Service co-design for the shared mobility sector: A free-floating bike sharing model

In this paper, we present an action-research process within an Horizon 2020 project conducted through a co-design approach with the SME Zehus. In order to define a new model of free-floating bike sharing service to be implemented in the city of Milan, co-design activities were conducted with different project stakeholders and structured in the form of an explorative workshop, creative sessions, and user tests. This approach allowed envisioning and validating solutions, sharing competencies, and make decisions through collaboration in a iterative process. The adoption of co-design had relevant influence on the design of the final solution, going beyond the users’ perspective, but rather focusing on those of the service provider and the municipality of Milan, which is going to host the service. The active involvement of Zehus in co-design activities also had an educational value, given by the transfer of service design competencies and tools, which can empower the company in approaching future businesses able to answer to the evolution of shared mobility.