Breeze App Expansion

Introduction

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in the demand for active travel solutions, which has led to the creation of Breeze, a nifty app made to make active travel in cities simpler. Breeze is being tested in Portsmouth, Southampton, and the Isle of Wight to promote active transportation and discourage driving. By 2030, the UK government wants more than half of all trips in towns and cities in England to be made by bicycle or on foot (Nilson, 2023). Due to its numerous benefits, such as promoting physical activity, reducing air pollution, and improving overall health and well-being, active travel has become a significant focus for governments worldwide. As part of Solent Transport’s initiative to reduce car use and increase active travel, a “super app” called Breeze will be tested in Portsmouth, Southampton, and the Isle of Wight. Breeze is designed to make active travel easier in urban areas (Browne et al., 2022).

This report intends to prepare a study to grow Breeze in another city. The report will use a PESTEL analysis to examine the external environmental factors that could affect Breeze’s purchase and use of bikes and e-scooters over time. It will also discuss ways to manage stakeholders, evaluate planning tools for monitoring and controlling orders, and suggest the best project methodology for planning and installing bikes and e-scooters. Finally, a project plan will be created as part of the report to demonstrate a “workable plan” for persuading the new city to purchase and install at least 500 bikes and 500 e-scooters to make vibrant city travel more accessible.

PESTEL ANALYSIS

The external environmental factors that could affect a project or business’s long-term sustainability can be done with the PESTEL analysis tool. The following PESTEL analysis applies to Breeze’s case study.

1. Political Components

The influence that laws, policies, and regulations enacted by the government have on a company is referred to as “political factors.” Breeze’s success may be significantly influenced by government initiatives and support for active travel in cities(Garzón Hernández, 2022). The United Kingdom government has set a goal for cycling and walking to account for over half of all journeys in towns and cities in England by 2030. There has been a strong emphasis in recent years on promoting sustainable modes of transportation and reducing air pollution (Department of Transport, 2023). However, government policies may also jeopardize the business, such as enacting new rules requiring permits or licenses to operate e-scooters and bikes or placing restrictions on using particular routes or areas.

Economic Issues: The business’s impact on economic factors like inflation, exchange rates, and taxes is known as an economic factor. The city’s economic conditions, including the level of disposable income, the availability of public transportation alternatives, and the cost of living, may influence the affordability and accessibility of Breeze services (Northcote et al., 2022). The economy has also been affected by the pandemic, which has led to a decline in the use of public transportation and an increase in the demand for alternative modes of transportation (Office of Health Improvement & Disparities, 2022). The current rejuvenation of the economy is likely to support Breeze’s

Sociocultural Elements: Sociocultural variables allude to the effect of social and social standards and values on the business. The mentalities and ways of behaving of the populace towards dynamic travel, as well as the social acknowledgment of e-bikes and bicycles as a method of transport, could influence the interest of Breeze administrations (Buckley et al., 2020). Demographic factors like age, gender, and ethnicity may also impact the company’s success.

Technology Issues: The impact of technological advancements and innovations on the business is referred to as technological factors. Breeze may be able to expand its services and enhance its offerings in response to the development of new technologies like electric bikes and scooters (Jay et al., 2021). Innovative improvements can likewise present difficulties, for example, the need to redesign or supplant existing gear or the gamble of online protection dangers.

Versus External Factors: Ecological variables allude to the effect of ecological circumstances, for example, environmental change, contamination, and catastrophic events, on the business. The mission of Breeze to encourage active travel and cut down on car use could assist in addressing environmental issues like air pollution and carbon emissions (Peterdy, 2023). However, the physical effects of severe weather or natural disasters may put the business at risk.

Legal Issues: The impact of laws and regulations on the business is called legal factors. Breeze may need to comply with complex legal requirements to operate its services because the regulatory framework governing e-scooters and bikes is still developing in many cities(Rojas, 2022). Legal issues like insurance and liability can also affect the business’s viability. For example, the application must abide by the data and privacy regulations of the European Union.

Generally, while the extension of Breeze to one more city presents open doors for development, it is fundamental to consider the potential outside factors that could affect the drawn-out supportability of the business. The company can identify and mitigate potential risks and capitalize on opportunities to enhance its services and offerings by conducting a PESTEL analysis.

