Implement Human-Centered Design Models to Develop a Sharing Economic Application Prototype "Help2Buy"

Abstract

This research project is based on problem solving and human--‐centered design. We recognize that many people have limitations with frequent local grocery shopping. They may have difficulty engaging in a positive shopping experience due to the lack of transportation, lack of time, or live in a ‘food desert.’ Many people choose to shop online. However, time is another problem with online shopping. People need to pay a higher shipping fee to receive their orders faster or, wait for long periods of time. According to these problems, the researcher implemented human--‐centered design methods to design and present “Help2Buy”. It is a system to help the Buyers (consumers) order and receive goods from local stores. The researcher is considering that increasing the sharing information and activities for a convenient shopping environment could motivate people to help each other and to solve problems in shopping. In this concept, the Buyer pays a reasonable price and receives the product in an acceptable time period. The product will be purchased by the Runner who goes to local stores with his/her current shopping plan. The design process in this research followed human--‐centered design principles: field studies, scenario development, design models and flows, prototyping, evaluation, and revising. After the evaluation, the users mentioned that Help2Buy could solve their problems in shopping and were willing to use this product in the future.