UX Design for an E-commerce Application: A Design Thinking Perspective

The development of e-commerce applications has revolutionized the way people conduct business, but challenges still exist in designing applications that align with user needs and expectations. This study aims to document the design-thinking (DT) approach used in the development of a customized e-commerce application based on the user's perspective, with the goal of extracting the user experience of traditional commerce processes to identify its features. In this study, we focused on the first four phases of DT, which include empathize, define, ideate, and prototype, to gather insights and understand the experiences, needs, pain points, and solutions of the local producers. The data gathered from interviews and observations was subjected to content analysis to identify patterns and themes related to desired features. After analysis, the researchers identified key app features, including integrating data analytics for product performance and demand forecasting, introducing a peer-vendor marketplace, a vendor-managed inventory management system, and a product verification system for authenticity. A mockup prototype design was created and presented to users for feedback. The study highlights the importance of user perspectives in e-commerce app design and the value of design thinking in creating a customized user experience that aligns with user needs.