Product · Strategy · Leadership
Routing at massive scale.
From stone-age to the 21st century, FedEx Ground Drivers now have a GPS app.
The Problem:
How do we modernize FedEx Ground's outdated routing system while respecting their policy prohibiting cell phone use, creating a solution that can be deployed to thousands of drivers in time for the critical holiday season?
The Solution:
Develop a purpose-built, native GPS application for specialized Panasonic devices that addresses drivers' specific needs while maintaining operational simplicity and compliance with company policies.
Key Components:
Accelerated Discovery & Research – Conducted rapid but thorough user interviews with FedEx Ground drivers within the first three days, creating proto-personas, journey maps, user stories, and initial user flows.
Agile Design Process – Implemented daily standups with engineers, stakeholders, and project managers to ensure each design iteration remained technically viable without compromising the end-user experience.
Driver-Validated Prototype Development – Created and refined low-fidelity prototypes through direct driver feedback before developing the high-fidelity version using FedEx's brand guidelines.
Strategic Competitive Positioning – Designed a solution that emphasized simplicity and core functionality, differentiating our approach from more complex competing proposals.
Rapid Design-to-Deployment Pipeline – Established an efficient workflow from design handoff through development and QA to meet the critical holiday season deadline.
App in Use on a Route
Tablet Experience
High Fidelity Prototype
The work behind the work.
Proto Persona
Experience Map
Journey Map
MVP User Stories and Rankings
Initial User Flow
Low Fidelity Wireframe and Flow
The Results:
Successful Contract Win – Secured the FedEx contract by presenting the most elegant solution that effectively addressed core needs while minimizing complexity.
Rapid Development Timeline – Delivered a fully-baked prototype in just 18 days despite limited design resources, demonstrating exceptional efficiency and focus.
Large-Scale Deployment – Successfully deployed the application to more than 3,000 FedEx Ground drivers within two months of design handoff.
Technological Leap Forward – Transformed FedEx Ground's routing process from paper maps to digital navigation, representing a generational upgrade in operational capability.
Holiday Season Readiness – Met the critical target deadline to support FedEx Ground's operations during their busiest and most demanding delivery period of the year. enabling the editorial team to publish more timely and relevant articles while maintaining high editorial standards.
