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Volvo & Mack Trucks
Identified and defined a potential service for trucks owners/ operators
Problem.
Construction industry truck owners and operators often lag behind in adopting the latest technology and product services, despite facing challenges like rising costs, skilled labor shortages, and complex logistics. This outdated approach limits their efficiency, safety, and overall competitiveness, hindering industry growth and modernization.
Solution.
Linkth: Streamlined preventive maintenance for peace of mind.
Linkth: Your automated solution to worry-free equipment uptime.
Linkth: Smart preventive maintenance made simple.
Outcome.
In an effort to decrease owner-operator involvement, Volvo & Mack Trucks are examining these proposed solutions.
Volvo & Mack Trucks' interest in solutions with minimal owner-operator input suggests potential implementation.
my contribution as Product Designer and UX Researcher
As Product Designer and User Experience Researcher for Mack & Volvo's capstone project, I led in-depth research, uncovering pain points for truck drivers. I guided the team to refine research, culminating in a specific product opportunity. Leveraging POGs and market analysis, I actively participated in "Crazy 8" ideation and facilitated discussions with industry experts. My leadership ensured a user-centric service designed for truck owners and operators, culminating in the project's strategic execution.
domain: ux research, design thinking & prototyping
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type: capstone
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duration: 5 months
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role: product manager & product strategist
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team: 5 people
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tools: surveys, interviews, literature reviews, analysis, value propositions analysis, prototyping, wireframing & figma
project walkthrough
This project aimed at creating a service for owners/operators in the construction industry. The team utilized the double-diamond design thinking approach, a framework for innovation that involves four stages: discover, define, develop, and deliver. During the discovery stage, the team conducted extensive research on the industry, interconnected domains, and stakeholders to better understand the challenges and opportunities faced by owners/operators.
The research revealed that owners/operators value uptime; they operate locally, value operating expenses, have long days, are hands-on, and care for their trucks. However, they were unaware of their truck's health, which could lead to breakdowns and maintenance issues. Based on these initial findings, we determined that owners/operators needed service to enhance uptime and ensure preventive maintenance quality. LINKth is a service developed to aid owners/operators in their daily maintenance routine.
The service aims to reduce truck breakdowns, decrease total ownership costs, and increase uptime for owners/operators in the construction industry. To achieve this, LINKth builds up on existing Mack offerings and technologies to address today's needs of owners/operators.
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RESEARCH OVERVIEW
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During the research, the team tried reaching out to construction sites, companies, and large truck dealerships in Pittsburgh to better understand the challenges owners and operators face in the truck industry. They also collaborated with research groups such as Mobility21 and the Owner/Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) to gather insights into fleet management systems, truck maintenance, and the slow adoption of trucks due to a shortage of trained technicians.
The team's journey toward finding a solution was an iterative feedback, analysis, and continuous improvement process. To enhance the experience of owners/operators, they conducted interviews and meetings with various stakeholders, including Mack representatives, owner/operators, and faculties, to refine the product and develop the most useful, usable, and desirable solution.
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INITIAL EXPLORATION
At the outset of the project, desktop research was conducted to gain an understanding of the stakeholders, external environment, and market factors related to the construction industry.
PRIMARY OBSERVATIONS
Through interviews and observations with stakeholders such as owners/operators, drivers, and dealers, as well as expert interviews, maintenance was identified as an opportunity.
IDEATION LOOPS
After identifying the opportunity, the team utilized brainstorming techniques such as ‘Crazy 8’ and ‘Alternative World’ to continuously generate ideas and explore various possibilities.
USER FEEDBACK
The user testing and feedback process was an iterative journey: It started with six ideas; one idea was ultimately selected and refined through feedback sessions with various stakeholders, faculty, and the Volvo team. This process culminated in the final idea for the project.
OPPORTUNITY GAP
" An opportunity exists to help owner/operators increase uptime and ensure high-quality preventive maintenance."
Maintenance is crucial
Reducing TCO is an important goal for owners/operators, and truck maintenance is vital in achieving this goal. Owner/operators perform preventive maintenance, including daily inspections, sanitation, calendar + usage, and condition-based maintenance. Daily inspections influence other maintenance, and owner/operators and their drivers typically spend 30 minutes daily on daily inspections (pre-trip and post-trip), physically checking each one and recording them on paper in analog form.
Ensuring the quality of preventive maintenance
Maintaining the consistent quality of preventive maintenance across all drivers (or owner/operators) is challenging, as each driver's skill level and experience vary. It is essential to develop a maintenance process that enables even inexperienced drivers to perform the same level of maintenance as experienced drivers.
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Stakeholder map to consider
After a comprehensive understanding of the trucking industry and its stakeholders, the team conducted a thorough analysis and concluded that Mack's best option was to improve its maintenance practices to make it easier for owner/operators to adopt and provide additional value to other stakeholders such as technicians and dealerships.
LINKth IDEATION
After going through the ideation, validation, and iteration process, we narrowed it down to one service idea that would address the needs of the owner/operators. Please refer to the appendix for initial ideas.
