City as a Service : Living on Waterways of London

MA Service Design – G14
Trisha Fernandes, Yi Chu Chang, Yinan Yang,
Xiaoyou Meng, Guan Lin Wu

RCA × ARUP
Anchor
A waterway housing assistant that simplifies boaters' lives
01

Transition of the waterway

1820s – Transportation & Trading Use

A vital transportation route for shipping goods such as coal, building materials, and agricultural products.

2000s – Living and Leisure Use

Today, the Rivers and Canals are thriving part of London's landscape. They are used by houseboats and leisure activities such as cruising and cycling.

02

User

Continuous Cruiser

Growth of the boat numbers on the waterways in London

2,101
2010
2,964
2014
4,098
2018
4,167
2022

These boaters are required to moor 21 miles every 2 weeks

The tasks they do:

  • Get proper license
  • Pay the mooring, council tax
  • Fill water tank
  • Empty garbage
  • Pump-out body waste
  • Heating the boat
  • Connecting gas tanks
  • Connect to electricity
  • Fix breakdowns
  • Check weather, high/low tides
  • Plan journey ahead
03

PESTLE Analysis

Future Trends

Environment & Technology

Increasing demand for eco-friendly houseboat technologies due to climate crisis. Biofuel hybrid system, EV charging being introduced as potential solutions in near future.

Social

The number of houseboats in London increased significantly, with a reported 84% surge since 2012, short-term stays in particular.

Economy & Policy

The growth of canal-side tourism could prompt the authorities to update regulations.

04

Stakeholder Map

Multiple Frictions between Stakeholders

Boater
Check Route
Manual Check
NBTA
Infrastructure
EV Charging Spot
Maintenance Spot
Garbage Bin
Sewage Pump
Water Point
Not Integrated
Regular Dysfunction
No instant update
Digital System
Website
GIS Real Time Database
Boater License Database
Third-party Provider
Unstable Collaboration
Government
DEFRA Local Council
Limited Budget
Delayed Maintenance
CRT
Engineering Team Legal Team Communication Team Impact Team
05

Insight

Information Gap between CRT & Boaters

Predictive decision could not be made due to the lack of data system

Value and priority not aligned between boaters and CRT

Boaters

Need:

Good facilities to sustain the life and living quality on water

Insight:

Freedom of mobile housing but challenges of stationary facilities and regulations

CRT

Need:

Digitalised way to manage waterway

Insight:

Currently use manual approach to track and manage the whole waterway

Boaters

Need:

Recognised and qualified same as resident

Insight:

Physiological needs need to be assured as land residents

CRT

Need:

Budget limited but required to overlook the whole waterway

Insight:

From the managing end, the water body itself takes the priority instead of the people there

06

How might we bring transparency and better organise services that help reduce the tension between the boaters, authorities, neighbours and nature?

07

Our Service – Layers

Anchor : A waterway housing assistant that simplifies boaters' lives

Digital Platform
The app provides boaters access to real-time data to plan their moorings and utilities of mobile housing.
Infrastructure
App integrated with upgraded infrastructure enables users to use facilities with convenience. Report breakdowns, read and write reviews.
Resources Providers
The service partners with resource providers to enhance the management of the utilities, mooring spots and towpaths.
Waterways System
Overall, the service aims to bring a structure to the waterways living market with streamlined offerings.
08

Our Service – Digital Platform

The Anchor App

Smart Navigator

The app suggests available mooring spots, facilities on the route and even shows the traffic, tide and weather data.

Planning and Tracking

The boater does not have to manually track and plan housing utilities. All is captured in the app with recommendations on dates to refill/empty resources.

Reports, Reviews and Rewards

A platform to report broken infrastructure, write and read reviews of the boater community and earn rewards by engaging with the system.

