Research and design the next step for Vegro. Research their future context and envision how they can respond.
Vision in Design
Service Design
Concept Design
Service Insights
Vision Statement
Product service concept
Vegro offers a wide range of products, to a wide range of customers. Ranging from people needing crutches, to having to arrange deathbeds. Within the changing field of healthcare, more people need to take care of themselves. From these insights, I designed a new store concept that supports these different roles customers have. The Vision creates a new position for Vegro in relation to their customers, becoming a place for attention and connection to help people maintain and regain their independence.
For this project, I also developed a website. The goal to communicate with the client, and document my progress.
The website is in Dutch.
Visitor
visiting-thefuture-of-care
The Vegro store is currently a place to pick-up products, test/experience products and get expert advice. A wide range of customers visits the different stores. The context is changing, with an increasing volume of sales through the webshop. What value do the physical stores play in this changing context? I determined that the physical store can become a place to meet, connect and care. Where the different customer segments, are engaged with their specific needs. The store can be a quick pick-up point. It can be a place to connect with other people that have the same story -taking care of your parents for example- and share stories how to cope with that. Or it can provide a place to have intimate conversations, and provide attention for the customer's wellbeing.
Meeting new people, in the store. A place for meetups and events. Connecting Vegro to other parties.
Space to embrace the customers challenges. Providing the stage to connect and pay attention to their wellbeing.
Sketches of the different furniture types. Each fitting the specific need for that part of the store.
The delivered Experience Map, looking at two different parsona types. This map has been made in the participatory session.
>>> Scroll for more images
The openness of this brief asked for some strategising of the design process. This is why I chose to merge Vision in Design and Service Design methodologies. The vision of design method to understand the context, and create a sense of direction. While the service Design methods were used to gain depth understanding of the process, and empathy for the user. In hindsight, the two methodologies work together very effectively.
I started of with desk research into Vegro, making observations in their stores and doing interviews with the Store Manager. From this analysis the 'reason of existence' of Vegro was determined. Furthermore Service Designer practises where used to develop an Experience Map of the current user journey of losing and regaining your independence. This was done through participatory sessions with caretakers. Parallel to this, the future context was researched in a group of people also doing the ViP method. This research was collaboratively merged and a worldview made.
Observations and interviews within the Vegro store
Product portfolio analysis
Participatory Session with two caretakers
Journey map created with the caretakers
Vision in Design clustering session with the team
The two forms of design, vision and service design, provided two types of research outcome. The vision in design method's research outcome was the worldview, providing overview in the context in which the product will operate. The service design insights were mapped in the Experience map. This map provides detailed experience insights, and creates more opportunity to empathise with the user.
Worldview, describing the future context of the homecare situation.
User Experience Map, communicating the journey of the user, through the process of losing and regaining independence.
Merging the two methods, from perspective on 'care' to in-depth insights about the 'user journey' and specific the store touchpoint functioning.
To help develop the store concept, I contacted the store concept designers of Hans Boodt. They provided me with expert tips and some process advice on how to create a store concept.
Within this store concept, the layout, colors, furniture, materials and functioning where designed. Designed with the guidance of the Vision, and Service insights. This easily translated into the store concept shown here. A store with multiple levels, new functions and matching to the Brand of Vegro.
Color and material design of the store.
Interior function exploration sketches
The store layout and flow explorations
3D model of the new store layout, used as prototype
A portfolio can only say so much of course, I would love to tell you more about the projects, my involvement or discuss what we could offer each other. Don't hesitate to contact me.
