Smart Product-Service System Innovation with User Experience: A Case Study of Chunmi
The Product-Service System (PSS) has received widespread attention due to the increasing global competition in manufacturing and service markets. Today’s smart products and services are driven by Internet of things (IoT) technologies which will promote the transformation from traditional PSS to smart PSS. Although the smart PSS has some of technological achievements in businesses, it often ignores the real demands of target users when using products and services. Therefore, designers should know and learn the User Experience (UX) of smart products, services and systems. However, both of academia and industry still lack relevant development experience of smart PSS since it is an emerging field. In doing so, this is a case study of Xiaomi’s Chunmi, the largest IoT platform in the world, and addresses the two major issues: (1) why Chunmi should develop smart PSS strategies with UX; and (2) how Chunmi could successfully implement the strategic objectives of smart PSS through the design. The case study results indicated that: (1) the smart PSS can distinguish competitors by their unique UX which is difficult to duplicate; (2) early user engagement is crucial for the success of smart PSS; and (3) interaction, expectation, and enjoyment can be treated as a three-dimensional evaluation of UX design for smart PSS innovation. In conclusion, the smart PSS can gain competitive advantages through good UX design in the market.
[1] A. Coskun, G. Kaner, and İ. Bostan, “Is smart home a necessity or a fantasy for the mainstream user? A study on users’ expectations of smart household appliances,” International Journal of Design, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 7-20, 2018.
[2] A. Parasuraman, L.L. Berry, V.A. Zeithaml, “Understanding customer expectations of service,” Sloan Management Review, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 39-48, 1991.
[3] A. Tukker, “Product services for a resource-efficient and circular economy – a review,” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 97, no. 15, pp. 76-91, Jun 2015.
[4] A. Valencia, R. Mugge, J.P.L. Schoormans, H.N.J. Schifferstein, “The Design of Smart Product-Service Systems (PSSs): An Exploration of Design Characteristics,” International Journal of Design, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 13-28, Apr. 2015.
[5] B. Farahani, F. Firouzi, V. Chang, M. Badaroglu, N. Constant, and K. Mankodiya, “Towards fog-driven IoT eHealth: Promises and challenges of IoT in medicine and healthcare,” Future Generation Computer Systems, vol. 78, no. 2, pp. 659-676, May. 2017.
[6] C. Lerch, and M. Gotsch, “Digitalized product-service systems in manufacturing firms: A case study analysis,” Research-Technology Management, vol. 58, no. 5, pp. 45-52, Sep. 2015.
[7] C. Raddats, C. Kowalkowski, O. Benedettini, J. Burton, and H. Gebauer, “Servitization: A contemporary thematic review of four major research streams,” Industrial Marketing Management, vol. 83, pp. 207-223, Nov. 2019.
[8] C. Wilson, T. Hargreaves, and R. Hauxwell-Baldwin, “Smart homes and their users: A systematic analysis and key challenges,” Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 463-476, Feb. 2015.
[9] D. A. De Jesus Pacheco, C. S. ten Caten, C. F. Jung, C. Sassanelli, and S. Terzi, “Overcoming barriers towards Sustainable Product-Service Systems in Small and Medium-sized enterprises: State of the art and a novel Decision Matrix,” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 222, no. 10, pp. 903–921, Jun. 2019.
[10] D. Chang, C. Lee, and L. K. Leung, “Exploration of New-Generation Human Computer Interface Based on Participatory Design Strategy,” In 7th HCI International Conf. DUXU, Las Vegas, USA. Jun. 2018, pp. 3-13
[11] D. Chang, Z. Gu, F. Li, and R. Jiang, “A user-centric smart product-service system development approach: A case study on medication management for the elderly,” Advanced Engineering Informatics, vol. 42, no. 100979, Oct. 2019.
[12] H. H. Claire, S. Sáez, Services for Trade Competitiveness: Country and Regional Assessments of Services Trade. Washington D.C., US: World Bank, 2019, pp. 2-6.
[13] ISO 9241-210: Ergonomics of human-system interaction — Part 210: Human-centred design for interactive systems, CH: ISO, Mar. 2010.
[14] K. Eija et al., “Defining user experience goals to guide the design of industrial systems,” Behaviour & Information Technology, vol. 34, no. 10, pp. 976-991, May. 2015.
[15] K. Mennens, A. V. Gils, G. Odekerken, and L. Wiko. “Exploring antecedents of service innovation performance in manufacturing SMEs,” International Small Business Journal, vol. 36, no.5, pp. 500-520, 2018.
