Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

User-Centered Design Methodology has become one of the more actively explored innovations in the design of modern inventory management systems, promising gains in efficiency and reliability that legacy, largely manual approaches have struggled to deliver.

In practice, however, adoption of user-centered design methodology within inventory management systems has been uneven, and its actual impact on perceived usability is not yet well understood in a rigorous, evaluable way — a gap this study is positioned to address.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Current inventory management systems in many organizations struggle with inadequate perceived usability, often relying on manual processes or outdated architectures that were not designed for today's operating environment. Without a structured approach to integrating user-centered design methodology, these limitations are likely to persist, exposing organizations to inefficiency, risk, and a poor user experience. This study is motivated by the need to design and evaluate a user-centered design methodology-based approach to addressing this problem.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To design and implement a user-centered design methodology-based approach to improving perceived usability in inventory management systems.
2. To evaluate the effectiveness of User-Centered Design Methodology in enhancing perceived usability within inventory management systems.
3. To identify the key requirements and constraints relevant to deploying user-centered design methodology in this context.
4. To assess user and stakeholder perception of the resulting system.

1.4 Research Questions

1. How can user-centered design methodology be applied to improve perceived usability in inventory management systems?
2. How effective is User-Centered Design Methodology at enhancing perceived usability within inventory management systems?
3. What requirements and constraints are relevant to deploying user-centered design methodology in this context?
4. How do users and stakeholders perceive the resulting system?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Beyond its immediate technical contribution, this study offers value to organizations evaluating whether to invest in user-centered design methodology for their own inventory management systems, and contributes to the broader literature on applied UI/UX design by documenting a concrete implementation and evaluation case.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to the design, implementation, and evaluation of a user-centered design methodology-based approach to improving perceived usability within inventory management systems. Reflecting its MSc-level scope, it does not extend to a full commercial rollout or long-term post-implementation review beyond the study period.