Retrieve, Delegate, Return

Expectation. The resident shall be able to view, manage, and direct the handling of their deliveries through a single primary interface — including retrieval, delegation, and outbound items — without requiring staff assistance for routine operations.

Required.

• The resident can view all items currently held in the building's custody on their behalf, including storage location and days since receipt.
• The resident can authorize another person — household member, guest, or designated contact — to retrieve an item on their behalf.
• The resident can initiate an outbound item — a return, a scheduled pickup, or a collection — through the interface. The building provides a designated staging method for outbound items to be held until carrier collection.
• The resident can view the history of all deliveries received and retrieved — including timestamps, carrier identification, and retrieval method — for a period not shorter than the current occupancy or 12 months, whichever is longer.

Recommended.

• The resident can set delivery preferences — preferred notification channel, delegation defaults, standing instructions for specific carriers or item types.
• The resident can schedule a retrieval window for items that require their presence.
• The resident can designate an item as perishable at the point of expected delivery, triggering priority notification and storage handling.
• The resident can view what personal data is associated with their delivery records and can request its deletion after a defined period following retrieval.

In practice.

A resident is traveling for two weeks. Before departure, they authorize a household member to retrieve deliveries on their behalf. Three packages arrive during the trip. The household member retrieves each using their own credential. The resident sees the retrievals in their delivery record: item, date, retrieved by household member. They did not call the front desk to arrange this.

A resident needs to return a defective appliance. They initiate a return through the interface: item description, carrier, pickup date. The item is placed in the building's outbound staging area. The carrier collects it the following day. The resident's delivery record shows: return initiated, item staged, carrier collected. The return did not require the resident to arrange a personal pickup at their unit or carry the item to an external drop-off location.

A resident reviews their delivery history to confirm that a high-value item was received three months ago. The record shows: received March 3, carrier identified, retrieved March 3 at 6:14 PM by resident. The record exists because the building maintains delivery history for the duration of occupancy.

Failure modes.

Retrieval lock. The resident is away. A package arrives. Their partner, who lives in the same unit, attempts to retrieve it. The system requires the named recipient's credential. The partner cannot retrieve the item. No delegation mechanism exists. The package sits in storage until the resident returns — or exceeds the retention period and is returned.

Outbound vacuum. The resident needs to return an item via a carrier pickup. The building has no designated outbound staging method and no mechanism for scheduling pickups. The resident must be physically present in their unit during a carrier's pickup window or carry the item to an external drop-off point. The building facilitates inbound delivery but offers no infrastructure for the reverse.

Staged and uncollected. The resident initiates a return and places the item in the outbound staging area. The carrier does not collect it. Days pass. The item remains in staging with no notification to the resident, no follow-up with the carrier, and no expiration policy. The staging area accumulates abandoned items. The outbound process has a beginning but no mechanism for handling failure.

History erasure. The resident disputes a charge with a retailer who claims the item was never delivered. The building's delivery log only retains records for 60 days. The delivery occurred 75 days ago. The record that would confirm receipt no longer exists.

Test.

1. Authorize a household member to retrieve an item. Confirm: the household member can retrieve using their own credential, and the retrieval is recorded in the resident's delivery history.
2. Initiate an outbound return through the interface. Confirm: the system accepts the request and provides instructions for staging or carrier collection.
3. View delivery history for items received more than 6 months ago. Confirm: records are present with timestamps and retrieval details.
4. Attempt to retrieve an item as an unauthorized person. Confirm: retrieval is denied.