UX research project - delivery scooter for Emobi
Project overview
Context
Emobi Manufactury Pvt. Ltd. is an electric vehicle start-up company based in Bangalore. They wanted to design a delivery scooter for last mile delivery in India. As a Designer at Emobi, I carried out user research to understand user needs so that the vehicle could be a successful one in the market.
Project Duration
February 2023
Research statement
To understand different segments within last mile delivery system and the needs & pain points of these delivery partners.
Research methodology
Contextual inquiry research method was chosen to uncover hidden insights by observing and interviewing users in their environment (last mile delivery). Secondary research was done to identify different segments within the last mile delivery and their fundamentals.
Recruitment criteria
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Food/ grocery/ courier delivery partners using two wheelers
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City: Bangalore, India
Incentive
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1 month free subscription to our vehicle prototype, once ready.​
Contextual Inquiries
I interviewed 20 people from different segments in last mile delivery; as shown in pie chart below.
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It was challenging as delivery partners are time bound & busy and so I had to do multiple field visits. Also, I interacted with delivery partners in unplanned situations such as during my lunch on a Sunday.
User segments breakdown
Insights
Food delivery
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150 - 180 km per day
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less than 5 kg payload
Grocery delivery
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150 - 200 km per day
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20 - 30 kg payload
Courier delivery
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60 - 100 km per day
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30 - 60 kg payload
Persona
Mr. Aditya
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30, Delivery partner
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Honda Activa
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Bangalore
​Aditya works 6 days a week as a delivery partner in Bangalore. His old two wheeler is not efficient to make good profit considering petrol price. He wants an electric delivery vehicle without big investment.
“I want a low cost, low maintenance vehicle for delivery job”
Pain points:
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Petrol price is increasing
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Delivery bag in floor board compromises leg space
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Helmet falls down when placed on vehicle
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Mobile holder needed to check maps
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Mobile phone runs out of charge
User journey map
Actionable insights for Design & Engineering teams
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Sturdy & safe space to keep delivery bag (mounting points to secure the bag )
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Ability to mount additional bags
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Floorboard- space to keep rider’s leg ergonomically
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Phone holder + charger (USB port) – allowing riders to follow ‘Google Maps’ while delivering
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Hook/ mechanism to place helmet – quick access
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Pillion seat to replace the cargo rack (after work hours) for family use
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Storage pocket/ sleeve – quick access
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Mobile App (renting, payment, swapping & support)
Problem statement
Last mile delivery partners (food/grocery/courier) need a low cost delivery two-wheeler which allows them to secure the delivery bag because existing bikes/ scooters do not provide this and incur high fuel cost.
Target specifications:
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Range: 200 km
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Payload: 60- 70 kg
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Cargo space to mount delivery bag (s)
Key business goals
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Functional prototype by 4th quarter, 2023
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Vehicle manufacturing cost should be under INR 35,000
Impact
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Management, Design team and Engineering team understood the users & their needs
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Problem statement & target specifications were arrived at based on research
Reflection
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Contextual inquiry was a different experience than user interviews
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Observing the users on field helped understand their latent needs