USPS PO Locator is a tool to find USPS Locations (or send directions) and hours of operation.

When you search for a Post Office, you can use filter options to narrow your search results, so the location details page will show you which of those services are available in person at a specific facility.

This tool/application was evaluated using usability testing methods with the help of actual USPS end customers.

Enables customers to look up USPS Locations (or send directions) and hours of operation.

Customers can use their current location for finding Post Office locations around them.

Customers can fill in their City and State or just their ZIP Code™ to find PO locations.

Filter locations according to services listed for various locations.

©USPS

• Obtain user impressions and feedback on the current PO Locator and PO Locator redesign concepts, including:
  • Likes/dislikes
  • Points of confusion
  • Unmet business needs
  • Desired additions/changes
• Compare USPS® PO Locator with competitor/alternate locator tools
• Employ user research methods to achieve a deep understanding of what USPS users need, want, and prefer
• Identify areas in which users' expectations for the application are misaligned
• Develop and prioritize design recommendations to optimize improvement and maximize user satisfaction

• Recruit a diverse sample of USPS customers with a best available mix of age, geographic location, business size and business industry
• Prepare testing materials for research, testing and other deliverables
• Conduct/Moderate/Observe user interviews to gather both quantitative and qualitative data
• Gather feedback from USPS users on the changes needed to the application
• Identify opportunities for improving the PO Locator Application on USPS.com
• Analyze data in order to aid in the prioritization of PO locator issues
• Make any necessary recommendations and updates to the application through prototypes
• Present finidings and recommendation report and deliver prototypes
• Communicate design decisions with developers for feasibility and workarounds

Discovery

• Familiarization with the PO Locator application and project timelines
• Heuristic evaluation of PO Locator screens and user journey
• Stakeholder interviews - USPS Product & Business Owners

User Surveys

• Web-based surveys targeted to USPS users
• Recruiting test participants with a good mix according to requirements

User Interviews

• Moderated, structured interviews with USPS users
• Conducted via telephone & web conference
• Moderators followed standardized interview guide tailored for each user group
• Session Structure:
  1. Confirm participant background
  2. Discussion of participants’ use of locators, and expectations for PO Locator
  3. Exploration and discussion of the current PO Locator and Special Hours treatment
  4. Exploration and discussion of the PO Locator redesign concept prototype
  5. As time allowed, exploration and discussion of an alternative online locator application (Australia Post, Home Depot, Apple, REI, or Williams-Sonoma)

During the Discovery phase, major user groups were identified as Consumers and Business users

24 usability test sessions were conducted remotely with Consumers and Business users of USPS.com

Navigation

Participants were first asked to locate PO Locator tool from USPS homepage

PO Locator Landing

Participants were then asked to search for a Post Office location and use filter options depending on scenarios

PO Locator Results

Participants searched using a zip code and navigated to a specific Post Office location screen

Interactions between map and results were insufficient

Recommendation

Show numbers for pins that correspond to the results

Recommendation

Highlight the map pin and display location details while hovering over a search result

Recommendation

Highlight map pin when hovered on result

Highlighting the pins while hovering on a result helps users visually associate the two

Difficult to Use the Map on Mobile

Recommendation

Consider overlaying search terms over the map so that they are visible. Also consider adding a “tab” or other area near the bottom that a user can tap and hold to scroll the page.

20 miles default was too far

Recommendations

1. Add a 5-mile radius option. There was no 5-mile radius option
2. Consider changing the default to 5 or 10 miles
3. Have the system change to the next farther distance if no results are found with the default (until results are found)

Viewing and applying filters was problematic

Recommendations

1. Include the option to view and apply filters from the Results List page
2. Show a filter applied tag and an “Apply” button/link to confirm selected filters

Recommendation

Show a filter applied tag to confirm selected filters.

Participant Ratings on the Current PO Locator

• How intuitive it was to use PO Locator
• Usefulness of the map
• Usefulness of the results list
• Usefulness of the location details view

The map was seen as the least useful component

Navigation

Customer suggested adding other sort options to the results, rather than just by distance

For example, open now (vs. closed), latest hours they are open, or number of days open

Redesigned Recommendation

Participants compared current PO Locator and Redesign mockup to provide feedback

Map

Have the map update when the user zooms out to show additional locations (like Google)

Auto-suggest would be a nice addition to PO Locator when entering an address

Map

Use Google Maps instead of ESRI

Most customers use google maps

A lot of features could be achieved using Google Map APIs