Alstom

Insights and design to help secure a €1.45bn commuter train contract
Client
Alstom
2020-2021
Project
Insights and design to help secure a €1.45bn commuter train contract
Context
Alstom, the French rolling stock manufacturer, asked Mormedi to support in its bid to win a major commuter train contract by understanding the needs of travellers, and designing the trains’ CMF and livery.
Solution
Mormedi’s work lay the foundation for the design of the trains, helping Alstom to secure the contract to supply 152 high-capacity trains to Spanish national railway operator, Renfe, obtaining the 2nd place in the DMI: Design Value Awards 2021.
What we did
Research, Assisting Alstom in the definition of the design strategy, CMF
Alstom, the French rolling stock manufacturer, asked Mormedi to support in its bid to win a major commuter train contract by understanding the needs of travellers, and designing the trains’ CMF and livery.
Mormedi carried out a thorough investigation of the passengers, managing to profile them based on the space they need in the car and the time they require in their journey. In this way, he managed to lay the foundations for the design of the trains, which helped Alstom win the largest contract in the history of Renfe, the Spanish national railway operator, with an agreement for 152 high-capacity trains.
The challenge
To be able to design innovative trains that would win Spain’s national commuter train tender, Alstom asked Mormedi to uncover the insights and outline a design strategy that would respond to passengers’ needs. In addition, Alstom also asked Mormedi to define the look of the trains in terms of the livery and the colour, materials, and finish.
Our approach
Mormedi began the project by carrying out in-depth research with passengers, as well as into trends and competitors. Primary research consisted of stakeholder interviews, observation, and safaris to uncover unmet needs and pain points. Using the principle of universal design, we mapped the current traveller experience and defined a new way to approach different passenger profiles. In addition, the secondary research consisted of a competitor benchmark and analysis of business and technology trends. Through the analysis of the research findings, Mormedi came up with 22 key insights across the passenger journey that needed to be considered in designing a new train. These inputs were used to create a prioritized opportunity map, as well as the design guidelines for the next generation trains.

"The Mormedi project has helped us understand better the needs of travelers and thus guide our proposals. For Alstom, the traveler is at the center of the design, it is important to improve the travel experience to attract the passenger to the railroad and continue to decarbonize mobility."
Jaime Borrell, Director of Business Development for Alstom Spain and Portugal