Year

2025

Company

Fastned

Unmanned kiosk: the best charge for you, and your vehicle.

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Context

Fastned is working towards accelerating the transition to electric driving. While infrastructure plays a key role, user experience is equally important in shaping adoption. Their unmanned retail spaces are designed to be efficient and accessible, especially in locations where staffed options are not viable. However, early feedback and observations showed several issues: • Users were unsure how to interact with the space • The experience felt unclear and sometimes unreliable • Engagement with the retail offering was lower than expected • The space functioned, but it did not yet support users in a meaningful way.

Researching the users

Interviews showed that both EV drivers and non-EV drivers behaved in similar ways. Their needs during a stop were consistent: • access to a toilet • the ability to get coffee or food • a safe and comfortable environment • clear and predictable interactions Users were not looking for complex experiences. They wanted reliability and ease.

Designing the experience

Without staff, the environment itself needs to guide users. This led to: • combining visual cues with short text • placing instructions exactly where actions happen • reducing reliance on prior knowledge Testing showed that combining text and visuals significantly improved understanding compared to visuals alone. To improve comfort: • visibility was prioritised (e.g. glass, lighting) • layouts avoided hidden or enclosed areas • key functions (like toilets) were easy to locate This reduced hesitation and increased willingness to enter. Not all users interact with the space in the same way. The design accommodates: • quick, functional visits • longer, more relaxed breaks This flexibility allows users to engage on their own terms. Rather than focusing on lowering prices, the approach focused on: • perceived quality • transparency • clearer communication of value Users responded better when they understood what they were getting and why. Storytelling was used as a supporting layer, not the main feature. It focused on: • explaining product origins • showing transparency • adding context where relevant Testing showed that users preferred factual, relatable information over promotional narratives.

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The outcome

The final concept improves the unmanned retail experience by: • reducing confusion in key interactions • increasing perceived safety and comfort • supporting different user behaviours • strengthening trust through clarity and transparency Instead of adding complexity, the design focuses on making the experience easier to understand and more reliable. By focusing on clarity, comfort, and trust, design can improve not only the experience itself, but also how users feel about the broader transition to electric driving. I gave Fastned an elaborated research document, with all my research and findings, together with a prototype made out of wood. I lasercut my design into the wood, and added my designs as vinyl stickers to create that extra experience within the prototype, and make my design come across as perfect as possible.