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Proceeding Paper

Weaving Together Disciplines: Service Blueprinting for Multidisciplinary E-Textile Design †

by
Melissa Esmeralda van Schaik
1,*,
S. A. S. Pichon
1,*,
M. J. Toeters
2,
E. Bottenberg
1,
J. F. Gonzalez
3 and
J.-C. Kuhlmann
1
1
Sustainable and Functional Textiles, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, 7511 JL Enschede, The Netherlands
2
Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5612 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands
3
Ambient Intelligence, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, 7511 JL Enschede, The Netherlands
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
Presented at the 5th International Conference on the Challenges, Opportunities, Innovations and Applications in Electronic Textiles, Ghent, Belgium, 14–16 November 2023.
Eng. Proc. 2023, 52(1), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/engproc2023052016
Published: 18 January 2024
(This article belongs to the Proceedings of Eng. Proc., 2023, RAiSE-2023)
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Abstract

:
The advancements of e-textiles have accelerated innovation in diverse fields such as wearable technology and safety but face several challenges in commercial viability. Within the field of Human–Computer Interaction (HCI), comprehensive textile knowledge is often underrated which could lead to issues with user-acceptability, and ununiformed design choices, neglecting the textile’s tactile qualities. Designers often overlook the balance between aesthetics and functionality, while manufacturing companies struggle with limited documentation and gaps between textile and hardware manufacturing. To facilitate multidisciplinary e-textile development, this study encourages the use of service blueprinting to enhance collaboration and knowledge transfer across disciplines, illustrated by a use case.

1. Introduction

The integration of electrical components into textiles, known as e-textiles, has advanced significantly due to innovations in functional materials and flexible electronics [1,2,3,4,5]. E-textiles incorporate electronics into textiles such as conductive yarn, wires and solar panels [6], providing various functionalities such as sensing, actuating, communication and energy storage [7]. As these fabrics emerge in applications such as wearable technology and safety [8], the multidisciplinary aspect of e-textile design becomes more evident. This necessitates collaboration across diverse fields such as fashion design, textile engineering, Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) and manufacturing. However, this faces several challenges. In HCI, comprehensive textile knowledge is often overlooked, impacting user acceptability [9,10], and leading to uninformed design choices that neglect the tactile qualities and comfort of textiles [11,12]. Fashion and textile designers often struggle in finding a balance between aesthetics and functionality [13], but also encounter limitations as result of a closed fashion system [11]. Simultaneously, manufacturing companies experience difficulties in achieving scalable e-textile development, due to the need for specific electronics and textile knowledge [11,14]. Next to that, they often encounter limited documentation [15], gaps between textile and hardware manufacturing processes [14], and a lack of legislation and standardization limiting a widespread adoption [16].
This suggests that there is a need for a comprehensive, collaborative framework across diverse domains to drive innovation and advancements in the field of e-textile design. Therefore, the objective of this study is to implement service blueprinting in multidisciplinary e-textile development to enhance collaboration and knowledge transfer across disciplines.

2. Background

Previous research has focused on improving textile knowledge accessibility [17,18], facilitating collaboration between various disciplines such as textile engineering [9], computer science [19], material science [17], and disseminating textile insights within the HCI community [18]. Some studies have emphasized a “textile-centric” approach to enhance interdisciplinary collaborations [20]. However, these studies often lack essential documentation such as design files, schematics, construction patterns, machine parameters, and material specifications necessary for reproducibility [10,17]. Although research has explored embodied smart textiles services by using a customer journey [21], it does not fully address the behavior of the product itself, including materials, electronics, and software aspects. Consequently, there remains a gap in effectively integrating diverse fields of expertise.
A potential method for enhancing collaboration and knowledge transfer across disciplines is service blueprinting. In service design such as e-commerce, a service blueprint is frequently used to provide a straightforward visualization and analysis of key process components affecting the service process [22]. It offers user-friendly graphical representations, simplifying understanding and adaptation for stakeholders [23]. However, the current service blueprint set up is constrained in clearly distinguishing between the textile components (e.g., fabric) and computing components (e.g., hardware and software), limiting the contribution of different expertise while remaining with a clear overview of the complete system. Therefore, this study proposes a modification to the current service blueprint design, aiming to enhance its effectiveness in multidisciplinary e-textile design.

