Background
The United States Postal Service (USPS) has long recognized the need to modernize its human resources systems to support its Delivering for America plan, which aims to create a more stable, empowered, and efficient workforce. With over 640,000 employees and thousands of applicants annually, the USPS’s Recruiting, Hiring, and Onboarding (RHO) initiative is a transformative effort to streamline the full employee lifecycle—from application to onboarding—through improved digital tools and user experiences. As a key design lead on this multi-vendor initiative, OPTiMO was responsible for the end-to-end design of the new MyHR employee portal and the modernization of USPS’s external hiring system, including the replacement of its legacy Applicant Tracking System (ATS), eCareer. OPTiMO brought to this initiative its expertise in user-centered design, human-centered research, and cross-functional collaboration to drive real change at scale.
The Challenge
Prior to the RHO initiative, the USPS faced several challenges tied to outdated HR technologies and inconsistent user experiences:
- The existing eCareer platform was inefficient, lacked mobile responsiveness, and provided a fragmented application experience that contributed to pre-career workforce turnover
- Internal HR content was not intuitively organized or easy to navigate for employees, leading to delays in accessing critical information
- There was limited stakeholder alignment and clarity on user needs across USPS business units, which made reengineering complex processes difficult
- There was a need to ensure new systems were 508-compliant, mobile-friendly, and fully aligned with USPS’s evolving brand identity
In this high-stakes environment, USPS needed a partner that could bridge the gap between technical implementation and user-driven design—ensuring tools were both functionally sound and easily adopted by users across its vast and diverse workforce.
OPTiMO deployed a human-centered, iterative design approach to deliver scalable, intuitive, and brand-aligned solutions across all aspects of the RHO initiative.
Key components of the solution included:
- User-Centered Design Strategy: OPTiMO conducted extensive user research to understand the preferences and challenges of USPS employees and applicants. This included developing key personas, journey maps, and process flow documentation to inform each design decision
- Clickable Prototypes: To accelerate feedback and ensure stakeholder alignment, OPTiMO developed interactive, animated prototypes to visualize end-to-end experiences and refine business requirements in real time. These prototypes were pivotal in facilitating engagement with USPS stakeholders and project teams throughout the design and development lifecycle
- MyHR Portal Redesign: OPTiMO designed and supported the implementation of the new MyHR website, a mobile-responsive and 508-compliant platform serving all 640,000 USPS employees. The portal centralizes HR information, improves accessibility, and delivers a vastly improved employee experience
- New Applicant Tracking System (ATS): OPTiMO also led the design and implementation support of the new ATS, which replaces the legacy eCareer platform. This modernized tool streamlines the hiring process, reduces time-to-hire, and provides a significantly more intuitive and satisfying experience for applicants
- Design System and Asset Delivery: OPTiMO created a centralized design library in alignment with USPS brand guidelines and provided all design assets for seamless COTS implementation, ensuring consistency across all RHO systems and subprojects
The Impact
OPTiMO’s design leadership on the USPS Recruiting, Hiring, and Onboarding initiative has delivered measurable improvements and long-lasting value to the agency:
- The new ATS has reduced application-to-hire time by 3 to 6 weeks, contributing to faster onboarding and increased applicant satisfaction
- The MyHR portal now provides intuitive, mobile-responsive access to HR content for over 640,000 employees, significantly enhancing internal communications and HR services
- Enhanced stakeholder engagement employing active prototypes and collaborative design reviews. Every step built stakeholder alignment, sped adoption, and increased the accuracy of use cases
- OPTiMO’s user-centered design work has contributed to a reduction in pre-career turnover (temporary staff turnover), aligning with USPS’s strategic workforce goals under the Delivering for America plan
- Design solutions have ensured Section 508 accessibility compliance, upholding USPS’s commitment to digital inclusion for all employees and applicants
By driving alignment across design, stakeholder vision, and technical implementation, OPTiMO helped USPS realize its mission of a stable, empowered, and modern workforce—ultimately reinforcing the organization’s leadership in public sector innovation.