courier platform for shipping and tracking packages, designed to enhance people's daily lives and emerge as the next widely embraced Living-App, offering unparalleled convenience.

RESEARCH progress

Based on six aspects—“track&ship behaviors,” “track&ship concerns,” “track&ship times,”
“track&ship experiences,” “track&ship app user experiences,” and “track&ship wishes”—I interviewed
people from different communities in-person to learn their stories, and it helped me think deeper in discovering their problems.

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INsights

Our series synthesis and clustering revealed some patterns and themes, and here are some insights we want to share.

01

Almost every person I interviewed had several experiences with the logistics companies, like USPS, ups. FedEx, DHL, EMS, etc.

02

Some people don’t stick with any one courier app because the App always leads them to the website—not a very good experience.

03

With tracking, people found that it is easy to track single packages, but multiple packages become a lot of work for them because nobody likes typing tracking numbers forever.

04

People wish their packages to be safe and delivered on time. They also want to manage, track, and ship their packages in one place.

05

Some people don’t have a perfect impression of courier companies’ delivery services. They complain about missing packages, delayed packages without any notice, unclear tracking updates, some packages being stolen, etc.

06

As for shipping, some people just go to the courier’s office to drop off their package because they think it will go quickly, but some people are still unclear about packing instructions and some people who spend a lot of time in line and filling out shipping forms there. Also, some people need to run to several different places to ship their returns.

07

People also complained about the time it takes to wait for them to answer request calls for requests like leaving packages to be picked up at a shipping center or changing delivery times and places. People don’t like to submit service requests by sending an email because it makes them feel like they won’t get an immediate reply.

My Assumptions are VALIDATED!

Assumption VALIDATED 01: It takes a long time for people to query multiple packages, especially packages from different logistics companies

INVALIDATED: People who often buy online should download a lot of logistics apps from their mobile phones, which also takes up the memory of their mobile phones.

Assumption VALIDATED 02: Some people need to run to different places to send their returns

NEW FINDINGS: Some people don’t have a perfect impression of courier companies’ delivery services. They complain about missing packages, delayed packages without notice, unclear tracking updates, packages being stolen, etc.

NEW FINDINGS: Some people spent time waiting in line and filling the office’s shipping label information.

Ideation

Ideation is the spark that ignites the development process, and it's where we turn challenges into opportunities and envision solutions that will delight our users. Together, we will push the boundaries of what's possible, aiming to create a courier app that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of our target audience.

usability testing

This process involves gathering real users to interact with a product or service, observing their actions, and collecting valuable feedback. Through usability testing, we aim to uncover usability issues, pinpoint areas of improvement, and ultimately enhance the overall user experience.

Hi-fi wireframe for usability testing
Mitch
I like the flow! It’s easy and straightforward to use! Plus, these icons look so cute!
I like how you design the interface, and it's clean and engaging!
Sara
Jacy
This App will save me a bunch of time! it helps me to organize
my packages very well!
I am looking forward to how it looks like in beautiful colors!
Cindy

Design Evolution

A demonstration of evolutionary changes on the home screen.

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Style guide

Active
FFBB56de
Warning
F26040
Bodycopy
7B7B7B
Primary
573A6D

APP ICON

Black
White
Color

Design System