Optimizing Self-Service in a Legacy Retail Environment
Role
Lead Designer
Client
FedEx Office
Timeline
6 Weeks
PROBLEM EXPLAINED
HP won FedEx's business for Large-Format in-store printing machinery. With the new contract, the machines have been upgraded to the HP XL 3600 with a 15" screen. With the new request for proposal being defined, our UX team was requested to reimagine the entire large-format printing experience from end-to-end, including the customer usage of the payment kiosk, which customers often complained of while using self-service machines.
Customer's complained of inefficient preview capability, a disjointed workflow, and unclear messaging throughout the workflow. Our UX team was tasked with taking an aspirational approach on how we may improve the end-to-end customer experience through a streamlined workflow of the two machines—the new HP Printer and FedEx’s owned payment kiosk.
Why was a redesign needed?
AEC (Architecture, Engineering, & Construction) prints generate over $1.3B for FedEx—FedEx stands to capture additional revenue by improving customer inefficiencies & pain points.
With the new 15” HP screen, FedEx had the opportunity to enhance the user experience by leveraging the increased screen real estate for an improved UI design. Customers often reported a poor customer experience with the existing disjointed workflow.
IMPACT SNEAK PEEK 🪄
Keep scrolling to see more about the following achievements.
Existing Issues Users Were Facing
Prioritizing cross-functional alignment on User-flows
Strategic Approach to User Flows
Despite tight project timelines, I led the team to align on user flows before presenting visual designs. This approach allowed us to focus on user journeys and pain points, clearly define project scope, and identify potential technical challenges early. By prioritizing flows over aesthetics initially, we significantly reduced rework and ensured our solutions directly addressed user needs.
🚧 When Constraints Hit: Time to Pivot
The ideal solution was obvious: one screen instead of two. Merging the kiosk experiences would eliminate customer confusion entirely—why make people bounce between machines when they could do everything in one place?
But ideal doesn't always mean feasible.
FedEx had already invested in rolling out payment kiosks across multiple locations. Ripping them out wasn't just technically complex—it conflicted with business objectives and represented significant sunk cost. The hardware wasn't going anywhere.
So I pivoted. If we couldn't merge the machines, we'd have to make them work together seamlessly. The new challenge became designing a handoff so smooth that customers would barely notice they were switching screens. I leaned heavily on interaction design—visual cues, instructional messaging, and strategic timing—to guide customers between the two touchpoints without confusion. The technology stayed separate; the experience felt unified.
Overcoming the Challenge of cross-functional collaboration
Context
Historically, customers have complained of a poor in-store experience with self-serve machines and business partners have struggled to align on a best-path forward. In order to capitalize off of the new HP machines coming into stores, FedEx needed to quickly define and align on the best user experience for self-serve customers.
Technical Challenge
The redesign aimed to unify the HP printing and payment kiosk experience to address customers' primary complaint: the disjointed workflow of using two separate machines. However, synchronizing the devices presented significant technical challenges, requiring seamless communication of print jobs between systems.
External Challenges
Getting the two machines to talk to each other and share real-time pricing updates with the customer
Limited corporate budget for new technology
Fast paced timeline - 3 weeks of design & research
Internal Challenges
With varying desired & prioritized end-goals, managing expectations of internal stakeholders and customers, proved to be a challenge through the design process.
Overcoming technical challenges that would often prevent us from using the “happy-path” design.
Current State
What changed for the better?
The biggest new addition with the new machines is the upgrade to a 15.6” monitor. It allows for more screen real-estate, thus increasing our ability to build an intuitive and easy-to-use workflow. It also addresses the customer frustrations with the small screen on the existing printers.
The image to the left represents the previous store setup and printer screen size.
Note: Not all FedEx Office locations are equal in size. Therefore, due to limited floor space in some stores, the M600 may not be right next to the the printer, thus adding to customer complaints about the disjointed workflow.
Solving for payment frustration with dynamic pricing updates
Customer Frustration
Customers select too low of a pre-authorization amount and due to technical limitations, they cannot add more to their balance once they’ve started a print job.
This leaves customers frustrated that they don’t have enough to complete their print job; they have to start the process over again with a new balance.
Business Problem
Frustrated customers will grab a store employee from the front desk to assist them, when there is no other solution other than to start another print job.
During high-traffic hours, customers are often waiting 10-15 minutes to get a store team member to come over, due to the high demand in stores.
Help customers understand the pre-authorization model
Added pre-authorization guidelines to help customers select the right amount based on their print job size.
Implemented Dynamic Pricing Updates
The new dynamic pricing bar on the HP screen & the visual balance wheel on the payment kiosk, provides the shopper with real-time updates of their balance based on their selections.
With the new visual additions, the customer can always see how their customizations/selections are impacting their overall price, and how much of their balance they have left to use.
Previous Experience
DESIGN WINS
Improved customer understanding & findability
CUSTOMER IMPACT
The addition of visual graphics & the UI step tracker orients customers on the given steps of the printing process & lessens confusion.
BUSINESS IMPACT
Less customer frustration with payment model
CUSTOMER IMPACT
The new UI helps customers understand the 1) correct pre-authorization amount to select and 2) lessens overall confusion and frustration on the pre-authorization model.
BUSINESS IMPACT
Decreased customer confusion & frustration with pre-authorization pricing structure.
Faster completion of print jobs.
Decreased in-store friction
CUSTOMER IMPACT
BUSINESS IMPACT
Decrease friction between the two screen experiences (payment kiosk & printer screen).
