SUS (Fictional concept)

Year
2020

Team
Jonas Skjellum
Julie Rongve
Sigrid Salater

Contribution
User research
Product research
Idea generation and refinement
Final proposal

Specific deliverables
Pitch deck


For a class in creative methodology, we were tasked with “looking into the scooter-situation in Oslo”. 

The e-scooter market has grown rapidly, offering an exciting, new form of mobility that’s efficient for short trips and fun for users. The scooters are praised for their convenience, offering door-to-door mobility unlike any other forms of transport. They also represent an energy-efficient alternative to cars, potentially reducing urban traffic and pollution, aligning with long-term environmental goals. 

But the phenomenon has grown controversial with the advent of e-scooter rental apps. Legitimate concerns with the services have been raised, and threaten the potential of the services.


Process The process follows a classic double diamond approach. Se the full process here.



  1. We started with an analysis of existing challenges through surveys, interviews, and desktop research
  2. The next phase involved generating a broad array of solutions through various idea generation techniques. 
  3. Next, we refined these ideas, and ultimately formulated a practical strategy, all with the goal of mitigating parking and traffic safety concerns, and changing public perception of electric scooters, with the hope of helping this mode of mobility reach its potential as a near complete replacement of inner-city mobility.


Phase 1: Discovery
With such an open task, discovery was an important phase in the project. We conducted surveys, in-depth interviews, online research, and individual SWOT analyses to gain a comprehensive understanding of perceptions regarding e-scooters.
Methods
Surveys allowed us to quickly gather broad insights, and informed our desktop research and interviews Online searches provided context through existing literature and relevant statistics, including injury data.
Interviews with both enthusiastic users and non-users offered deeper understanding about the dynamics between the two.

Phase 2: Defining the problem

User pain points
Competitive market = user confusion
The emerging nature of the market also means providers come and go quickly, making it hard for users to keep track of available services. This is made worse by the fact that each provider requires a separate app, creating a barriers for users to maximize the poteservice.

It tends to replace walking rather than vehicular transport
The limited speed, range and storage capabilities of e-scooters affects their ability to replace longer-distance car trips, impacting the market's growth potential, and importantly the benefit for the users.

Non-user pain points
Incompetent drivers
Per now, the scooters don’t require licences or formal training, which means traffic entails navigating more actors with little traffic experience. This poses a risk for all who participate in traffic, from drivers, to cyclists, to pedestrians. And there are legitimate safety concerns, with accident risks being significantly higher compared to bicycles. The result is reactive regulatory pressures that pose significant threats to the e-scooter services and their potential.

Parked scooters: Visual pollution and obstacle courses
The omnipresence of parked e-scooters is often seen by non-users as visual pollution, making the urban environment less hospitable. They can also make navigating sidewalks more difficult, especially for those with poor eyesight.





How can we integrate shared e-scooters seamlessly into the urban landscape, ensuring they contribute positively to society without compromising pedestrian safety or comfort?


Our mission is to seamlessly integrate shared e-scooters into the urban landscape. Recognizing the value of this service, we aim to maintain its benefits while mitigating any potential drawbacks, particularly regarding pedestrian rights and overall traffic safety. Below, we detail three main ideas we developed further.





Phase 3: Finding solutions

MethodsWe used a brainwriting pool and forced associations to generate as many ideas as possible, and thoroughly explore the solution space. These methodologies not only helped streamline our ideation process but also fostered a collaborative environment conducive to innovation. We collectively selected ideas with promise, through dot voting and discussion.

Result: 3 ideas 1. Awareness Campaign: Launch an advertising campaign to inform the public about e-scooter safety and regulations, addressing common issues like helmet use and safe riding practices.
2. Collaboration Model: A unified e-scooter system, either through municipal control or partnership with existing services, akin to city bike schemes. This could streamline operations, improve public respect for the service, lead to better parking and less visual clutter through uniform branding and integrated public transport connections, AND reduse user confusion with too many apps and companies.

The scooters could double as ad-space, adding an additional income stream alongside subscriptions and rentals. Integrating e-scooter services into the public transport infrastructure, possibly through the existing platform Entur, could also enhance the user experience.

3. Expanded Zone System with Precision Technology: Expanding the current zone system in Oslo, which uses green, red, blue and yellow in-app zones with specific rules. We suggest a more detailed zoning map that includes parking permissions and restrictions more granularly, only allowing parking on the innermost part of sidewalks. The system could also automatically reduce scooter speeds on sidewalks in general, encouraging the user to use the road or the bike paths.

Implementing such a detailed zone system would require more precise positioning technology than currently used, or possibly adopting sensors like those in modern cars to detect boundaries and enforce parking rules. This idea could potentially be merged with the monopoly model to simplify its execution, addressing the critical challenge of developing and implementing the technology across multiple service providers.


These proposals aim to harmonize e-scooter use in urban settings by promoting responsible usage, consolidating services for efficiency and public trust, and leveraging technology for better compliance and safety.

Phase 4: Developing the idea and pitching

After identifying our top three ideas in the previous phase, our next step was to refine each concept equally, enabling a fair comparison and selection of a final proposal. Critical to nurturing viable ideas, we engaged in a deliberate critique round for each concept, aiming to uncover and address weaknesses. Through detailed discussions of each idea as if already implemented, we prompted questions about aspects of the solutions that hadn't been addressed. This method proved effective, leading us to blend elements of each idea into a cohesive proposal.

Final proposalIn collaboration with an existing market player, bringing its expertise in exchange for a stake in the venture, Oslo municipality will become the sole provider of e-scooters in the city. Advertising spaces on e-scooters and potential stations, alongside user fees, will finance the service. Surplus funds are to be reinvested into research and development aimed at creating positioning technology that ultimately resolves all parking and traffic safety issues, aligning with the expanded zone system concept. Advertising and behavioral campaigns to educate users on traffic regulations are crucial, especially in the early implementation stages before the development of the positioning technology.
This idea addresses several issues: the expanded zone system introduces stricter parking regulations, improving pedestrian sidewalk access; monopoly reduces the number of differently colored e-scooters, lessening visual clutter; speed-reducing zones encourage more cautious riding; and a unified app enhances user experience, potentially creating a more reliable market. Customers might feel safer with a publicly offered service than with various private operators.


How we got hereInitial situation mapping revealed mixed feelings towards e-scooters among non-users, with pedestrians, in particular, expressing concern. To safeguard the benefits e-scooters offer and prevent potentially restrictive regulations, influencing public perception of the phenomenon is essential. The monopoly concept is inspired by successful public transport models like Ruter and NSB, as well as city bikes, proving that public ownership in transport is feasible. For positioning technology, we look towards automotive companies' advancements in sensors that map vehicle surroundings, suggesting potential for similar innovations in e-scooters.This integrated solution draws from the three ideas we refined, addressing various challenges we encountered. The requirement for an expanded zone system, though challenging to develop and implement in the current market, was perceived as the most effective solution. Fortunately, the monopoly concept was also among our final ideas. Combining these facilitates the implementation of the expanded zone system, among other advantages we revisit here.


ReflectionThis comprehensive solution requires significant market transformation and consumer adjustment. Its complexity may introduce unexpected challenges, demanding exceptional perseverance. Although not an immediate fix, the current situation of e-scooters presents no long-lasting negative consequences beyond temporary dissatisfaction, emphasizing the importance of a thoroughly considered resolution over a hastily implemented one.

Pitch deck




Case studies
days
Felles
Misc
Planters bevissthet
Contact
lordproctor@gmail.com
+47 952 49 507
Socials
Instagram