Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

The rapid evolution of Design Thinking Methodology has transformed the way organizations design, deploy, and manage e-commerce platforms. As institutions seek to modernize legacy processes, Design Thinking Methodology offers new opportunities to improve service delivery, reduce manual overhead, and respond more effectively to user needs.

Despite this potential, many existing e-commerce platforms were not originally designed with design thinking methodology in mind, resulting in persistent gaps in user retention that limit their overall effectiveness. This study examines how Design Thinking Methodology can be applied to help close that gap.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Current e-commerce platforms in many organizations struggle with inadequate user retention, often relying on manual processes or outdated architectures that were not designed for today's operating environment. Without a structured approach to integrating design thinking 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 design thinking methodology-based approach to addressing this problem.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To design and implement a design thinking methodology-based approach to improving user retention in e-commerce platforms.
2. To evaluate the effectiveness of Design Thinking Methodology in enhancing user retention within e-commerce platforms.
3. To identify the key requirements and constraints relevant to deploying design thinking methodology in this context.
4. To assess user and stakeholder perception of the resulting system.

1.4 Research Questions

1. How can design thinking methodology be applied to improve user retention in e-commerce platforms?
2. How effective is Design Thinking Methodology at enhancing user retention within e-commerce platforms?
3. What requirements and constraints are relevant to deploying design thinking 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 design thinking methodology for their own e-commerce platforms, 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

As a MSc-level study, its scope is confined to designing and evaluating a design thinking methodology-based solution for e-commerce platforms, focused specifically on user retention; broader deployment considerations fall outside this scope.