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Utilizing Research to Pioneer A Mobile Battery Infrastructure

Building a service model for 500,000 motorbike riders with potential to scale to millions across the continent

CLIENT
KOFA TECHNOLOGIES
YEAR
2022
role
Service Design
User Experience Research
THE PROBLEMTHE SOLUTIONTHE APPROACH

The past decade has seen an uptick in gasoline prices made volatile by golabl events and supply chain production.Corporate institutions who rely on motorbike fleets to transport goods and services in Africa feel the brunt effects of this volatility and are in desperate need for a solution that can solve a business need with benefit of Leveraging data.

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Fleet Riders, who earn on commissions, want motorcycles that save money but are durable and aesthetically appealing.

As a result..

Why its important in the industry as a potential opportunity?

the solution

In a few months, we designed and built a renewable energy infrastructure supported by mobile lithium ion batteries

The Service Ecosystem: How riders get access to low cost energy

A power packed lithium ion battery

Through  rigorous research and testing, I built out multiple methodologies to test the right form factor for the batteries to bedeployed.We accounted for variable like, weight, height, materiality, andheart rate to measure “work” expended. Using guerilla prototypingtechniques , we invited potential users to stress test our resultingbattery form factor before shipping it out to engineering.

The Service Ecosystem: How riders get access to low cost energy

A power packed lithium ion battery

Through  rigorous research and testing, I built out multiple methodologies to test the right form factor for the batteries to bedeployed.We accounted for variable like, weight, height, materiality, andheart rate to measure “work” expended. Using guerilla prototypingtechniques , we invited potential users to stress test our resultingbattery form factor before shipping it out to engineering.

Real time data collection and processing

On the go real time tracking

Part of the service ecosystem involved real-time trackingof swap stations. Part of the features of the app not only includedreal-time tracking of swap stations but also geo-tagging riders tomake use of closest swap stations without derailing delivery trips.We stress tested this touchpoint using multiple usability tests,ensuring simplicity and relying heavily on visual cues at adheredWCAG principles

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A green power house  using the sun

swap stations of the future

The last touchpoint in the front stage interaction would  bebuilding out and scaling the swap station infrastructure tohouse and power thousands of mobile batteries.Just like every other touchpoint, we let our user base co-design this with us to the smallest precision. Event the 23*degree slant was designed through robust research as well as the standard <100m distance from parking to swapping lotwe adhere to in all 20 initial swap station locations and counting

A green power house  using the sun

swap stations of the future

The last touchpoint in the front stage interaction would  bebuilding out and scaling the swap station infrastructure tohouse and power thousands of mobile batteries.Just like every other touchpoint, we let our user base co-design this with us to the smallest precision. Event the 23*degree slant was designed through robust research as well as the standard <100m distance from parking to swapping lotwe adhere to in all 20 initial swap station locations and counting

Research

Service blueprint - A simpler and better service to ownership with multiple value added

Secondary Research Finding 1

Cost of ownership, less operating fuel costs and aesthetics are the primary factors for users when it comes to deciding on alternative means of transport

Secondary Research Finding 2

There are multiple factors users consider when purchasing a new motorcycle. Engine capicity ranks highest on the factors influencing purchasing decisions.

Secondary Research Finding 3

While the retail private market proved  the largest we could serve, management decided to build the service model around Retail Fleet market because they were largely underserved  in the market

Primary Research - Understanding the users’s mental model, goals. expectations

primary Research Finding 1

There are 15 arduous steps in the path to ownership alone. Its easy to write off the journey to owning a motorcycle as a simple one but in-depth research showed that the journey owning a motorcycle is a very tedious and complicated process relative to other means of transport in the region.

