Page 29 - SAEINDIA Magazine December 2020

Figure 2 – Design Thinking – Human Centered
Approach MOBILITY

Engineer 2030

Empathize Define Ideate Prototype Test
Empathize Define Ideate Prototype Test
Figure 2 – Design Thinking – Human Centred Approach

toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities the technology is growing exponentially, it is important
of technology, and the requirements for business the engineer also thinks exponentially (10x and 100x
success.” Thus, the method focuses on the three main improvements rather than 2x and 3x). Exponential
elements of a product or solution: people, technology, Thinking is a key enabler for the automotive engineer to
and business, all of which revolve around the customer.” set ambitious goals (BHAGs) and leverage technology to
achieve the goals.
The technology leader, as a design thinker, sharpens his
customer focus by carefully observing his customers and Peter Diamandis, the founder of X-Prize Foundation
develops certain unique insights. These customer insights and co-founder of Singularity University, introduced the
help him not only to precisely define the technical power of exponential technologies through his books
problem but also to segment his solution in such a way Abundance and Bold (New York Times bestsellers)
that it caters to the critical needs of various customer “Right now, and for the first time ever, a passionate
segments. He understands the unarticulated pain points and committed individual has access to the technology,
of his customers and leverages technologies to create minds, and capital required to take on any challenge.”
a great user experience. The DESI technology leader, — Peter H. Diamandis, Bold: How to Go Big, Create
just like GE’s Inventor Doug Dietz who transformed Wealth and Impact the World.
an MRI scanning experience into a highly engaging
entertainment experience for his patient, will use The DESI Mobility Engineer, as an exponential thinker,
empathy to connect with his customer and go beyond the believes in the exponential growth of digital technologies
product to create a rich and meaningful experience . and their convergence. He has derived his lessons
[2]
from how the semiconductor technologies followed
For instance, a DESI Mobility Engineer who is in charge Moore’s law over so many decades and doubled their
of designing electric cars will study the usage patterns of performance every eighteen months (accompanied by a
his customers across various geographies and age groups 50% price reduction too) and how it has, in turn, fuelled
and then decide on the vehicle specifications - realistic the digitization wave across diverse industries beyond
range, modular battery capacity, charging method ICT. He will actively seek opportunities for digitization in
(and time), differential pricing, etc. He goes beyond his business. More importantly, he will not be deceived
the functionality of the product to create a delightful by the initial limited results of his digitization efforts
customer experience.
and convince his CEO of their true disruptive potential.
Exponential Thinking He will prepare his business units to respond to the
waves of dematerialization and demonetization that
A Mobility Engineer has access to a rich platter of
technologies to leverage – many of these technologies follow the disruption. He will anchor his vision on the
are exponentially growing in their performance and fast true aim of disruption – which is democratization. He
becoming affordable and accessible. These technologies will have an abundance mindset and will actively apply
include electrification, energy storage, autonomous Peter Diamandis’s 6D framework (Fig 3) to steer his
driving, omnipresent connectivity, etc. When multiple business through the turbulent waters. The DESI CTO of
exponential technologies converge in a product, it is an automotive company will even be able to predict the
bound to trigger a paradigm shift. When the potential of exponential improvement in performance and fall in the

MOBILITY ENGINEERING DECEMBER 2020 27