Early in the project we created a customer journey map with cabin crew from KLM. The map visualized all the activities of cabin crew and passengers, as well as their emotions during the flight. The cabin crew also mapped out their energy levels whilst working on the plane. The map was rich in information from the cabin crew perspective, however by visualising the information in this way gained insights into the lack of knowledge of specifically what passengers do whilst they were in their seats.
In order to fill these gaps we conducted a passenger workshop called hand baggage only. This workshop looked at how passengers prepare for long haul flights. By asking them to bring the items they would typically have in their hand luggage, we gained insights into the kinds of activities they anticipate versus the actual experiences they encounter.
The objects people brought proved to be powerful vessels of intangible stories of their experiences on the plane.
With the coming CRISP review session looking to define Product Service Systems (PSS) this idea of objects as vessels can offer an interesting discussion point in comparing products and services and their relationship to offer true PSS.
Products as vessels of intangible elements generated at the strategic level along with the service elements can potentially offer true PSS. What Hand Baggage Only suggests is that the product (vessel) and the service constituting the PSS should have autonomous value for the customer.