Adopting IA Heuristics and Iterative UX Reviews:A USPS.com Case Study*

Jeffrey Ryan Pass | @jeffpass | IA Summit 2016 | May 8, 2016

Introclaimers*

Me: my phone

*See complete disclaimers in Appendix 1

Warner Bros via: Cultura Inquieta

It is a federal building with many long hallways; it is engineered for comfort and productivity

Some people think of USPS as a broken-down machine

Flickr: Gordon

Or an ill-fated machineWTOP

And while few would think of it as a ruthless machine…

KUT.org: Paolo Cocco

…those who understand the scope and scale of the operation could be forgiven for thinking it is a tricked out, (mid-century) modern machine

Barrett-Jackson

But the reality is more like this

YouTube: DownShiftRecords

Or even thisFlickr: Cha Cha

USPS.com in FY 20151:• $1.01 billion revenue (2.0% vs FY14)• 1.5 billion site visits (22.8% vs FY14)

• 55 million transactions (6.5% vs FY14)• 3 million/day average visitors• 55th most visited site USA2

• 239th most visited site world2

1. Source – USPS metrics (except where2)2. Source – Alexa, 10/01/15)

Flickr: Cha Cha

USPS.com traffic last week1: (Wednesday - Sunday, same days as #IAS16)• 10,146,208 browsers• 20,098,085 visits• 50,318,176 page views

1. Source – USPS metricsFlickr: Cha Cha

How do you communicate?

Universal

Create a shared

vocabulary?

Contempo III Productions

1. Findable2. Accessible3. Clear4. Communicative5. Useful6. Credible7. Controllable8. Valuable9. Learnable

Adopt (@abby_the_ia ’s) 10 IA Heuristics

And…10.Delightf

ul(Like Abby)#fanboy

@abby_the_ia

Know your tools, organize them, be their captain

Tested

AlwaysBeKnolling(Bullet #8)

Wikipedia: Sachs

Have a: plan / menu / approach 500px: Juan Carlos Salas

Socialize the process

Go around the table

Columbia

Adopt a Continuous Improvement Cycle

Galleria del Cembalo: Gilbert Garcin

Iterate, make a (flexible) scheduleMashable: Rob Godshaw

Mashable: Rob Godshaw

Sit in on the painful meetings and calls

Polycom

Make friends

with theagency

AMC

Give the agency a seat at the cubes

Warner Bros.

Accept that sometimes UX isn’t involved

Polycom

You may be a rock star, but you’re

probably not royalty

Me: my phone

Don’t be afraid to freak people out a bit

Position UX as a champion for related disciplines

Don’t miss a mailbox

Your utility belt is more useful than you think

o USPSo Aquilento IA Summit (& ASIS&T)o All the IAS volunteerso UXCamp DC & UXPA DCo All the moms

(did you send yours a card?)

Thank you +:

Flickr: Nicholsa Lopez

Adopting IA Heuristics and Iterative UX Reviews: A USPS.COM Case Study

IA Summit 2016Atlanta, GeorgiaMay 8, 2016

Jeffrey Ryan Passjeff.pass@aquilent.comabout.me/jeffpass@jeffpass

Smithsonian Postal Museum

Appendix 1: Disclaimers

I, Jeffrey Ryan Pass, being of questionably sound mind and clearly aging body am hereby:• Speaking as a practitioner• Not representing USPS• Not representing Aquilent• Not, technically, presenting a “case study” Additionally:• My opinions are my own• I like film and music…a lot (you’ll see)• I curse and sometimes go dark places but I’m trying

to keep both in check for today’s presentation • Full image cites and notes in appendix

*

Smithsonian Postal Museum

Appendix 2: Images & Notes (1/5)

The “Bird in the Box”, the USPS logo (sans logotype). Source – USPS Help on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ uspshelp

“Me at Work”, In front of the USPS headquarters building at L’Enfant Plaza in Washington, DC. Source – my phone

Ex (emphasis on ex) postal workers do the darnedest things; “Photos: Small aircraft lands on Capitol Lawn”. Source – WTOP (DC news radio): http://wtop.com/local/2015/04/photos-small-aircraft-lands-on-capitol-lawn/slide/13/

Uncropped/unaltered images shown. Links valid as of 05.07.2016. Notes may or may not relate to images or slides or my rantings.

“Lance Armstrong” riding as part of the (then) USPS Cycling Team. Source – Paolo Cocco (AFP/Getty Images) via KUT.org (Austin news radio): http://kut.org/post/next-lance-armstrong-post-confession-court-cases

An old USPS delivery Jeep shot on “Day 51”. Source – JudeanPeoplesFront (Gordon) on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/79538023@N00/1361662255

“The haunted hallways of the Overlook Hotel.” Source – Warner Bros. via Cultura Inquieta: http://culturainquieta.com/en/foto/item/6643-stanley-kubrick-a-visual-analysis-of-his-film-inspirations.html

The classic “1963 Jeep Custom Mail Van” reworked and souped-up. Source – Barrett-Jackson: http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Details/1963-JEEP-CUSTOM-MAIL-VAN-162905

“Modded US Mail Jeep”, a classic Jeep mail delivery vehicle all tricked out. Source – Down ShiftRecords on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5336lazelcQ

Appendix 2: Images & Notes (2/5)Uncropped/unaltered images shown. Links valid as of 05.07.2016. Notes may or may not relate to images or slides or my rantings.