Stakeholder Analysis

A vital tool for businesses and organizations to identify and evaluate the interests, expectations, and attitudes of the various groups impacted by a particular initiative is stakeholder analysis. Because of dynamic travel plans, partners can be distinguished as people who are straightforwardly or, by implication, influenced by the drive. The following is a Breeze stakeholder analysis, highlighting the active travel initiative’s stakeholders and how Breeze should manage them:

1. Government and local authorities: It is essential to keep strong connections with the government and local authorities since active travel programs are intimately tied to public policies and infrastructure development. Breeze should collaborate with local governments and authorities to support active transportation programs and push for improved cycling and walking infrastructure (Streb, 2020).
2. Customers: Customers who use the app to hire bikes, e-bikes, and e-scooters and plan their journeys are the main stakeholders in the Breeze initiative. The Breeze must focus on consumer loyalty, give easy-to-use connection points and highlights, and guarantee that security guidelines are met. Breeze can conduct surveys and gather customer feedback to determine users’ requirements and preferences and enhance the app’s performance.
3. Nearby specialists: Nearby boards and government associations are liable for advancing economical transportation methods, decreasing gridlock, and developing air quality—breeze requirements to team up with neighborhood specialists to guarantee consistency with nearby guidelines and security norms. Breeze can also provide analytics and data to help local authorities make decisions and collaborate to improve active travel infrastructure.
4. Operators of transport: Breeze relies heavily on transportation providers like bus and train companies. Breeze can provide customers real-time information on timetables and services by forming partnerships with transportation providers. This makes the travel experience more convenient and seamless.
5. Environmental organizations: Natural gatherings and activists have a massive interest in lessening fossil fuel byproducts and advancing reasonable methods of transport. Breeze can work with these gatherings to advance the application and bring issues to light of the advantages of dynamic travel. Breeze can also show that it cares about the environment by running its business green and using renewable energy sources (Paul, 2022).
6. Business partners: Breeze may collaborate with other businesses, such as bike shops and repair services, to provide customers with additional services. The Breeze must ensure that these partnerships benefit customers and align with the company’s objectives and values.
7. Competitors: Breeze competes with other active travel apps, bike-sharing programs, and public transportation options in a highly competitive market. The Breeze must offer unique benefits and features that set it apart from competitors, such as a more comprehensive selection of vehicles and destinations, lower prices, or superior customer service (Krishnan et al., 2022).

In conclusion, Breeze must conduct a stakeholder analysis to determine the interests and expectations of the various groups participating in the active travel initiative (Montalto et al., 2013). Breeze can develop effective strategies to manage these stakeholders and promote the app’s success by comprehending the needs of customers, local authorities, transport operators, environmental groups, business partners, and competitors. Breeze has the potential to become a significant player in the active travel market by working together, coming up with new ideas, and putting sustainability first (Watt, 2014). Doing so will support the UK’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, and encourage a healthier way of life.

Planning Tools, Strengths, and Weaknesses

The company might consider using one of two different planning tools to keep track of and control the state of orders placed by Breeze’s customers for electric scooters and bicycles: Critical path analysis (CPA) and Gantt charts. Gantt charts are a visual representation of a project schedule that shows when each task starts and ends and how long it will take to complete them. Gantt charts are a popular choice for project management due to their simplicity and ease of use, their main strength. They are valuable for recognizing conditions between errands, following headway, and making changes to the timetable depending on the situation. However, a drawback of Gantt charts is that they may need to depict the interdependencies between tasks accurately and can become cumbersome for large and complex projects.

In contrast, CPA is a more complex planning tool that focuses on determining the critical path through a project or the sequence of tasks that must be completed on time to meet the deadline for the project. Because it considers the dependencies between tasks and the effects of any delays or changes, CPA makes it possible to conduct a more in-depth project analysis. However, one drawback of CPA is that its Implementation can be time-consuming and complicated and may necessitate specialized software and expertise.

A Gantt chart might be the best planning tool for Breeze because the project to install 500 bikes and 500 e-scooters in a new city is relatively small. On the other hand, CPA is a better choice if the project were to expand significantly in the future.

