Affordances and challenges when creating a digital experience for people using smart watches with the intent of purchasing groceries

Sammanfattning: New technology is revolutionizing the retail industry by providing new conditions and questioning the traditional way of shopping. Wearable devices have gained popularity lately and smartwatches are one of the most popular among them [12]. However, little research has been made in the area of creating experiences for grocery retail purchases using smartwatches, which is where this study aims to contribute. Through establishing what affordances and challenges there might be when creating a digital experience for people using smart watches with the intent of purchasing groceries. With the support from CompanyX, one of the leading companies with their core business in grocery retail, the study was built around Apple Watch users as the target group. An experience-centered design method was used to incorporate the end user at each stage of the design process. A high fidelity prototype was created based on the decoded material from the semi-structured interviews performed. The prototype was then evaluated in a remote setup using both in-depth test sessions and a broader evaluation questionnaire. The results showed that the prototype proposed added value for the user by providing an experience that would encourage a more structured and inspirational way of purchasing groceries. The attitude towards the prototype was positive. However, further improvements are suggested and discussed aiming to suit the limited interaction options of a smartwatch, better. The study provides insights in what the attitude looks towards different types of functionalities aiming to create an enhanced grocery shopping experience among Apple Watch users.