Service Blueprinting in E-Textile Design

A typical service blueprint consists of five key components (see Table 1). In the modified service blueprint, the front- and backstage actions and supporting processes are sub-divided into “computing system” and “e-textile”. In this context, a computing system is defined as a combination of hardware and software components that process data and perform tasks, including Central Processing Units (CPUs), storage, memory, input/output devices, and software applications for the user to interact with the system. On the other hand, “e-textile” refers to the textile structure (e.g., fiber, yarn, fabric or finished product) with integrated computing and electronic components.
Sub-processes can be incorporated in the service blueprint to add a level of complexity. This is done by integrating other tools such as a flowchart for manufacturing, Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagram for system databases or Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), to evaluate the environmental impacts throughout its entire life cycle. The sub-process can be separate from the complete overview but allows for the viewer to zoom in when required. Next to that, Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) is added to include gateways. An example of a BPMN gateway is a parallel gateway. Unlike the current sequential process of the service blueprint, a parallel gateway allows for multiple processes to happen at the same time. For instance, when a textile sensor that monitors heart rate identifies an undesirable change in heart rate, the caregiver and patient can simultaneously be notified. This enhancement is particularly beneficial for complex e-textile designs, enabling the involvement of multiple users throughout the entire interaction, from the initial stages to its completion. By adopting this user-centered approach, this method shifts away from solely delving into software engineering specifics or primarily concentrating on the textile itself.

3. Method

To showcase the potential of service blueprinting, one use case is presented. The research was conducted in the context of a Sia RAAK PRO 2018 03.001 project called HITEX, a large multidisciplinary initiative involving different textile and technology companies as well as academic institutions. Throughout the project, valuable insights were gathered from different stakeholders, which were incorporated in the service blueprint.

4. Results

The use case focuses on the development of an e-textile to provide dynamic emergency instructions, guiding individuals to secure locations during events or within public buildings. The resulting service blueprint can be viewed in Figure 1. To build the service blueprint, user actions are outlined first, as this element establishes the groundwork for all other components of the service blueprint [23]. The use case consists of multiple users: (1) visitors following safety instructions, (2) employees activating safety protocols, and (3) service companies engaged in installation or repairs of the e-textile. The flexibility of addressing multiple users in one overview ensures a user-centered perspective involving all potential users from the start to end of the interaction.
After, the front- and backstage actions are determined followed by supporting processes. Front stage actions could include the display of LEDs to provide dynamic safety directions, visible to users. Nex to that, backstage actions could include sensors in the building detecting a fire, activating the emergency system, remaining invisible to users. This helps identify requirements and provides insights into overlaps and dependencies.
At the end of the user interaction, an LCA can be incorporated as a subprocess, separate from the service blueprint. Often overlooked, the user plays an essential role in the design of the LCA due to design choices such as purchasing or renting. The user-centered approach from the service blueprint ensures a comprehensive evaluation of environmental impacts throughout the entire e-textile lifecycle. Additionally, the integration of the textile production process at the initiation of the user interaction adds a layer of complexity and interest for manufacturers. This integration, although added as a subprocess to the service blueprint, is a consequential outcome derived from the service blueprint. Illustrated by the use case as “mounted insulated LEDs embedded in curtains”, this integrated process not only shapes production but also enhances the overall functionality and aesthetics of the e-textile.

Final Prototype

The final prototype, resulting from the service blueprint, is a practical and user-centered solution that meets the requirements (see Figure 2). The arrow-shaped embroidery, developed with a ZSK embroidery machine (JCZA0109-550), is a notable feature, accommodating up to 17 LEDs in each row, totaling 102 LEDs.
The use of a traditional sequin carrier arm for automated LED placement eliminates the need for post-process soldering. The arrows are connected to a flexible PCB, allowing for the integration of LEDs and the circuit in a single production step. The structure is covered with polyester yarn for insulation and aesthetics. Furthermore, this prototype aligns with industrial processes, enabling large-scale production and flexibility in adapting to new designs and colors based on user preferences.

