ResumeAcademic
Discovery
Electric Vehicles
User Research
Systems Design
Strategy
Overview
In this academic project, we partnered with Dominion Energy to assess the desirability and feasibility of providing electric vehicles to gig drivers, aiming to increase EV adoption on the grid. Conducted as part of the VCU Masters in Product Innovation program, the project was sponsored by Dominion, one of the largest energy providers in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast regions of the US.
Approach
We followed the Double Diamond design process, with a strong emphasis on the discovery phase to validate assumptions and understand user needs. Our goal was to assess whether gig drivers would prefer renting electric vehicles over using their personal vehicles and to identify potential alternative user segments if needed.
My Roles
Discovery and market researcher
User research interviews and analysis
Lead user persona designer
SWOT analysis for pilot implementation
Background
Problem
Process
First Discovery and Define Phase
We conducted over twenty interviews with gig drivers, including drivers from companies like Uber, Lyft, and Doordash.
Contrary to the initial hypothesis, gig drivers preferred using their own vehicles due to ownership benefits, convenience, and lower perceived costs. Based on these findings, we realized we had to redefine the problem, and focus on a different user segment.
Second Discovery Phase
We discussed our findings with our Dominion sponsors, who agreed that the project needed to pivot. To ensure their needs were met, we brainstormed and established key parameters for Dominion to consider a pilot study on a new segment. The main parameters we set going forward are:
By widening our scope, we explored food truck vendors, rental car companies, manufacturing and healthcare workers. We focused our questioning on their commutes, general car usage, and openness to renting an electric vehicle.
Second Define Phase
Following numerous interviews with various segments, we decided to move forward with healthcare workers because their responses highlighted a real user problem: the parking situation at the hospital was stressful and expensive.
In addition to their compelling pain point, healthcare workers also fit within our parameters:
Battery Availability - Full coverage during high energy demand hours due to 12-hour shift workers.
Scope and Growth - Ability to expand to other hospital systems across the country.
Direct to Consumer - Opportunity to rent or lease-to-own with a focus on traveling positions.
Design and Develop
With a new definition established, we explored the landscape for solutions by performing a SWOT analysis. Through our research and consultation with our Dominion sponsors, we discovered a unique opportunity that could potentially relieve our user's pain points and serve Dominion well. By using a new parking lot Dominion was planning for 2026, they could install charging stations specifically designed for healthcare workers, providing them with a guaranteed parking spot.
As the final part of our project, we developed a business model canvas to communicate how the initiative might work past the pilot stage.
In addition to this, we created user personas based on real conversations with healthcare workers.
Nora Clark
The Caring One
Goals
Help her community
Motivations
Helping feels good
Frustrations
Electric cars are too expensive
Olivia Dunn
The Jaded One
Goals
Find easier parking
Motivations
Avoid stressing about parking
Frustrations
Expensive parking passes
Alex Ortiz
The Travelling One
Goals
A reliable commute
Motivations
I like the freedom of a car
Frustrations
The bus is far too unreliable
Solution
Our solution focus was on nurses and other healthcare workers with 12-hour shifts, addressing their pain points related to parking. This segment would help nurses by:
Guaranteeing parking spots at hospitals
Eliminating commuting fuel costs
Helping the community in other ways
Proposed Pilot Study
Implementing the vehicle-to-grid technology with a focus on nurses
Monitoring the system’s feasibility and desirability
Evaluating the impact on energy storage and grid reliability
Exploring scalability to other cities and user segments
Moving Forward
This project emphasized the importance of validating assumptions through comprehensive discovery and the necessity of being adaptable in defining and solving problems. By double-checking our sources, we were able to identify a discrepancy in our initial plan and I'm proud of our ability to change course. It reminded me of the saying, "plans are nothing, but planning is everything."