Overview

Led UX research and service design for an international mobility company's new smart e-bike product line, focusing on urban market segments including both Pedelec and S-Pedelec categories. The project aimed to identify connectivity opportunities and define user-centered features for the competitive e-mobility landscape. I worked with the Reply connect design team with Andrea Neri and Andrea Fenaroli.

My Role

UX Researcher & Service Designer

• Conducted comprehensive market research across European, US, and Asian markets

• Facilitated collaborative workshops with cross-functional teams

• Defined feature prioritization frameworks and user journey mapping

• Created visual documentation and strategic alignment materials

The Challenge

The client needed to:

• Identify market gaps in the rapidly evolving smart e-bike sector

• Define connectivity features that would differentiate their product line

• Align stakeholders across design, technical, and business teams on strategic direction

• Balance innovation with feasibility within mid-market price positioning

The Process

1. Understand and analyze

• Targeted the research with a specific primary customer profiles identified by the client

• Established three core drivers: Fun, Accessibility, Versatility

• Created user journey flows and interaction scenarios

2. Market Research & Competitive Analysis

• Analyzed 16 key competitors and 34 e-bike models (22 Pedelec + 12 S-Pedelec)

• Mapped feature distribution across 6 functional areas: Safety, Security, Comfort, Performance, HMI & Connectivity, Pre/After Sales

• Identified market positioning gaps and opportunities for differentiation

3. Collaborative Workshop Facilitation

• Led 5+ stakeholder alignment sessions using FigJam boards

• Generated and prioritized use cases through iterative collaboration

• Translated business requirements into technical specifications

4. Use Case Development & Feature Prioritization

• Developed 56 detailed use cases across all functional areas

• Created 5 distinct e-bike user profiles: Main baseline, City Cruiser, Urban Defender, Smart Commuter, and All-round Smart Connected

• Defined feature hierarchies and implementation roadmaps

The Solutions

Strategic Product Definition

• Main Profile: Established baseline feature set emphasizing performance, connectivity, and safety

• Market Differentiation: Identified opportunities in underexplored areas like V2X integration and predictive maintenance

• Scalable Architecture: Created modular feature framework allowing for multiple product variants

Key Innovation Areas

• Safety-First Approach: V2X communication, predictive alerts, crash detection systems

• Connected Services: Cellular connectivity, OTA updates, cloud-based telemetry

• Smart Maintenance: Predictive diagnostics, certified maintenance history, remote assistance

Stakeholder Alignment

• Delivered comprehensive documentation including use case sheets, technical requirements, and user journey maps

• Established shared vocabulary and priorities across design and engineering teams

• Created visual frameworks for ongoing product development decisions

Impact & Results

• 56 prioritized use cases providing clear development roadmap

• Strategic market positioning identifying competitive advantages in safety and connectivity

• Cross-team alignment enabling efficient progression to development phase

• Scalable framework supporting multiple product variants and future expansion

Key Takeaways

This project reinforced the importance of:

• Research-driven innovation: Deep market analysis reveals genuine opportunities beyond obvious features

• Collaborative design process: Complex B2B projects require intensive stakeholder alignment to succeed

• Systems thinking: Connected mobility requires understanding interdependencies between hardware, software, and services

• Strategic communication: Visual documentation and workshop facilitation are crucial for translating research into actionable product strategy