Recently we partnered with a mobility start-up company in the UK, who are in the process of developing an innovative Electric Vehicle (EV) solution for short-distance travel. Initially, a first prototype had been developed for people with physical disabilities, offering a more exciting alternative to traditional mobility devices. However, since developing this new EV concept, the client had identified some signals that their product might attract people that are seeking a sustainable and convenient alternative to other forms of transport, as a nice to have rather than a need to have. Who this user group was and how to cater for their needs was unclear, so the start-up approached us with the challenge of identifying who this product would interest, how they expect to use it, and what existing or new features they would expect to meet their use cases.
Online survey for a wide range of responses
First, an online survey was distributed across the UK to reach a broad range of potential users. This was done to identify the types of people who might be interested in the product offering, and which features and benefits most appeal to them. As the start-up had no physical prototype available yet, conceptual images and videos were used to illustrate product features and benefits. The survey included quantitative and open-ended questions, allowing participants to express and explain any concerns or challenges they imagined when using the product, which we could use for later exploration through one-on-one conversations.
Speculative reenactment to bring people’s experiences to life
The needs and requirements surrounding the use of this mobility product may differ significantly depending on the context. The survey allowed participants to give their opinions on specific features and express any concerns they might have, but we also needed to dig deeper into these and understand why some features were essential, and unpack uncertainties people might have in certain environments. That’s why we visited a select group of people in and around their homes for in-depth interviews, where we reenacted these short-distance trips together on foot, whether that be a commute to work or a shopping trip. This allowed us to have conversations about using this product in context.
This experience not only validated how participants could imagine using this product, but it also triggered new challenges that they had not anticipated. How would they feel tackling a curb, manoeuvring around a protruding tree branch, or how safe would they feel crossing a road or locking the product outside of the shop? The level of reflection and observation from participants provided rich findings which would be difficult to achieve otherwise. We video recorded these journeys to bring these anecdotes to the design team, which would enable them to truly empathise with potential users of this product. We also had conversations with people remotely, to ensure we had in-depth discussions about this product with people who lived across the UK. Participants were asked to document their short-distance journeys with photos and videos, enriching our understanding of their experiences.
this experience not only validated how participants could imagine using this product, but it also triggered new challenges that they had not anticipated
Clarity on user groups and priorities of product features
We identified and narrowed down suitable user groups that would be interested in using and buying this EV product innovation. Based on the use cases that came up, we recommended which product features were a must-have, nice-to-have, or unnecessary in the eyes of these users, and which new features would be necessary to meet their needs. We discovered and unravelled challenges that participants imagined when using this product, which will help focus future product development. It became evident that the perception of security and control was as important to people as the actual functionality and capabilities of the product. The element of trust and sense of familiarity needs to be carefully considered in the next stage of development and marketing strategy.