How considering the story of a digital tool can lead to better outcomes
Within the Automotive sector, addressing challenges like self-driving cars, net zero emissions, sustainable production, and the innovative software-defined vehicle will require greater reliance on digital technology. But how can we ensure these tools are both effective and adopted? Our research suggests that the key lies in the thoughtful development of use-cases.
The preliminary results of my research indicate that one of the ways that more and better digitalisation can be achieved might hinge upon the thoughtful creation of use-cases.
You have to fish around a little for a nice definition of the term ‘use-case’, it’s not in the dictionary (at least not in my dictionary) but after a little digging into the fields of user centred design and human computer interaction, it becomes clear that ‘use-case’ isn’t so far from ‘user experience’, and once you’re there, ‘user experience’ isn’t so far from ‘story’.
You might need to search a bit to find a good definition of the term "use-case." It's not in the dictionary—at least not in mine—but after some digging into user-centered design and human-computer interaction, it becomes clear that a "use-case" is closely related to "user experience." And once you understand "user experience," it’s not far from the concept of a "story."
A use-case is the story of how a technology is used and how something gets done. Take your kettle, for example. The story isn’t just about a tool that boils water. It starts with wanting a cup of tea: you go to the kitchen, fill the kettle, turn it on—wait, where are the clean mugs? There aren’t any. Who forgot to run the dishwasher? Oh, that was me. Now, the dishwasher becomes part of the kettle story... and so it continues. The kettle exists within a broader context, and its successful use depends on many factors. The kettle is the tool; the use-case, or story, is about making the tea.
I’ll go out on a limb and say that, in the end, the stories we tell about digital tools are more important than the tools themselves. In my research, I hear it repeatedly: yes, the industry faces significant challenges, but the technology to potentially solve them already exists, as does the expertise. However, this knowledge is often spread across different departments or even siloed within separate companies. The real challenge is bringing these elements together and getting everyone on the same page.
Telling a compelling use-case story has the power to highlight these distributed elements and suggest ways to bring them together, even for a small task. These user-case stories can then become success stories that others can build on or cautionary tales to avoid. Before you know it, change begins to accelerate.
These stories need to provide context and feature as inclusive a cast of characters as possible. Our stories should be written not only by leaders, innovators, and early adopters, but by anyone who will interact with a new digital tool, regardless of how small or large their involvement. Everyone must be included; a use case is a story that is co-created rather than dictated.
That’s why as a part of the research of the Centre for People-Led Digitalisation, we’ll be setting up co-creation workshops to figure out not just what these stories (read, of course – use-cases) should be for digital tools in the automotive development process, but how best to formulate them. Who can we bring in to add their thread of the storyline, how acceptable is this story to you or to your colleagues, and how do we make sure these stories are inclusive and truly people-centred so that the digital tools we create are too?
Author’s profile
Dr Tom Stead is a Research Associate with the Made Smarter Innovation: Centre for People Led Digitalisation. With a MSc in Smart Design, a PhD in Design (Brunel University London) and a wealth of industry experience his particular research interests focus on digitalisation, systems thinking, service design, human computer interaction, action research methods and design. As part of the Centre Tom will be applying participatory action research methods to digitalisation in the automotive and transport sectors.
If you would like to know more about this research, please email p-ld@bath.ac.uk.
