A role for physical prototyping in Product-Service System design: Case study in construction equipment

Abstract

Using a case study methodology to exploring an ambitious experimental combination of a construction equipment manufacturer’s products tailored to provide exponential increases in efficiency and reductions in CO2. The products and system represent a relevant example of new technology being the foundation upon which a functional offering IPSS can be designed. The researcher constructed a scaled down functional experiential prototype reflecting a full scale experimental all electric quarry site in under operation outside of Goteborg, Sweden. The prototype site represented the primary equipment and system functionality, to act as a boundary object around which relevant stakeholders both internal and external could share the vision of an electric autonomous future. This was confirmed via observation at an event where the scale site was used for this purpose and verified with follow up interviews to dig deeper into the impact this tangible representation could have in increasing the perceived viability of the full scale technology’s potential on display thousands of miles from the event.