Unpacking Complexity: A Human Factors Usability Study (2025)
Problem Statement
This study investigates usability issues in customer-specific packaging requirements and their impact on production workflows, aiming to identify inefficiencies and explore solutions to streamline the process while maintaining customer satisfaction
- What daily inefficiencies do the shipping staff encounter when working with customer specific packaging instructions?(RQ1)
- How do these usability issues currently affect decision making and efficiency on the shipping floor?(RQ2)
- What pain points do workers express regarding instructions?(RQ3)
- 4 participants
- Ages 19-50
- Users had mixed experiance from
- Focus on mobile-first users
- Contextual inquiry - Real time interactions with the shipping team
- Session Recording - Observing the shipping staff and recording data
- Behavioral Methods - Explore actions and steps taken by staff to solve problems
1. Fragmented and Conflicting Instructions
- Instructions were scattered across up to 7 sources (e.g., manufacturing docs, ERP, packing slips, portals).
- Frequent conflicts between standard instructions.
- Lack of version control or update notifications led to outdated guidance and increased cognitive load.
- Result: delays, confusion, inconsistent packaging practices.
2. Customer Portal Usability Issues
- Team struggled to use multiple, customer-specific portals with varying rules.
- Portals were often inaccessible or closed, causing delays of weeks to months.
- Employees used workarounds: shipping outside the portal, which disrupted order tracking and accountability.
3. Inconsistent Handling of Test Data
- No standardized process for test data packaging.
- Employees used personal judgment, leading to variation and customer confusion.
4. Lack of Clear Escalation or Clarification Channels
- Staff frequently asked supervisors for guidance, but responses were inconsistent.
- No formal procedure for resolving unclear instructions.
- Resulted in disagreements, rework, and involvement from HR.
5. Inadequate Training
- All employees rated training quality as very poor.
- Most relied on tribal knowledge and informal learning, increasing variability in task performance.
- Lack of training contributed to frequent errors and reliance on workarounds.
🔴 Immediate Priorities (High Impact, High Urgency)
- Create a centralized SOP system and implement template-based checklists for packaging instructions
- Form a dedicated portal team to manage customer-specific systems and reduce workload on packagers
- Launch company-wide training programs on standards, portals, and packaging best practices
- Standardize packaging by product type and limit ad hoc custom requests unless approved
🟡 Mid-Term Improvements (High Impact, Medium Urgency)
- Integrate portal initiation earlier in production
- Include test data and portal instructions within new templates
- Develop training videos and train non-shipping departments (sales, program managers) to align expectations
🟢 Long-Term Enhancements (Foundational Improvements)
- Digitize all instructions and track version history
- Assign order-specific contacts to reduce time spent seeking help
- Promote cross-functional empathy by having instruction writers shadow shipping teams
Impact Potential
By streamlining the instruction system and redistributing portal management, the team stands to reduce packing time, increase consistency, and improve collaboration across departments. These usability recommendations aim to:
- Reduce shipping errors and delays
- Improve employee satisfaction and efficiency
- Strengthen communication with customers
- Enhance cross-site standardization and company reputation
- Design Deviations & Implementation Notes
- During high-fidelity mockups, the original card format for add-ons was preserved to fit content constraints, deviating from wireframe plans.
- The simplified add-on card and bundle layout were re-integrated due to spacing and clarity concerns.
- Several non-essential elements (e.g., auto-expanded flight details, banner ads) were removed or collapsed to reduce cognitive load. These may be revisited in a future iteration.
Reflection
This study revealed how a lack of standardization, clear instructions, and training significantly impacted shipping efficiency and employee satisfaction. Most issues stemmed from inconsistent, scattered instructions and high cognitive load, leading employees to create personal workarounds—causing further confusion, errors, and delays.
The most critical fix—centralizing and standardizing instructions—is relatively simple yet highly impactful. While full digitization is a long-term goal, intermediate steps like template-based SOPs and cross-team training can drive immediate improvements.
Despite losing some data due to confidentiality constraints, the core findings remained valid and actionable. This project reinforced that usability is about system design as much as interfaces, and improving clarity, consistency, and communication can transform operational performance.
