The financial landscape is changing as fintech innovations such as digital payments, peer-to-peer lending and blockchain disrupt traditional banking models. These advancements, combined with growing societal expectations for sustainability, are pushing banks to reshape their value chain. This raises a critical question: what does the future hold for financial services?

In this context, Triodos Bank, a sustainable bank, is uniquely positioned to lead this shift. However, it faces challenges in connecting with younger demographics, particularly Generation Z. This research aimed to explore how Triodos Bank can address these challenges and remain relevant in the changing financial landscape, guided by three research questions:

RQ1: What bold vision can redefine the role of a financial service provider in the Netherlands?
RQ2: How can this vision be translated into actionable steps that empower Triodos Bank to attract and retain younger customers?
RQ3: What reimagined interactions can be designed to engage Generation Z?

To answer these questions, the research combined desk research and generative design research, including a game to explore Gen Z’s values and aspirations. Insights from this process led to the development of a solution space for Triodos Bank, grounded in a new bold attitude for the bank: “In 2035 a financial service provider should facilitate a give & take culture, where the exchange of value goes beyond money.” This vision challenges Gen Z to rethink their relationship with financial services and the role banks play in society, answering RQ1.

Building on this strategy, three innovative services were developed to give back as a bank.
These services provide actionable steps to attract and retain Gen Z, answering RQ2.

The solutions are supported by an overarching UI principle of customizable widgets, empowering users to shape their own banking experience. Additionally, a refreshed brand image, with an updated tone of voice and graphic style, ensures effective communication with Gen Z across all touchpoints. These elements reimagine interactions, addressing RQ3.

Rooted in research and aligned with Gen Z’s values, these solutions offer a bold and actionable path forward for Triodos Bank. By addressing the needs and expectations of this generation, Triodos Bank can secure its relevance and impact for the next generation.

Purpose: This paper explores how a B2B technology-driven industrial manufacturer of capital goods can organise a service exploration process to create value for customers and end-users downstream of its value supply chain.
Design/Methodology/Approach: We employed the action research (AR) methodology to design and implement interventions, build new knowledge on strategic exploration and organise a design process for designing service value propositions in a B2B domain.
Findings: Based on the design roadmapping approach, we designed an intervention framework of a strategic service exploration process that addresses the needs and behaviour of customers and end-users in their future living context.
Originality/Value: This paper contributes new knowledge about organising end-user-focused product-service design capabilities and applying strategic design@en

This paper summarises servitization research concerning product-service system design processes in the manufacturing industry, considering the overarching value chain. We used a methodological scoping framework to create a systematic overview of scientific papers in the context of the B2B manufacturing industry. We identified five main topics: business models, organisational aspects, value creation, collaborative networks, and servitization strategies. Moreover, servitization research appeared to be concentrated in Europe, in particular in the United Kingdom and Nordic countries. We found only one paper that met all our selection criteria: service design and business model design within technology-intensive manufacturing firms, collaborating in networks and addressing end-customer needs. This research gap provides a direction for a further deep dive in what we call overarching Servitization; we will focus on designing product-service systems throughout customer supply networks.@en

Purpose: The objective of this study is to explore PSS design approaches for product-service innovation in the B2B manufacturing industry. This paper builds on current research within the Delft University of Technology, researching the role of design as a driver for change and servitization. Design/Methods/Approach: We studied 13 product-service design cases of ten weeks, carried out by students industrial design engineering. We collected the case data, observed their process and analysed the outcome of the project. We mapped the product-service proposals and built frameworks categorising levels of innovation and the applied strategic design elements and methods. Findings: Taking an overarching innovation approach, creating a broader perspective on the value chain, exploring new business contexts without being hindered by conventions and limitations and using state-of-art design methods, increase the innovation level of product-service propositions. Originality/Value: This study draws attention to the importance of strategic design processes in PSS innovation.@en

Via a research through design study, a corporate vision and change map were created for the Neonatology department of the Amsterdam UMC. From design research into trends, developments and stakeholder needs, earlier vision documents, and with an eye on the larger Amsterdam UMC vision, a renewed corporate vision was created. Small creative sessions were held with nurses, care assistants, management and doctors from both the VUMC as AMC location. In these sessions, a desired state was imagined. After defining and validating the shared vision, a change map was created. The already planned change and gaps were mapped in sessions with nurses and management from both hospitals. The change map was created to show how to reach the corporate vision together with proposed innovations. The sample of participants included 42 care providers and 3 parents. Results: The new vision is: “delivering the best care which is child- and family centred”. As family-centredness is now key in the shared corporate vision, ideas were created to improve employee and family experience in several horizons in an innovation roadmap. These innovations combined with the already planned change together form the change map for the department.@en