5. Discussion

The results highlight the potential of service blueprinting in e-textile development as a tool to enhance cross-disciplinary communication. This way, a collaborative environment can be facilitated essential for the integration of diverse expertise. By providing a structured framework, service blueprinting facilitates the development of comprehensive requirements, ensuring a holistic understanding of the relationship between technological and textile elements. Moreover, service blueprinting offers stakeholders valuable means to identify deficiencies or propose solutions throughout the e-textile development process. Unlike other modeling tools, service blueprinting follows a user-centered approach while maintaining depth.
Furthermore, the results suggest that service blueprinting has the potential to weave together disciplines, encouraging innovative thinking. This approach can potentially promote commercial viability by providing a structured framework for collaborative problem-solving. Hence the results should be treated as preliminary, limiting the generalization of the results. This is especially imperative in more complex domains such as healthcare applications where aspects such as personal data are evident.

6. Conclusions

The challenges in multidisciplinary e-textile development discussed in this study highlight the need for a collaborative framework across diverse disciplines, spanning from HCI to manufacturing. The proposed modification to service blueprinting shows potential in (1) enhancing cross-disciplinary communication, and (2) encourages a more detailed, transparent, and holistic documentation, structuring comprehensive requirements. Ultimately, service blueprinting can potentially weave together disciplines by encouraging innovative thinking, pushing e-textiles towards commercial viability. Hence the results should be treated as preliminary, acknowledging the need for further research to validate and strengthen these initial findings.

Author Contributions

M.E.v.S. and S.A.S.P. were responsible for conceptualization, methodology, investigation, analysis, and writing—original draft preparation. M.J.T. was responsible for supervision and writing—review and editing. E.B. was responsible for funding acquisition and supervision. J.F.G. was responsible for hardware. J.-C.K. was responsible for writing—review and editing and supervision. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by Sia RAAK PRO 2018, grant number 03.001.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

Data sharing not applicable. Data used in this research will not be shared due to confidentiality agreements with participating entities.

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge and thank the consortium for their contribution in this research, and especially Artex and Elitac Wearables.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

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Engproc 52 00016 g001
Figure 1. Service blueprint of an e-curtain, developed for events or public buildings that provides dynamic emergency instructions to a safe location.
Figure 1. Service blueprint of an e-curtain, developed for events or public buildings that provides dynamic emergency instructions to a safe location.
Engproc 52 00016 g001
Engproc 52 00016 g002
Figure 2. Development process of the e-curtain showcasing distinct steps, all seamlessly incorporated in a single embroidery production step [24]. (a) Attachment of LEDs; (b) Covering of LEDs.
Figure 2. Development process of the e-curtain showcasing distinct steps, all seamlessly incorporated in a single embroidery production step [24]. (a) Attachment of LEDs; (b) Covering of LEDs.
Engproc 52 00016 g002
Table 1. Service blueprint components related to e-textile development. Amended from [23].
Table 1. Service blueprint components related to e-textile development. Amended from [23].
Service Blueprint ComponentsDescription and Relation to E-Textile Design
Physical evidence (storyboard)What the end user interacts with, such as an application or an e-textile component.
User actionsAll stages that (different) users experience.
Front stage actionsThis level depicts actions of the e-textile and computing system that occur directly in view of the users. It highlights what users see and how they interact with the system. An example of this is when LEDs implemented in an e-textile turn on because of an emergency.
Backstage actionsActions of the textile and computing system that are not visible to the user. For example, the system detecting a cut in the e-textile.
Supporting processesTechnology or systems employed for performing particular tasks.
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MDPI and ACS Style

van Schaik, M.E.; Pichon, S.A.S.; Toeters, M.J.; Bottenberg, E.; Gonzalez, J.F.; Kuhlmann, J.-C. Weaving Together Disciplines: Service Blueprinting for Multidisciplinary E-Textile Design. Eng. Proc. 2023, 52, 16. https://doi.org/10.3390/engproc2023052016

AMA Style

van Schaik ME, Pichon SAS, Toeters MJ, Bottenberg E, Gonzalez JF, Kuhlmann J-C. Weaving Together Disciplines: Service Blueprinting for Multidisciplinary E-Textile Design. Engineering Proceedings. 2023; 52(1):16. https://doi.org/10.3390/engproc2023052016

Chicago/Turabian Style

van Schaik, Melissa Esmeralda, S. A. S. Pichon, M. J. Toeters, E. Bottenberg, J. F. Gonzalez, and J.-C. Kuhlmann. 2023. "Weaving Together Disciplines: Service Blueprinting for Multidisciplinary E-Textile Design" Engineering Proceedings 52, no. 1: 16. https://doi.org/10.3390/engproc2023052016

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