Signed, Sealed, Re-Designed
When we think of innovation, our minds often jump to sleek apps, flying cars, or bold advertising campaigns. But sometimes, innovation can (and should) start much closer to home—like in the mailroom.
As part of a Design Thinking crash course, I had the opportunity to put theory into practice by addressing a very real challenge at Quinnipiac University: the inefficiencies and technology hiccups in the campus mail services. What began as a simple interview with a fellow graduate student and former mail room student worker, Elora Roberts, evolved into an exploration of how we can improve a system that nearly every student on campus interacts with.
Step 1: Building Empathy
Design Thinking starts with empathy, understanding the lived experiences of the people affected by a problem.
I interviewed Elora to get a sense of what her day-to-day work schedule looked like. From our conversation, a few pain points quickly emerged:
Frequent scanner disconnections, caused by reliance on Wi-Fi instead of data
A central sorting system on the Mount Carmel campus that forces packages to be routed across multiple campuses
Lack of communication and support when technical issues arose
What struck me most was that these challenges weren’t just small annoyances, they slowed down operations and created frustrations for both workers and students.
Step 2: Defining the Problem
Based on these insights, I framed the problem as:
“Technology malfunctions are a challenge for Quinnipiac Mail Services because they often pose hiccups in the mail sorting process.”
This definition gave me a clear focus to move forward with ideas in just exactly how I could solve this problem.
Step 3: Ideating Solutions
From my research, I found that many universities leverage advanced mail-tracking systems and have made big improvements in storage and package flow. But few had addressed the exact issue Elora highlighted: internal technology breakdowns.
So, I brainstormed three concepts:
A technology guide stationed on each campus to troubleshoot issues
Equipping scanners with a data plan to avoid Wi-Fi dropouts
Adding mail facilities on every campus to reduce reliance on Mount Carmel’s central hub
Step 4: Deciding on a Path
When I shared these options with Elora, she gravitated toward the third solution; placing mail facilities directly on each campus. This wouldn’t just cut down on delivery times; it would also decentralize the pressure placed on one location, while giving student workers quicker access to help when scanners malfunctioned.
Step 5: Prototyping and Testing
I created a simple prototype diagram showing a facilities office positioned next to each mailroom. When I shared it with Elora, she saw the potential right away. She believed it would reduce technology issues, improve student satisfaction, and make operations more efficient.
Of course, the feedback also highlighted practical challenges: the university would need to fund additional facilities, hire more staff, and navigate the logistics of space. Still, Elora pointed out that student workers could take on some of those responsibilities during slower shifts; a reminder that sometimes the best ideas come from the people closest to the problem.
Shown here, the facilities center would be right next to the mail room, for easy access to the sorted packages. This way all the respective packages on their nececary campus. Each facility center would also house directors to help aid student workers in any technology issues that come on the job. *For digram purposes, the facilities center is shown outright, but the center would be behind closed doors.
Reflection
This crash course showed me that Design Thinking isn’t about finding a perfect solution, it’s about discovering opportunities for improvement. Even if my prototype never becomes reality, the process taught me how to break down complex problems into manageable steps and center real people in the design process.
In the end, innovation doesn’t always mean inventing something new. Sometimes, it simply means rethinking the systems we already use every day.
See more of my Design Thinking Crash Course Project
