In the initial briefting meeting, I lead the team to understand the clients' need under the structure of service design project.
Given what the car is able to "know" through outward/ inward sensors and other data sources, imagine how this may change the user experience, accordingly, adapting an improving over time. What meaningful experiences could that intelligence create?
Develop a visionary "story" explaining the ins and outs of this intelligence, preferably build a live research environment to donmonstrate it. Long term, open source the environment to have designers across the world add to it.
The curret young students would gradually become the next genereation of Volvo target audience. On March 2022, Volvo came to SCAD to collobrate with college students to generate new ideas about next generation audio in-cabin experiences.
25-44 years old, Married for both family use and Personal Use. Need more store space to put safety boby seats. (Mid or large SUVs' owners)
As the research leader in the team, I wrote down a research plan and asked each team did desk research from their perspective.
The society is under the transformation toward sustainable development. In 2030, EV will account for 50% of USA market.
In the next 8-10 years, the automation level will still on the stage of Level3, which means the car can control itself in certain conditions.
Volvo owners average age is around 40, and they will target younger generation.
The aim of prep research is to find a right question to ask in our research. We learnt aboout future context is:
To understand the needs, emotions and environment of volvo owners in USA, our team headed to a volvo club exhibition on lancaster(PA) to conduct contextual interviews with servearl Volvo owners. Key takeways about users:
Mangy users mentioned that they have owned not only one single Volvo but experienced many different models in the past years.
Some users shared their unique experiences that their volvos saved their life before, which built trust and improve brand loyalty for Volvo.
gender: Both Male&Female
Age: Young Gen (25-34); Mid Gen(35-44)
45.55% for family us
Passengers are their kids, wife
Safey Systems/ Audio Systems
have Sound Customization
Upgrade their Sound Quality
have Engine Sound in their EV
Bases on our interviews, we had sevearl assumptions that we want publish an online survey to verify them.
In the process of define, firstly, we used several methodologies to syntheze, analyze and visualize these raw data points to develop key insights about user needs, desires and expectations.
Secondly, we had 2 rounds meetings and communication with our clients to adjust our dirrections according to their feedbacks.
16-24 years old, Have a young family.
Love to try and pay for new technology.
Expected to customerize their sound system (Cabin or Compact SUV)
25-44 years old, Married for both family use and Personal Use. Need more store space to put safety boby seats. (Mid or large SUVs)
18-34 years old, Single, no family. Usually Commuting to school, often travel and enjoy driving. They need to carry equipments and drive for long distance.
35-44 years old, Single but have partner, have cats and dogs.
45-54 years old, usually have 1-2 passengers. Have figure issues, and need comfort seats, simple opreations and emergency help. They know about new-tech but won't pay for it.
Based on market share and clients' feedback ,we decided to set Segment B as our primary users and Segment A&D as our secondary users.
Bacause we are target at Segment B, A, D users (mainly are young auidence), the context of use is mainly to communte between home and office/school, shop weekly grocery, and go on short-term trips.
Safety is the core value for the volvo owners, beside that, Young Target Audience are very interested in sound system customerization in their car.
Both interviews and surveys shows the results that volvo owners wants to keep engine sound in their future driving, and they think it was safer to remind of the pedstrations.
Young audidence are frustrated with "take-over" moment in automative vehicles.
In the 2 rounds meeting with our clients, we are inspired to set a omnichannels journey to deliver our final ideas.
By discussing with our different stakeholders from our clients (Research Manger, Sound Designer, Unreal Engineer), we co-created an initial experience journey through different channels (Charing stations, Pop Up, App, and In-cabine space) to deliver our ideas.
Non-volvo owners will see billionboard advertisements on New York Times Square, and they can scan the QR code by their phones to make resservation of their first Pop Up trip.
To expand the awareness to both volvo users and non-volvo users, by reaching accross various mediums like instagram stories, and service posters.
After making a reservation on Volvo Pop Up program, new users could go to the nearest Pop Up around them. Users can know about the latest features.
After entering Pop-Up, users could experences the latest features that volvo created for customers, which includes Future HMI, Audio Universe, Stormsense, and Stormsense™.
Provides incentive for users to connect with the sustainable design of th charing stations. Provide an opportunity to expand the Vollvo brand image and connect with a wider consumer base.
Finally, we hold the view that the charing stations would be an important touchpoint in the future, which could not only offer charing servces but also the entertainment activitivities, food suppiers, and a new channle to market volvo new models.
"I think you guys could make another report with the team in China. I am very glad to let my team members to hear those ideas and amazing sounds. Beside the sound design package, I enjoyed the whole presentation as well that you use a journey to deliver ideas."
"I like the ideas that every sound is an unique NFT for the users, and I hope you can explore how it will make money in the future."
"I love the Sci-FI mode most. It sounds so cool and gives me a kind of association that I was in the fiction movies."
"Can you give another presentation to the team localized in China or send us the recording so that we can share to other team members?"