A follow-up study post-implementation is recommended to validate success and identify additional refinements.
Next
Unpacking Complexity: A Human Factors Usability Study (2025)
Problem Statement
This study investigates usability issues in customer-specific packaging requirements and their impact on production workflows, aiming to identify inefficiencies and explore solutions to streamline the process while maintaining customer satisfaction
- What daily inefficiencies do the shipping staff encounter when working with customer specific packaging instructions?(RQ1)
- How do these usability issues currently affect decision making and efficiency on the shipping floor?(RQ2)
- What pain points do workers express regarding instructions?(RQ3)
- 4 participants
- Ages 19-50
- Users had mixed experiance from
- Focus on mobile-first users
- Contextual inquiry - Real time interactions with the shipping team
- Session Recording - Observing the shipping staff and recording data
- Behavioral Methods - Explore actions and steps taken by staff to solve problems
1. Fragmented and Conflicting Instructions
- Instructions were scattered across up to 7 sources (e.g., manufacturing docs, ERP, packing slips, portals).
- Frequent conflicts between standard instructions.
- Lack of version control or update notifications led to outdated guidance and increased cognitive load.
- Result: delays, confusion, inconsistent packaging practices.
2. Customer Portal Usability Issues
- Team struggled to use multiple, customer-specific portals with varying rules.
- Portals were often inaccessible or closed, causing delays of weeks to months.
- Employees used workarounds: shipping outside the portal, which disrupted order tracking and accountability.
3. Inconsistent Handling of Test Data
- No standardized process for test data packaging.
- Employees used personal judgment, leading to variation and customer confusion.
4. Lack of Clear Escalation or Clarification Channels
- Staff frequently asked supervisors for guidance, but responses were inconsistent.
- No formal procedure for resolving unclear instructions.
- Resulted in disagreements, rework, and involvement from HR.
5. Inadequate Training
- All employees rated training quality as very poor.
- Most relied on tribal knowledge and informal learning, increasing variability in task performance.
- Lack of training contributed to frequent errors and reliance on workarounds.
🔴 Immediate Priorities (High Impact, High Urgency)
- Create a centralized SOP system and implement template-based checklists for packaging instructions
- Form a dedicated portal team to manage customer-specific systems and reduce workload on packagers
- Launch company-wide training programs on standards, portals, and packaging best practices
- Standardize packaging by product type and limit ad hoc custom requests unless approved
🟡 Mid-Term Improvements (High Impact, Medium Urgency)
- Integrate portal initiation earlier in production
- Include test data and portal instructions within new templates
- Develop training videos and train non-shipping departments (sales, program managers) to align expectations
🟢 Long-Term Enhancements (Foundational Improvements)
- Digitize all instructions and track version history
- Assign order-specific contacts to reduce time spent seeking help
- Promote cross-functional empathy by having instruction writers shadow shipping teams
Impact Potential
By streamlining the instruction system and redistributing portal management, the team stands to reduce packing time, increase consistency, and improve collaboration across departments. These usability recommendations aim to:
- Reduce shipping errors and delays
- Improve employee satisfaction and efficiency
- Strengthen communication with customers
- Enhance cross-site standardization and company reputation
- Design Deviations & Implementation Notes
- During high-fidelity mockups, the original card format for add-ons was preserved to fit content constraints, deviating from wireframe plans.
- The simplified add-on card and bundle layout were re-integrated due to spacing and clarity concerns.
- Several non-essential elements (e.g., auto-expanded flight details, banner ads) were removed or collapsed to reduce cognitive load. These may be revisited in a future iteration.
Reflection
This study revealed how a lack of standardization, clear instructions, and training significantly impacted shipping efficiency and employee satisfaction. Most issues stemmed from inconsistent, scattered instructions and high cognitive load, leading employees to create personal workarounds—causing further confusion, errors, and delays.
The most critical fix—centralizing and standardizing instructions—is relatively simple yet highly impactful. While full digitization is a long-term goal, intermediate steps like template-based SOPs and cross-team training can drive immediate improvements.