[16] M. Hassenzahl, and N. Tractinsky, “User experience - A research agenda,” Behaviour & Information Technology, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 91-97, 2006.
[17] M. Hassenzahl, S. Diefenbach, A. Göritz, “Needs, affect, and interactive products - Facets of user experience,” Interacting with Computers, vol. 22, no. 5, pp. 353-362, Sep. 2010.
[18] M. Heikkinen, and H. Määttä, “Design driven product innovation in enhancing user experience oriented organisational culture in B-to-B organisations,” In IEEE Tsinghua International Conf. Design Management Symposium, Shenzhen, China, Dec. 2013, pp. 127-135.
[19] M.E. Porter, and J.E. Heppelmann, “How smart, connected product are transforming competition,” Harvard Business Review, pp. 64-89, Nov. 2014.
[20] P. Zheng, T. J. Lin, C. H. Chen, and X. Xu, “A systematic design approach for service innovation of smart product-service systems,” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 201, no. 10, pp. 657-667, Nov .2018.
[21] P. Zheng, Z. Wang, C. H. Chen, and L. P. Khoo, “A survey of smart product-service systems: Key aspects, challenges and future perspectives,” Advanced Engineering Informatics, vol. 42, no. 100973, Oct. 2019.
[22] R. C. Reilly, Participatory case study. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Inc., 2010, pp. 658-660.
[23] S. A. Rijsdijk, and E. J. Hultink, “How today’s consumers perceive tomorrow’s smart products,” Journal of Product Innovation Management, vol. 26, no.1, pp. 24-42, Jan. 2009.
[24] S. Banks, and A. Armstrong, “Ethics in community-based participatory research. Case studies, case examples and commentaries,” 2012, pp. 5-7.
[25] S. Chowdhury, D. Haftor, and N. Pashkevich, “Smart Product-Service Systems (Smart PSS) in Industrial Firms: A Literature Review,” Procedia CIRP, vol. 73, pp. 26-31, May. 2018.
[26] World Trade Organization, World Trade Report 2019: The future of services trade. Geneva, CH: WTO, pp.12-20, 2019
[1] A. Coskun, G. Kaner, and İ. Bostan, “Is smart home a necessity or a fantasy for the mainstream user? A study on users’ expectations of smart household appliances,” International Journal of Design, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 7-20, 2018.
[2] A. Parasuraman, L.L. Berry, V.A. Zeithaml, “Understanding customer expectations of service,” Sloan Management Review, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 39-48, 1991.
[3] A. Tukker, “Product services for a resource-efficient and circular economy – a review,” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 97, no. 15, pp. 76-91, Jun 2015.
[4] A. Valencia, R. Mugge, J.P.L. Schoormans, H.N.J. Schifferstein, “The Design of Smart Product-Service Systems (PSSs): An Exploration of Design Characteristics,” International Journal of Design, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 13-28, Apr. 2015.
[5] B. Farahani, F. Firouzi, V. Chang, M. Badaroglu, N. Constant, and K. Mankodiya, “Towards fog-driven IoT eHealth: Promises and challenges of IoT in medicine and healthcare,” Future Generation Computer Systems, vol. 78, no. 2, pp. 659-676, May. 2017.
[6] C. Lerch, and M. Gotsch, “Digitalized product-service systems in manufacturing firms: A case study analysis,” Research-Technology Management, vol. 58, no. 5, pp. 45-52, Sep. 2015.
[7] C. Raddats, C. Kowalkowski, O. Benedettini, J. Burton, and H. Gebauer, “Servitization: A contemporary thematic review of four major research streams,” Industrial Marketing Management, vol. 83, pp. 207-223, Nov. 2019.
[8] C. Wilson, T. Hargreaves, and R. Hauxwell-Baldwin, “Smart homes and their users: A systematic analysis and key challenges,” Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 463-476, Feb. 2015.
[9] D. A. De Jesus Pacheco, C. S. ten Caten, C. F. Jung, C. Sassanelli, and S. Terzi, “Overcoming barriers towards Sustainable Product-Service Systems in Small and Medium-sized enterprises: State of the art and a novel Decision Matrix,” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 222, no. 10, pp. 903–921, Jun. 2019.
[10] D. Chang, C. Lee, and L. K. Leung, “Exploration of New-Generation Human Computer Interface Based on Participatory Design Strategy,” In 7th HCI International Conf. DUXU, Las Vegas, USA. Jun. 2018, pp. 3-13
[11] D. Chang, Z. Gu, F. Li, and R. Jiang, “A user-centric smart product-service system development approach: A case study on medication management for the elderly,” Advanced Engineering Informatics, vol. 42, no. 100979, Oct. 2019.