09

Our Service – Digital Platform

The Journey of Anchor Users

Planning
  • Plan next mooring
  • Match with life schedule
  • Plan refill/emptying resources
Mooring day
  • Pack for mooring
  • Check weather, tide, route
  • Coordinate with co-cruiser
  • Set sail
Use Utilities
  • Halt for water filling
  • Re-fuel, charge batteries
  • Pump-out body waste
  • Empty trash
Cruising to spot
  • Take note of tasks done
  • Continue trip
  • See for available spots
Moor at spot
  • Moor at a new spot
  • Tie the boat
  • Meet new neighbours
  • Step out for activities
10

Video

https://youtu.be/Z_YqGW3a29k 11

Value Proposition

Convenience with Real-time Data

Gain Creators
Integrated Services Safety Mooring Structure Identity Upgraded Facilities
Service
Service Hub Digital Platform Service Boat Real-time Data
Pain Relievers
Blocking Mooring Map Live Traffic Safety Lights Suggestions Predictive Data
← FIT →
Gains
Well Organised Facilities Low Living Cost More Mooring Spaces Heard as Community Freedom of Living on Water Sense of Security Residential Identity Treated equally as residents
User Jobs
Get mooring spot Organise Mooring Plan for Physiological Needs Stay Aware Pack for cruising Deal with Uncertainty Constant Check the Boat Keep Tracking
Pains
Exhausted on Planning Hard to find a spot Cruise for hours Reduced mooring spots Lots of Manual Work Feel Unrecognised Feel Unsafe Waste Time on Broken Facilities Low / No Support from CRT
12

Blueprint

Flow & System behind Touch points

BEFORE MOORING 30 MINS DURING MOORING 1–5 HOURS AFTER MOORING 30 MINS
13

Stakeholder Map

Multiple Frictions between Stakeholders

Boater
Check Route
Manual Check
NBTA
Infrastructure
EV Charging Spot
Maintenance Spot
Garbage Bin
Sewage Pump
Water Point
Not Integrated
Regular Dysfunction
No instant update
Digital System
Website
GIS Real Time Database
Boater License Database
Third-party Provider
Unstable Collaboration
Government
DEFRA Local Council
Limited Budget
Delayed Maintenance
CRT
Engineering Team Legal Team Communication Team Impact Team
14

Stakeholder Map – Adjusted

Data Exchange to Anchor the Frictions

Boater
Plan, Report
Access, Use
NBTA
Infrastructure
EV Charging Spot
Maintenance Spot
Garbage Bin
Sewage Pump
Water Point
Foster Integration
Data Update
Build
Anchor Digital Platform + Data Hub
Third-party Provider
Foster Collaboration
Government
DEFRA Local Council
Negotiated Budget
Check, Fix
CRT
Engineering Team Legal Team Communication Team Impact Team
15

Prospect Business Model

Data-driven Revenue Stream

Subscription – Freemium

  • Waterway Map
  • Route Planning
  • Facility information

Paid Feature

  • Ads free
  • Block mooring space while using facilities
  • Points Reward
16

Vision

Creating a water living model for Rivers and Canals of London that is sustainable, driven by data, and promoting harmony among stakeholders.

17

Future Scenario

Prospect Future

18

Future Scenario – Implementation

Actions for now, to the ideal Future

Short Term Plan 1–3 years

Start by enhancing existed touch points, digitalizing infrastructure and revamping digital system

INFRA & SERVICE HUB
Digitalised Facilities

Update synchronic status with digitalized facilities

Digital System
Mooring Planner

Boaters use the map to plan their bi-weekly mooring

Instant Facility Map

Enables boaters to check the availability of nearby facilities

Mid Term Plan 3–10 years

A digitalized canal facility network, driven by data that reinforce the relationship between boaters, CRT and third-party providers

INFRA & SERVICE HUB
Monitor on Facilities

For CRT team to manage the facilities remotely

EV Charging Spot Network

Collaborate with EV charging company

Digital System
Reporting System

Provide immediate maintenance reports

Data stream & Database

Collect data from infra and user

Long Term Plan 10–20 years

Systems that provide convenience for life on water, focuses on "managed" moorings and facilities

INFRA & SERVICE HUB
Integrated Service Hub

All services in one place

Mobile Service Boat

Additional service provided on small boat with mobility

Digital System
Canal Managing System

CRT utilize the database to manage the waterway

Living on Water System

Boater can access all services within the system

19

Validation and reflections

20

Thank you

Anchor — City as a Service: Living on Waterways of London

RCA × Arup | MA Service Design G14

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