Despite losing some data due to confidentiality constraints, the core findings remained valid and actionable. This project reinforced that usability is about system design as much as interfaces, and improving clarity, consistency, and communication can transform operational performance.
A follow-up study post-implementation is recommended to validate success and identify additional refinements.
Next
Unpacking Complexity: A Human Factors Usability Study (2025)
Problem Statement
This study investigates usability issues in customer-specific packaging requirements and their impact on production workflows, aiming to identify inefficiencies and explore solutions to streamline the process while maintaining customer satisfaction
- What daily inefficiencies do the shipping staff encounter when working with customer specific packaging instructions?(RQ1)
- How do these usability issues currently affect decision making and efficiency on the shipping floor?(RQ2)
- What pain points do workers express regarding instructions?(RQ3)
- 4 participants
- Ages 19-50
- Users had mixed experience from 11-2 months
- Contextual inquiry - Real time interactions with the shipping team
- Session Recording - Observing the shipping staff and recording data
- Behavioral Methods - Explore actions and steps taken by staff to solve problems
1. Fragmented and Conflicting Instructions
- Instructions were scattered across up to 7 sources (e.g., manufacturing docs, ERP, packing slips, portals).
- Frequent conflicts between standard instructions.
- Lack of version control or update notifications led to outdated guidance and increased cognitive load.
- Result: delays, confusion, inconsistent packaging practices.
2. Customer Portal Usability Issues
- Team struggled to use multiple, customer-specific portals with varying rules.
- Portals were often inaccessible or closed, causing delays of weeks to months.
- Employees used workarounds: shipping outside the portal, which disrupted order tracking and accountability.
3. Inconsistent Handling of Test Data
- No standardized process for test data packaging.
- Employees used personal judgment, leading to variation and customer confusion.
4. Lack of Clear Escalation or Clarification Channels
- Staff frequently asked supervisors for guidance, but responses were inconsistent.
- No formal procedure for resolving unclear instructions.
- Resulted in disagreements, rework, and involvement from HR.
5. Inadequate Training
- All employees rated training quality as very poor.
- Most relied on tribal knowledge and informal learning, increasing variability in task performance.
- Lack of training contributed to frequent errors and reliance on workarounds.
🔴 Immediate Priorities (High Impact, High Urgency)
- Create a centralized SOP system and implement template-based checklists for packaging instructions
- Form a dedicated portal team to manage customer-specific systems and reduce workload on packagers
- Launch company-wide training programs on standards, portals, and packaging best practices
- Standardize packaging by product type and limit ad hoc custom requests unless approved
🟡 Mid-Term Improvements (High Impact, Medium Urgency)
- Integrate portal initiation earlier in production
- Include test data and portal instructions within new templates
- Develop training videos and train non-shipping departments (sales, program managers) to align expectations
🟢 Long-Term Enhancements (Foundational Improvements)
- Digitize all instructions and track version history
- Assign order-specific contacts to reduce time spent seeking help
- Promote cross-functional empathy by having instruction writers shadow shipping teams
By streamlining the instruction system and redistributing portal management, the team stands to reduce packing time, increase consistency, and improve collaboration across departments. These usability recommendations aim to:
- Reduce shipping errors and delays
- Improve employee satisfaction and efficiency
- Strengthen communication with customers
- Enhance cross-site standardization and company reputation
Reflection
This study revealed how a lack of standardization, clear instructions, and training significantly impacted shipping efficiency and employee satisfaction. Most issues stemmed from inconsistent, scattered instructions and high cognitive load, leading employees to create personal workarounds—causing further confusion, errors, and delays.
The most critical fix—centralizing and standardizing instructions—is relatively simple yet highly impactful. While full digitization is a long-term goal, intermediate steps like template-based SOPs and cross-team training can drive immediate improvements.
Despite losing some data due to confidentiality constraints, the core findings remained valid and actionable. This project reinforced that usability is about system design as much as interfaces, and improving clarity, consistency, and communication can transform operational performance.
A follow-up study post-implementation is recommended to validate success and identify additional refinements.
Next