Enhanced design consistency & navigation for Royal Mail’s digital experience.
Responsibilities: UX Design, Prototyping
Tools: Figma, After Effects, Illustrator
Duration: 2 months
View mobile prototype →
View desktop prototype →
Background
The Royal Mail website serves as a vital touchpoint for businesses depending on its postal services. However, the business section suffered from usability issues, leading to confusion, inefficiency, and customer frustration during key interactions.
Challenge
Royal Mail tasked me with solving a problem statement which was how to increase user engagement within the business section of the site. The goal was to create a more intuitive, accessible, and valuable experience for business users.
Research
Using user surveys and usability testing, we identified key pain points:
Complex navigation hindered access to services.
Cluttered interface overloaded users with links.
Tracking tasks were slow and unclear.
Poor mobile responsiveness hurt usability on smaller devices.
Objective
Based on user research findings, my main design objective was to ensure key content was accessible within two clicks, minimising search time and friction. By streamlining navigation and improving content visibility, the goal was to enhance user satisfaction and reduce bounce rates across the business section.
Navigational structure
One of main points from the user research stage was the navigational structure was difficult for users to navigate thus leading to frustration and ultimately increased bounce rates. The main points to consider were:
Confusing language that didn’t align with user expectations.
Unclear link styling, making it difficult to identify clickable elements.
No direct path to request a quote.
Inconsistent visual design, reducing trust and usability.
User journeys
Before commencing the design phase, I proposed four key user journeys to ensure a task-focused structure:
UK Services - Sending parcels and letters within the UK.
Tracked 24 & 48 - Tracking parcels and letters from posting to delivery.
Tracked Returns - Tracked parcels and letters to delivery point returns.
Business International - Shipping parcels and letters overseas.
Design solution
The solution needed to be intuitive and directly aligned with users’ core tasks. I established four guiding principles for the new navigational structure:
Use simplified language to improve comprehension.
Ensure consistency and uniformity across the entire site.
Group content logically to reduce cognitive load.
Apply a “less is more” approach to streamline copy.
Navigational approach
I restructured the business section into four clear categories:
Send – For sending letters and parcels.
Track & Manage – To track and manage deliveries.
Grow Your Business – Marketing tools and business resources.
Help – Customer support and FAQs.
Wireframing and prototyping
The UX process included multiple iteration cycles to ensure alignment with both business goals and user needs. I created low-fidelity wireframes to outline the new structure and collaborated closely with stakeholders through prototyping, allowing for early feedback and visible progress.
My aim was to modernise the Royal Mail experience through inclusive, accessible design. I focused on delivering a clean interface that worked seamlessly across all touch points, ensuring that each design element served a clear, purposeful role.
Design choices
Streamlined navigation bar with clear categories
Refined tracking interface with real time updates
Fully optimised mobile responsiveness
User testing
Through a rigorous user testing phase the new prototype tested far more positively than the current site with much higher completion and satisfaction scores. The restructured navigation was more intuitive, while content felt more engaging thanks to improved hierarchy, supportive visuals, and helpful tools like the price calculator.
Key findings
Logical navigation offered a clearer entry point for users
Reduced text enhanced scannability
Accessible tone of voice improved clarity and inclusiveness
Visual consistency built user trust and confidence
Outcome
The project met all key objectives for Royal Mail, with the redesigned business section delivering a improved user experience. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the simplicity, clarity, and usability of the new design.
Final design features included:
A simplified navigation structure aligned with user goals
A fully responsive mobile experience
Enhanced search functionality with suggestions
Key learnings
Prioritizing users leads to stronger engagement.
Concise content reduces cognitive load.
A mobile-first approach ensures seamless accessibility.