A cup deposit system: An implementation strategy for NS stations to engage customers to use reusable cups and lower their environmental impact

Master thesis (2020)

Authors

J.S. Visser Industrial Design Engineering

Contributors

R.J.G. Schuffelers Design Conceptualization and Communication - IDE (supervisor 1)
R. Balkenende Circular Product Design - IDE (supervisor 1)
E.K. van den Berg (supervisor 1)
Faculty
Industrial Design Engineering
Copyright: © 2020 J.S. Visser
Contextmapping Sustainabilty Nederlandse Spoorwegen Cup deposit system
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Published Date

19-08-2020

Language

English

Reuse Rights

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Faculty

Industrial Design Engineering

Abstract

This graduation project focused on lowering the environmental impact in which warm beverages were drunk at NS stations by motivating user to use reusable cups. It was explored why customers currently do not use reusable cups at NS stations, which solution space can be used to motivate customers to use a reusable cup and how NS can implement this solution space in the NS context.

Different research activities were conducted to under why customers are not using reusable cups now and how NS can motivate thee users. By analysing the results from observations, user interviews and context mapping. Based on the findings 5 barriers were found why customers are not using reusable cups.
Next to these insights 4 personas were created and it was also found how NS can improve the customer experience of drinking a warm beverage at their stations.

Based on these insights two solutions spaces where formulated which were compared to the paper cup. It was concluded that the deposit cup system would be the best reusable cup system for under the right circumstances, but that a user owned cup and a paper cup still have their place.

Because there is no cup deposit system that fits the needs of NS stations the following design goal was formulated:

Design a cup deposit system that has a return rate of at least 98.5% and motivates customers that buy a warm beverage at NS stations to use a reusable cup instead of a single use paper cup, by taking their drivers into account, while at the same time fitting inside the constraints of the NS retail system. This will lower the environmental impact of cups for warm beverages sold at NS stations.

Next to the design goal a design vision was formulated to illustrate how customers should feel when these the system taking each persona into account.

Based on the design goal and the design vision multiple concepts were created from which one was chosen and further detailed into a final concept. This final concept was evaluated with experts within NS, see figure FIX ME. To implement the final concept a road map was made.