A project management approach capable of handling the project’s complexity and uncertainty is required to plan and install Breeze’s bike and e-scooter racks in urban areas. Different venture-the-board approaches are accessible, such as Nimble, Cascade, Scrum, and Lean (Yan et al., 2022). The Agile methodology is the best project management approach for planning and putting the bike and e-scooter racks in place for Breeze.

The Agile methodology is an iterative approach to project management that emphasizes adaptability to shifting requirements, collaboration, and flexibility. It is a popular approach for software development and other projects that must be flexible to new situations. The Agile Manifesto is the foundation for the Agile methodology. It places a higher value on people and their interactions, functioning software, customer collaboration, and responding to change rather than processes and tools (Ragas & Ragas, 2021).

Because it allows for continuous improvement and feedback throughout the project lifecycle, the Agile methodology is ideal for the planning and installation of Breeze’s bike and e-scooter racks. In a rapidly changing environment like the urban transportation industry, it is possible to incorporate new requirements and ideas as they arise. The project stays in line with the goals and objectives of the organization because of the Agile methodology’s emphasis on team collaboration and communication with stakeholders.

The Agile methodology’s ability to deliver project milestones incrementally, which aids in risk and uncertainty management, is another advantage. This is especially crucial for projects like installing the bike and e-scooter racks for Breeze, where unexpected challenges and obstacles may arise. The Agile methodology makes it possible to evaluate progress and adjust the project plan by breaking the project into smaller, more manageable parts. This can lessen the impact of these difficulties.

Projects involving other types of active transportation demonstrate that the Agile methodology has been successful. Salt Lake City Transit Master Plan (2017) outlines that in the United States, for instance, the Salt Lake City Department of Transportation developed a bike-sharing program using the Agile methodology. The division separated the undertaking into more modest parts and utilized successive criticism and cooperation to create and refine the program. The result was a successful bike-sharing program that met and exceeded community needs.

In conclusion, Breeze’s bike and e-scooter rack planning and installation are best carried out using the Agile project management approach. Its flexible and iterative approach makes continuous improvement, risk management, and stakeholder engagement possible (Shaheen et al., 2016). Examples from other active transportation projects also demonstrate the efficacy of Agile methodology in similar projects.

Methodology

Planning and installing Breeze’s bicycle and e-bike racks in metropolitan regions require a venture board system that can deal with the intricacy and vulnerability of the undertaking. There are different venture-the-board approaches accessible, for example, Nimble, Cascade, Scrum, and Lean, among others. For planning and putting in place the bike and e-scooter racks for Breeze, the Agile methodology is the best project management approach.

The Agile methodology is an iterative approach to project management that places emphasis on adaptability to shifting requirements, collaboration, and flexibility. It is a popular approach for software development and other projects that must be very flexible to new situations. The Agile Manifesto is the foundation for the Agile methodology, which places a higher value on people and their interactions, functioning software, customer collaboration, and responding to change rather than processes and tools.

Because it allows for continuous improvement and feedback throughout the project lifecycle, the Agile methodology is ideal for the planning and installation of Breeze’s bike and e-scooter racks. In a rapidly changing environment like the urban transportation industry, it is possible to incorporate new requirements and ideas as they arise. The project stays in line with the goals and objectives of the organization because of the Agile methodology’s emphasis on team collaboration and communication with stakeholders (Mikhieieva & Stephan, 2020).

The Agile methodology’s ability to deliver project milestones incrementally, which aids in risk and uncertainty management, is another advantage. This is especially crucial for projects like installing the bike and e-scooter racks for Breeze, where unexpected challenges and obstacles may arise. The Agile methodology makes it possible to evaluate progress and adjust the project plan by breaking the project into smaller, more manageable parts. This can help lessen the impact of these difficulties.

Projects involving other types of active transportation demonstrate that Agile methodology has been successful. In the United States, for instance, the Salt Lake City Department of Transportation developed a bike-sharing program by employing the Agile methodology. The division separated the undertaking into more modest parts and utilized successive criticism and cooperation to create and refine the program. The end result was a successful bike-sharing program that met and exceeded community needs.

In conclusion, Breeze’s bike and e-scooter rack planning and installation are best carried out using the Agile project management approach. Continuous improvement, risk management, and stakeholder engagement are made possible by its flexible and iterative approach. The efficacy of Agile methodology in similar projects is also demonstrated by examples from other active transportation projects.

