In the course of 2018, the revised Payment Service Directive (PSD2) will become noticeable in people’s day to day use of digital financial services. The PSD2 requires banks to provide third parties access to users’ payment account information, if a user requests to do so. This enables both banks as third parties to bring users’ account information together in one place and to develop financial services on top of users’ account information. Virtual Affairs (VA), the company for which this project is executed, is specialised in developing digital channels for financial service providers. VA aims to inspire and guide clients in their innovation efforts. Grounded examples of how PSD2 can be translated into new value propositions would support VA in inspiring clients and in their own concept development. The assignment of this project is therefore to design these value propositions, based on the question: How can PSD2 be applied in propositions which are meaningful to end-users and valuable to potential clients of VA? The design solution From the perspective of four user profiles, four value propositions were developed. The propositions were tested which resulted in the requirements that the service should be actionable, optimistic and explorative. Also, the insights enabled to determine the core essence of each proposition, reflecting the basic and most important quality for the relevant user type. The essences are as follows: 1. To discover For artisans, the most important quality is defined as ‘to discover’: Discovering what is in their power to change and what the impact of these changes would be, in an explorative and playful way. 2. To be set For guardians, the most important quality is ‘to be set’: to be set for the future and upcoming situations, in an anticipatory and assuring way. 3. To create For rationalists, the most important quality is ‘to create’: Creating their own rules, plans, and challenging themselves with confidence and pride. 4. To reflect For idealists, the most important quality is ‘to reflect’: Reflecting on where their money is going to and to what extent this is in line with what they find important, and tho dream about future possibilities. Based on these essences, the final propositions were designed and combined into one showcase. To be able to serve the differences in objectives of clients, the propositions are modular: variations can be made based on different parameters - such as whether only the clients’ own financial products or also third party products are offered within the digital service. Value for VA and its clients The propositions and reasoning behind them were evaluated with a UX designer and client of VA. The reactions were very positive and the propositions will be shared and used as input in ongoing projects. The propositions add value to the client’s current activities and strategy, among others because they contribute to becoming a central place of users to manage financial matters - especially since the propositions connect transaction data (the scope of PSD2) to other financial needs (e.g. around life events and financial planning). In addition, the propositions can be used by VA internally to serve as inspiration and input for various ongoing projects.

This project aims to improve the EV charging experience in the Netherlands due to the growing European EV market and rising Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) driver expectations of their charging experience. Despite standardization efforts, fragmented charging services developed in siloed business lead to user inconvenience. It is imperative to identify the reasons behind drivers' less-than-ideal customer experiences and address them to support the transition to electric cars. Thus, this study represents a collaboration between VanBerlo, TU Delft, and KAIST to address the initial question: “What are the primary challenges and limitations experienced by Dutch BEV drivers that impede a seamless customer experience when using public charging infrastructure?” To address this, a literature review is first conducted. Two research gaps arise. First, empirical research concerning the entire user charging journey and service integration is lacking. Additionally, more influential factors should be identified while predicting user preference of charging decision. To bridge the gaps, semi-structured interviews is carried out to examine the journey from charging intent to completion and explore factors influencing driver decisions. User pain points are clustered into a journey map, revealing three main challenges hindering the seamless charging experience. The research suggests that addressing these challenges during planning phase can streamline the overall journey. Thus, the design goal is: “How might we design an effortless planning phase that adapts to user needs and contextual factors, ensuring a seamless public charging experience for BEV drivers.” Based on literature and qualitative research, a route and charger suggestion service is proposed to enhance the overall charging experience. The mechanism behind the scenes is first outlined. Subsequently, five design guidelines are developed to inspire the creation of this new service, providing application strategies for potential service developers such as vehicle manufacturers and E-Mobility service providers (EMSPs). Moreover, interactive prototypes are created as a tool to validate the concept. At its core, this concept integrates factors from the vehicle, charging network, user behavior and preferences, as well as road and environmental conditions to deliver personalized and optimal charger suggestions in realtime. This minimizes cognitive effort, enabling informed and efficient charging decisions while driving, and ensuring compatibility between chargers, BEVs, and user preferences. After creating the concept and prototypes, validation was conducted in person with several previous BEV drivers participating in the interview section, along with some experts. Feedback was collected through concept demonstrations, focusing on whether it aligns with the design goal and how BEV drivers perceive the new planning experience. The audience responded positively. Compared to the current fragmented planning experience, a more effortless route planning and charger selection process was validated, and users appreciated the context-aware service that made their charging experience relevant. However, further research is essential to gauge real-world feasibility by consulting stakeholders in the EV charging ecosystem. Additionally, exploring what other influential factors out there and how developers weighted them differently based on user preferences and situations is recommended.