Hibe
Reimagining unused electronics management
CONTEXT
Group project as a part of UX and Service Design MA Course
AWARD
Winner of Ford Smart Mobility Challenge 2023
TEAM COMPOSITION
2 Service Designers
2 UX Designers
2 Marketing Specialists
ROLE
Project Leader
Service Designer
DURATION
February - September 2024
PROBLEM
The Silent Epidemic of Unused Electronics
Countless small electronics are forgotten in drawers for years and often end up as general waste. This not only contributes to environmental harm but also represents missed opportunities to create value through reuse. Unfortunately, current recycling systems fail to adequately motivate people to part with their unused devices.
SOLUTION
Hibe brings charitable choices to the communities
How does it work?
Hibe transforms unused electronics into opportunities for positive change. Here's how it works, through the journey of Alex, one of our target users:
FUTURESTATE DESIGN BRIEF
Overconsumption acted as a signal for our design
Our team identified the issue of hibernating electronics and, following the project brief, developed a vision to create a 15-minute neighbourhood service in Charnwood by 2030.
DESIGN PROCESS
Iterative Lean UX Process helped us quickly act on user needs
Our concept underwent multiple revisions based on validation of our assumptions. Weekly design critiques and retrospectives allowed us to rapidly iterate the service.
STAGE 1 RESEARCH
Understanding Motivations and Stakeholder Perspectives
Our aim was to understand why people hold onto their electronics and test what could overcome this attachment. We explored secondary research on devices in hibernation and how businesses handle these devices from a stakeholder perspective. We created flyers, a Facebook profile prototype, and storyboards to guide four prototyping sessions with a repair shop owner, a second-hand shop employee, and two sentimental users.
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS + GAP
Where others fall short to adress the main customer pain points…
Existing competitors struggle to motivate users, primarily accepting devices in good condition. This leaves a significant gap for those with less functional devices and limits community impact.
STAGE 2 RESEARCH
We tested public engagement and imitated the user journey through an MVP at Loughborough Market
In collaboration with the Charnwood Borough Council, we tested service journey, exploring why people hold onto electronics. The event supported the Air Ambulance Service, encouraging participants to donate items and providing a clear, sustainable call to action.
MAIN INSIGHTS
Lack of motivation is a key barrier. Real charitable choices where donated devices go and feedback boosts it.
Our analysis of prototyping sessions and user engagement highlighted clear trends in user motivations:
TESTING + IMPROVEMENTS
3 Major Iterations in our design
Based on feedback from peers, academic tutors, users, and stakeholders, we continuously refined our design throughout the process, leading to three major improvements:
DESIGN DETAIL
Service Blueprint helped us thoroughly map out the customer journey and key interactions.
This process was challenging as we had to account for varying levels of tech-savviness, diverse motivations, and multiple stakeholders.
Hibe fills a market gap by promoting a Circular Economy with a closed-loop system that extend product lifespans.
Unusable items are sold for raw materials, while repairable and usable devices are resold, with 30% of profits donated to charities.
Ecosystem revenue comes from data migration services and electronics resale.
Users can drop off items via the Hibe van or our logistics partner. Devices are transported to our warehouse for sorting based on functionality.
Creating value for all stakeholders, Hibe blends profit and purpose as a social enterprise.
Hibe supports charities, offers a sustainable supply chain for businesses, and fosters community engagement across economic, social, psychological, and ecological dimensions.
CONCLUSION + LESSONS LEARNED
What I learned through the project.
I learned to embrace iteration. At first, I was quite attached to my original ideas, but as the project progressed, I realised the importance of being flexible. Once we began embracing feedback and iterating, the service improved significantly.
Balancing detail with flexibility is key. While planning is important, we occasionally over-focused on certain details, such as a value proposition that wasn’t needed. Going forward, I’ll focus more on staying adaptable and responsive to insights as they emerge.
Team synergy really matters. Initially, we had to adjust to different working styles, but we quickly found ways to make the most of each other’s strengths. In future projects, I’d ensure that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined early on to enhance productivity.
Presenting and interacting with stakeholders helped me build confidence. I learned to adapt quickly and appreciate new perspectives, and reinforced how important empathy and openness are when collaborating across teams and disciplines.
