Staples Canada
The Results
“In every design, Michael infuses a spirit of collaboration and fun that uplifts the entire team.”
Building a new in-store printing kioske.
Staples was building WeWork styled office space sharing, and needed a singular station to print projects on the fly.
I was brought in to aid a small agile team in designing a robust touch screen experience.
6
Faster Loading Times
Solutions Builder
The Staples printing experience faced challenges due to default customization settings causing print failures, cloud-saved documents often failing to load, and difficulty in navigating large documents.
How we finished
The redesign prioritized prominent customization features, streamlined file browsing and on-the-fly adjustments without a crowded interface, and an aesthetic that mirrors the store’s distinct appeal.
Market Scan & System Audit
I took a look at the landscape of applications that printed or used an omni-channel experience to build and pay. We also looked at the system restrictions to understand our limitations
Where we focused
In our findings, we identified key areas for improvement in the Staples omni experience. Firstly, on-screen file customization was problematic, with files frequently crashing or failing to load from the cloud. There was also a need for more user-friendly file previews. Secondly, the payments systems at Staples were disjointed, necessitating a solution for seamless integration with our design work. Lastly, we faced the challenge of working with multiple, non-communicative systems set up by various vendors. Our design strategy had to cleverly mask these limitations to prevent customer frustration.
Focus No. 1
On Screen File Customization
The customization needed to be front and centre.
We wanted the ability to easily browse between files, and adjust those files on the fly, without having the screen feel crowded. The aesthetic was also designed to match the feel of the store, giving the visuals a distinct appeal.
Focus No. 2
Separate Payment System
Because we were limited to a separate payment system, we integrated payment with their barcode system.
Focus No. 3
Design to Hide Limitations
We were bound by many system challenges, so we used smart design patterns and experimental ideas to reduce the feeling of those limitations
The Outcome
The outcomes of the project were significant. We managed to reduce the time-to-launch from an estimated 6-12 months to just 2 months. Additionally, Rangle.io's development efforts led to a 6x improvement in load times, addressing the rendering challenges present in the original software. Furthermore, the enhanced print-on-the-fly feature and improved access to tools resulted in customers spending twice as long browsing in-store, often taking breaks during printing to explore new gear.