Proof-of-concept Prototype Integrating Crowdsourced Parcel Service

Description

In recent years, different types of crowdsourced logistics services have emerged in the Danish market. Understanding how people are stimulated to engage in crowdsourced logistics can clarify what measures should be implemented to support its further growth in Denmark.

This study aims to examine the concept of integrating crowdsourced logistics for parcel deliveries in a Danish context in order to explore its possibilities. Specifically, it investigates how a proof-of-concept might be designed for a crowdsourced parcel delivery service integrated with existing transport channels. In addition, it explores which business rules should be defined and what value proposition can be made for a minimum testable crowdsourced parcel service application. The study is primarily based upon the design thinking approach where a protocol of different methods was set as the guideline. By conducting a workshop about existing logistics services, we learned that problems such as misdeliveries and delivery time should be addressed. Also, an online survey was distributed to verify the interest in participating in a crowdsourced logistics service as either a non-professional courier or parcel sender. The results showed a high interest because of, among other things, its contribution to reducing environmental harm, but some concerns related to credibility of the service have to be addressed. These results led to creating some interactive interfaces showing how an ideal version of the solution could work in real-life
and three iterations of models simulating parcel deliveries based on crowdsourcing. The simulations were modeled with a simulation software called Arena, which allowed us to imitate parcel delivery scenarios in every iteration. The final iteration’s model was put to the test with an expert within logistics services and supply chain. The goal was to verify the model and the business rules we defined from a realistic viewpoint. However, the expert did not clearly verify the concept with its defined business rules. These results suggest that there is a potential for a crowdsourced approach but that further research
has to be made. This study’s simulation model did not have sufficient data about people’s availability and usual trips to verify from a realistic perspective. Moreover, a verification of the simulation model with the defined business rules has to be obtained.

On this basis, the concept of a crowdsourced parcel delivery service can be realized if the above-mentioned temporal elements can be further investigated.

Period	20 Oct 2020 → 26 Feb 2021
Examinee	Hadi Horani & Amal Qasim
Degree of Recognition	National