Acquiring, Clearing, Using and maintaining a regular motorbike in Ghana requires 15 major steps in the journey. Our final service narrowed it to 9 end service touchpoints that took into consideration the business model and SOPs (Standard Operation Procedures) across departments.

primary Research Finding 2

There 34 key pain points identified in the process. One of the biggest pain points that all user personas agreed on was the issues of security and theft

This was especially true for fleet companies whose business models hinge on delivering goods and service B2C. There were countless stories of riders returning from pit-stop delivery and not finding their motorbikes. This triggered a larger conversation and insights around tracking systems and devices that were cumbersome to install or too expensive to have and maintain.

primary Research Finding 3

Out of motorcycle use cases were a very huge cage for battery utility that was largely unrealized and gave rise to a spin off research project which yielded tremendous insights and business potential

This was especially true for fleet companies whose business models hinge on delivering goods and service B2C. There were countless stories of riders returning from pit-stop delivery and not finding their motorbikes. This triggered a larger conversation and insights around tracking systems and devices that were cumbersome to install or too expensive to have and maintain.

synthesize

FIRST PRINCIPLE INSIGHT

Fleet operators need modular, scalable solutions that allow them to progressively transform their operations- from traditional to electric , from basic to data-driven - without disrupting their existing business model or requiring massive upfront investment.

Key Business needs:

  1. Economic Efficiency (fuel cost reduction through electrification)
  2. Enhanced service delivery (speed and quality via motorcycles)
  3. Data-driven operations (real-time tracking and optimization)
  4. Cost-effective solutions (without high investment)

PERSONA DEVELOPMENT

Primary personas we need to solve for are the fleet managers, riders, maintanance crews and financial officer. Secondary personas include business owners and field managers

ideate & design

Service blueprint - A simpler and better service to ownership with multiple value added

We turned major pain-points in the journey into a memorable experience, factoring in little joyous moments along the way with brunt of the work being done internally by the various departments to alleviate customer and stakeholder pain-points.

early design - app

While i was not directly responsible for designing andbuilding the initial UI screens, the research work from prior engagements informed the look and feel.I was also responsible for overall Usability testing with over 30 rider which informed subsequent iterations.

early design - bike

I was responsible for heuristics research and usability of the early Gidi bikes.A lot of the primary research focus on action of insertingand taking pout batteries

early design - bike

I was responsible for heuristics research and usability of the early Gidi bikes.A lot of the primary research focus on action of insertingand taking pout batteries

early design - battery

We brute tested the optimum height, weight, lookand feel of the battery - coming up with over 15 iterations of the ‘battery’ and what that meant forthe swapping and rider experience. The insights gained from this research was thedesign constraints for the engineering departmentoverseas to build with.

early design - swap station

My favorite challenge in the physical touchpointof the service model was researching into thebest user experience a rider could have at the swap station. This deserves it’s own case study.But the final consideration were both physical product and built service as well as visual cuesto insert batteries the right way up.

early design - swap station

My favorite challenge in the physical touchpointof the service model was researching into thebest user experience a rider could have at the swap station. This deserves it’s own case study.But the final consideration were both physical product and built service as well as visual cuesto insert batteries the right way up.

test & iterate

Validate scenarios to put our solutions in front of actual users and identify major problem with the prototype

Guerilla Prototyping with the swap stations,bike , battery form factor & defining ‘work’

What larger research questions can we answer?Under what conditions does the process of swappingbecome ‘Work’ for customers?

Methodology: Measuring Resting heart rate vs Post-swap heart rateduring the process of swapping out batteries.

prototype Research Finding 1

The least amount of friction happened between 60 meters of parking from a swap station and retrieving from 28* slanted swap station

How did we arrive at these magic numbers? Weeks of repetitive testing with over 20 users in 3 different scenarios.We have more numbers to validate what the perfect form factor experience entails but thats too detailed to cover here.

prototype Research Finding 2

Location was critical for the swap station placement and rider experience - come in data analytics and cultural nuances to the rescue.

Our initial hypothesis about the swap station location placement proved a daunting one; largely because it was integralto the overall rider experience. We wanted to eliminate range anxiety in the off chances that they were low on battery.Working with data analyst was key to determine central locations we could leverage to cover as many pathways.However the key insight came in shadowing a rider during one of their regular distribution runs. It runs out 70-80% of the time, riders will have a pit stop at a local kiosk for a quick refreshment e.g  water or juice before proceeding. This pattern was not only evident in one rider but multiple riders.

The goal - have swap stations in front of corner shops so riders can kill 2 birds with one stop

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