Project Plan

A workable plan is required in order to persuade the city to purchase and install at least 500 bikes and 500 e-scooters for active transportation in the city. The accompanying undertaking plan frames the fundamental exercises and errands required, as well as the timescales to finish them.

1. Initiation of the Project (one week):

• Defining the Project’s Scope, Objectives, and Deliverables;
• Identifying the Project’s Stakeholders and Their Roles and Responsibilities;
• Executing a Feasibility Study to Determine the Project’s Financial and Operational Viability;
• Obtaining Project Funding

2. Procurement (two weeks):

• Identify potential vendors for the bikes and e-scooters;
• Evaluate and select the best vendor based on cost, quality, and dependability;
• Negotiate contract terms and conclude purchase

3. Infrastructure Planning and Preparation (four weeks)

• Identify suitable locations for bike and e-scooter stations throughout the city
• Obtain the necessary permits and permissions from local authorities for the installation of the stations
• Prepare the stations’ infrastructure, including installing charging stations, signage, and racks

4. Marketing and promotion (a month)

• Foster a marketing methodology to advance the accessibility and advantages of the bicycles and e-bikes to general society
• Send off a virtual entertainment mission to bring issues to light and produce interest in the task
• Team up with neighborhood organizations and local area associations to advance the drive

5. Training and Hiring of Staff (two weeks)

• Hiring and training staff to manage the bike and e-scooter stations, including customer service and maintenance,
• Teaching the public how to safely and responsibly use the bikes and e-scooters

6. Launch and Implementation (one week):

• Launch the project and open the bike and e-scooter stations to the public; • Monitor usage and collect user feedback to identify areas for improvement;
• Maintain marketing efforts to encourage adoption and use of the project; Evaluation and Maintenance (Ongoing):
• Evaluate the project’s effectiveness in achieving its goals on a regular basis; • Perform routine maintenance and repairs on the bikes and e-scooters to ensure that they are safe and functional;
• As needed, update and improve the infrastructure and technology

The strategy for putting the initiative to purchase and install 500 electric scooters and bikes in the city is laid out in this project plan, which is both comprehensive and well-organized. Better planning, monitoring, and control of the project’s budget and timeline are made possible by breaking the project down into distinct activities and tasks. In addition, the plan ensures that the requirements and wants of the public, vendors, and local authorities are met by taking into account the key stakeholders. Lastly, the project’s ongoing evaluation and upkeep guarantee its long-term viability and effectiveness. In general, this project plan provides a solid foundation for persuading the city to invest in this initiative for sustainable transportation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the UK government’s vision for more environmentally friendly transportation aligns with the Breeze app’s promising approach to encouraging active travel in urban areas. However, external environmental factors such as changes in regulations, weather patterns, and economic conditions must be taken into consideration in order to ensure its long-term viability. Through a PESTEL analysis, we discovered a number of potential obstacles and opportunities for Breeze’s future expansion into other cities. Besides, partners assume a basic part in the outcome of dynamic travel plans, and a partner examination can assist Breeze with recognizing key entertainers and their inclinations and draw in with them successfully.

Breeze can use a variety of planning tools, each with its own advantages and disadvantages, to keep track of and control the status of orders for bikes and e-scooters. It is essential to select the appropriate tool for each task based on the project’s complexity, required level of detail, and desired level of automation. At long last, choosing the right undertaking approach for arranging and introducing bicycle and e-bike racks is basic to guaranteeing that the task is finished proficiently and actually.

In order to persuade the city to purchase and install at least 500 bikes and 500 e-scooters to facilitate active travel, our project plan proposes a viable strategy. It frames the fundamental exercises and undertakings expected to accomplish this objective and incorporates timescales for every movement. We accept that our proposed plan is possible, given that the essential assets and partner support are set up.

As a whole, Breeze is a compelling opportunity to promote active travel in urban areas, supporting the United Nations’ sustainable development objective of making cities more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Breeze has the potential to expand to additional cities and contribute to the transformation of UK transportation by carefully considering external environmental factors, effectively engaging stakeholders, utilizing appropriate planning tools, and selecting the appropriate project methodology.

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