Fleet and route management digital service to help small and mid-sized waste management companies improve route and service response times.
Duration
May - Aug 2023
Role
Service Designer
Team
3 interns (Service Designer, Product Designer, Business Analyst)
I joined the Volvo Group Innovation Lab to work on the future of Mack Refuse (garbage) Trucks. The Innovation Lab is a design-oriented business team focused on expanding Volvo's portfolio as well as instilling a human-centered design approach to innovating products and services.
Along with two other interns, I conceptualized a fleet and route management digital service that helps improve route and service response times for refuse companies.
This project helped the Mack Trucks leadership team envision services for future Mack Trucks models, emphasizing the impact of human-centered innovation.
Strategic goals like diversifying portfolio with an aim to increase revenue generation opportunities through digital services and increasing electric truck production were something we had to keep in mind while working on this project.
The California EV bill's requirement to convert truck fleet into 10% electric by 2030 and 100% electric by 2045 is putting pressure on CA-based waste management companies.
Research Goals:
Thematic Analysis
Ecosystem Mapping
Service Blueprints- Taking a closer look into garbage pickup service
Manual paperwork
Almost every administrative task is done on paper - inspection checks, route notes, customer service requests, etc.
No live tracking
En-route communication is done through radio or phone calls, and route supervisors reported lack of live tracking.
Cognitive overload
Note-taking, radio communication and using contribute significantly to increasing the cognitive load on the drivers.
Without real-time data, the best route is guessed
Since routes are paper-based, majority of the drivers do them based on their own memory.
Route Journey Map - summarising pain points for primary stakeholders (drivers and route supervisors)
On a Macro level...
3 players build the truck, but there is no collaboration
The OEM produces the chassis, a tier-1 manufacturer produces body parts and a third-part organization produces the sensors on the truck that provide value-added services like GPS, dashcams, thermal imaging, etc.
Range anxiety for electric trucks
With electrification policies, range anxiety persists as battery capacities are unable to cover distances that garbage pickup routes require.
Future State Service Blueprint
Scenario: Driver in enroute to pick up trash and reports a bin missing. The route supervisor notices and resolves the issue by adding a new stop to the driver's route. The digital service helps driver finish the route with the shortest amount of time generated considering factors like truck/sensor data (battery or fuel level), data from live sources (weather, terrain, traffic APIs, etc.).
Click to view in detail.
Sentinel is a digital copilot for refuse companies. It enables real-time connection between the driver and the back office staff. It is a fleet and route management tool designed for drivers, fleet managers, and route supervisors.
After presenting to Volvo employees worldwide, we presented the concept to the senior leadership at the end of our internship. This helped them envision in-cabin products and services for future trucks. The comprehensive research report provides the Mack UX team with important industry insights that help shape existing products.
This was a precious experience as it allowed me to experience and apply design and innovation methods I learned in school, in different contexts like the automotive industry. Helping my team navigate ambiguity helped me gain confidence and expand my knowledge about using design methodologies.
