BOSCH COURIER CONNECT

A smart phone application that
leverages the Bosch eBike Systems
technology to help couriers win time.

September — December 2020

6 week Academic
Experience Design Project

Context

While food delivery apps have seen rapid growth since the pandemic, couriers in the gig economy are under pressure on the job to perform to high standards as the backbone for companies who seek to restore the food industry.
To just barely make minimum wage, couriers push their limits - often ignoring fatigue and exhaustion.
“If I succeed in making two deliveries per hour, I barely earn minimum wage.”
— eBike Courier research participant

Business opportunity

For a senior level design course, I was tasked with an ill-defined, client based project. My mission was to find a company that could benefit from an experience design intervention.
Bosch is focusing on developing a stress-free experience for eBike riders, providing fitness tracking and wayfinding for recreational users. However, despite partnering with manufacturers that target eBike couriers, Bosch does not yet address their key problems with its current line of smart technology and software.

Framing

Help ebike couriers win time by aiding them to memorize their city and ride to the best of their abilities - in order to maximize their earnings.

Wayfinding

Couriers don’t want to rely on constant directions from their map. After accepting a delivery, they begin riding as quickly as possible, seeking to reach a landmark in the area. Couriers lose time on the trip when they near the address, seeking specific directions on their map.
Bosch is focusing on developing a stress-free experience for eBike riders, providing fitness tracking and wayfinding for recreational users. However, despite partnering with manufacturers that target eBike couriers, Bosch does not yet address their key problems with its current line of smart technology and software. To encourage riders to rely on their memory, Courier Connect defaults to providing simple assurance, and indicates the direction of the address to ensure they are going the right way when riding through a familiar area.

Time Saving Intervention

Couriers rely on tips to earn money, so they must complete deliveries as quickly as possible.
As riders approach their destination, Courier Connect chimes in. To eliminate the most common culprit of wasted time, Courier Connect automatically enables directions as riders near arrival to equip them with the information necessary to seamlessly continue toward the delivery address.