Collaboration support for transport in the retail supply chain: A user-centered design study

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, we describe a user-centered design process for finding functional requirements for holistic control panels supporting better collaboration and coordination between transport operations and supply chain processes affected by or affecting the transport of goods. Secondly, we present the resulting functionality as seen from the perspective of different actors in the supply chain, from producer to shop. One of the largest retailers in Norway is used as a case. The case study and the user-centered approach are performed with several elicitation methods such as observations, interviews, innovation games and paper prototyping. The suggested solutions are expressed by means of paper prototypes which have been co-created and validated by the stakeholders in the supply chain during an iterative incremental process. Currently, solely central experts in the organisations involved are able to solve problems by combining information from many sources and by taking the right actions. Due to the identified need for more robust and automated solutions, the paper prototypes suggest unified solutions that (1) provide easy and automated access to the right information at the right time for all actors in the supply chain; (2) supports easy detection of deviations; and (3) supports decisions that can improve efficiency and deviation handling.