Still from “Lost in Translation”. Source – Universal via The Daily Beast: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/12/sofia-coppola-discusses-lost-in-translation-on-its-10th-anniversary.html

There is a weird sub-culture of people that like to create a “USPS Hot Rod” from old mail delivery vehicles. Source – RZ02 on PhotoBucket: http://bit.ly/1UmFirv

Impression from the “Mr. Zip” rubber stamp (ink on paper). Source – cha cha (stamps) on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/scooterfox/albums/72157607769551951

“Abby_Headshot_Long”, from Abby’s press kit then manipulated by Madeo Studio. Abby gets the largest image for obvious reasons (image orientation, of course). Source –Madeo Studio: http://madeostudio.com/tag/information-architecture/ Read more about Abby’s 10 IA heuristics: Does IT Have Legs? Information Architecture Heuristics for Interaction Designers

Still from “Incubus (1966)”, the first, and as far as I know only major film made in Esparanto. Source – Contempo III Productionsl via The A.V. Club: http://www.avclub.com/article/incubus-1966-47347

"Adam's 'Star Trek' Captain's Chair.” Source - Tested via Popular Mechanics: http://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/tv/a15581/adam-savage-star-trek-captains-chair/

Appendix 2: Images & Notes (3/5)Uncropped/unaltered images shown. Links valid as of 05.07.2016. Notes may or may not relate to images or slides or my rantings.

“The War Room”, Columbia Pictures via Military History Monthly: http://www.military-history.org/articles/war-on-film-dr-strangelove.htm

The “Human Hamster Wheel Could Be the Ultimate Standing Desk”. Source – Rob Godshaw via Mashable:http://mashable.com/2014/09/25/human-hamster-wheel-standing-desk/#QZlxZLyblEqi

Official studio photo from “Mad Men Season 5”. Source – AMC: http://www.amc.com/shows/mad-men/talk/2012/03/season-5-studio-photos

“Polycom SoundStation2.” Source – Polycom: http://www.polycom.com/products-services/voice/conferencing-solutions/conferencing-phones/soundstation2.html

“Le moulin de l’oubli.” Source – Gilbert Garcin via Galleria del Cembalo: http://www.galleriadelcembalo.it/eng/garcin/

Facsimile of the “Washington Post Newsroom”. Source – Warner Bros. via Cinema Style on Blogspot: http://bit.ly/1YVW67Z

“Dr. Strangelove: Plan R” photographed at the Stanley Kubrick Exhibition (see it at all possible; it directly addresses many issues close to IA). Source – Juan Carlos Salas via 500px: http://www.military-history.org/articles/war-on-film-dr-strangelove.htm

"How To Knoll.“ Source – Tom Sachs via Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knoll_(verb) See also 10 Bullets by Tom Sachs (Bullet #8)

Appendix 2: Images & Notes (4/5)Uncropped/unaltered images shown. Links valid as of 05.07.2016. Notes may or may not relate to images or slides or my rantings.

“Batman ‘66 (Hot Toys)”, The Figure In Question: https://thefigureinquestion.wordpress.com/tag/hot-toys/ BTW, collecting, pristine, in-package, is all fine an good, but please… play with toys too!

“Rural Mailboxes in Southern California.” Source - Jeff Dowler CRS via ActiveRain: http://activerain.com/blogsview/3485794/rural-mailboxes-in-southern-california

“Beautiful Little Prince Illustrations.” Source – Kim Min Ji via Bumbles and Fairy-Tales: http://bumblesandfairytales.tumblr.com/post/119570303205/87-mm-beautiful-the-little-prince-illustrations

Help to show people “to the seat with the clearest view”, “David Bowie – Life on Mars?” Source – EMI Music via Vevo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v--IqqusnNQ

“Remembering the Purple One”, at the American Film Institute (AFI) Silver Prince Remembrance showing of Purple Rain: my phone. Support the AFI and AFI Silver Theater.

“Freddy Mercury.” Source – Dave Lifton for Queen Rock Band on Blogspot: http://queenrockband.blogspot.com/2012_10_01_archive.html

“Princess Leia – Sending Message to Obi Wan Using USPS.” Source – Nicholsa Lopez on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nicholaslopez/1796998213

Appendix 2: Images & Notes (5/5)Uncropped/unaltered images shown. Links valid as of 05.07.2016. Notes may or may not relate to images or slides or my rantings.

“Mr. Zip Don't Tie Up.” Source – Smithsonian Postal Museum: http://postalmuseum.si.edu/zipcodecampaign/p6.html

“Mr. Zip Air Parcel Post.” Source – Smithsonian Postal Museum: http://postalmuseum.si.edu/zipcodecampaign/p5.html

The “iasummit prius” logo. Only bigger. Source – IA Summit: http://www.iasummit.org/themes/iasummit_prius/logo.png