[12] H. H. Claire, S. Sáez, Services for Trade Competitiveness: Country and Regional Assessments of Services Trade. Washington D.C., US: World Bank, 2019, pp. 2-6.
[13] ISO 9241-210: Ergonomics of human-system interaction — Part 210: Human-centred design for interactive systems, CH: ISO, Mar. 2010.
[14] K. Eija et al., “Defining user experience goals to guide the design of industrial systems,” Behaviour & Information Technology, vol. 34, no. 10, pp. 976-991, May. 2015.
[15] K. Mennens, A. V. Gils, G. Odekerken, and L. Wiko. “Exploring antecedents of service innovation performance in manufacturing SMEs,” International Small Business Journal, vol. 36, no.5, pp. 500-520, 2018.
[16] M. Hassenzahl, and N. Tractinsky, “User experience - A research agenda,” Behaviour & Information Technology, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 91-97, 2006.
[17] M. Hassenzahl, S. Diefenbach, A. Göritz, “Needs, affect, and interactive products - Facets of user experience,” Interacting with Computers, vol. 22, no. 5, pp. 353-362, Sep. 2010.
[18] M. Heikkinen, and H. Määttä, “Design driven product innovation in enhancing user experience oriented organisational culture in B-to-B organisations,” In IEEE Tsinghua International Conf. Design Management Symposium, Shenzhen, China, Dec. 2013, pp. 127-135.
[19] M.E. Porter, and J.E. Heppelmann, “How smart, connected product are transforming competition,” Harvard Business Review, pp. 64-89, Nov. 2014.
[20] P. Zheng, T. J. Lin, C. H. Chen, and X. Xu, “A systematic design approach for service innovation of smart product-service systems,” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 201, no. 10, pp. 657-667, Nov .2018.
[21] P. Zheng, Z. Wang, C. H. Chen, and L. P. Khoo, “A survey of smart product-service systems: Key aspects, challenges and future perspectives,” Advanced Engineering Informatics, vol. 42, no. 100973, Oct. 2019.
[22] R. C. Reilly, Participatory case study. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Inc., 2010, pp. 658-660.
[23] S. A. Rijsdijk, and E. J. Hultink, “How today’s consumers perceive tomorrow’s smart products,” Journal of Product Innovation Management, vol. 26, no.1, pp. 24-42, Jan. 2009.
[24] S. Banks, and A. Armstrong, “Ethics in community-based participatory research. Case studies, case examples and commentaries,” 2012, pp. 5-7.
[25] S. Chowdhury, D. Haftor, and N. Pashkevich, “Smart Product-Service Systems (Smart PSS) in Industrial Firms: A Literature Review,” Procedia CIRP, vol. 73, pp. 26-31, May. 2018.
[26] World Trade Organization, World Trade Report 2019: The future of services trade. Geneva, CH: WTO, pp.12-20, 2019
@article{"International Journal of Mechanical, Industrial and Aerospace Sciences:79829", author = "Ying Yu and Wen-Chi Kuo and Tung-Jung Sung", title = "Smart Product-Service System Innovation with User Experience: A Case Study of Chunmi", abstract = "The Product-Service System (PSS) has received widespread attention due to the increasing global competition in manufacturing and service markets. Today’s smart products and services are driven by Internet of things (IoT) technologies which will promote the transformation from traditional PSS to smart PSS. Although the smart PSS has some of technological achievements in businesses, it often ignores the real demands of target users when using products and services. Therefore, designers should know and learn the User Experience (UX) of smart products, services and systems. However, both of academia and industry still lack relevant development experience of smart PSS since it is an emerging field. In doing so, this is a case study of Xiaomi’s Chunmi, the largest IoT platform in the world, and addresses the two major issues: (1) why Chunmi should develop smart PSS strategies with UX; and (2) how Chunmi could successfully implement the strategic objectives of smart PSS through the design. The case study results indicated that: (1) the smart PSS can distinguish competitors by their unique UX which is difficult to duplicate; (2) early user engagement is crucial for the success of smart PSS; and (3) interaction, expectation, and enjoyment can be treated as a three-dimensional evaluation of UX design for smart PSS innovation. In conclusion, the smart PSS can gain competitive advantages through good UX design in the market.", keywords = "Design research, smart PSS, user experience, user engagement.", volume = "14", number = "9", pages = "410-7", }
