This graduation project was part of a collaboration between the Ford Motor Company and the Delft University of Technology on the topic of Service Innovation for the Light Commercial Vehicle market. The goal of the University Research project is to infuse service design into Ford’s DNA by introducing design research and service design methodology, and to explore the future of Light Commercial Vehicle mobility services using this new approach. The Plugs concept was developed in several workshops with Ford stakeholders, and through iterative rounds of research and prototyping. Handymen are a big user group of Light Commercial Vehicles, consisting of a big number of niches with highly specific needs, like plumbers, electricians and carpenters. A handyman’s van is not only his transport, but also his office, toolbox, lunchroom, stock room and corporate identity. Handymen are busy, proud professionals that need to stay in control of every aspect of their job. Throughout the day they keep track of many things around their van-supported business, like used materials, current inventory, working hours, driven kilometers and many other things themselves. This is often done by hand, and takes copious amounts of time, rather spent on the job they love doing. Thus, an opportunity was recognised for the automated tracking, logging and processing of business information through a connection with the vehicle. This insight lead to the Plugs concept. Plugs are smart hardware and software add-ons that add new connected features or functionality to the Ford Transit. Every Plug provides a different service. Plugs can help with many daily handyman tasks and pains using live (vehicle) data. Plugs minimise the time that is needed for arduous office work, and help the handyman to customise their van to their business’ needs. And so, the handyman can focus on the job he loves to do. It was recognised that to be able to offer a wide range of Plugs, Ford would need to involve third parties in the development process. An open-source approach was chosen. This is done through an open, collaborative and open-source process. A lead user community, called the 100, and third party developers can develop Plugs together through an online platform. By involving handymen in the development process, Plugs are user-centered and solve real handyman problems. Any handyman can completely tailor his van to his daily needs, regardless of if he owns the van, leased it, bought it 2nd-hand, or only uses it.
This approach is a cost- and resource-effective way to develop a large amount of Plugs for many handyman niche markets: democratising commercial vehicle technology for handymen.