Structuring dependable on-line services: A case study using internet grocery shopping

1. Structuring dependable on-line services: A case study using internet grocery shopping Gordon Baxter, Budi Arief, Shamus Smith and Andrew Monk

2. Outline • DIY internet grocery shopping • GSETDIFY internet grocery shopping • Net Neighbours scheme • Structure and Dependability issues • Summary • Future work Edinburgh DIRCshop

3. Register with supermarket Perform shopping activities 2.1 Decide groceries required 2.2 Select groceries (on-line) 2.3 Select delivery slot (on-line) 2.4 Pay for groceries with credit card (on-line) 2.5 Be in to receive groceries 2.6 Check groceries and return any unwanted substitutions/error 2.7 Put away groceries 2.8 Check credit card statement Plan: 2.1 then 2.2 and 2.3 in any order, then 2.4 – 2.8 in order Plan: 1 only once then repeat 2 as necessary DIY internet shopping HTA Edinburgh DIRCshop

4. Supermarket Client On-line, credit card Email or web confirmation Goods delivery DIY internet shopping diagram Edinburgh DIRCshop

5. DIY, Possible Exceptions • Problem in registering with supermarket • Cannot understand purpose or jargon • No email account • No suitable delivery slot • No credit card for payment • Forget or unable to be in for delivery • Delivery does not arrive on time • Essential items are not delivered • Apparent error on credit card statement Edinburgh DIRCshop

6. GSETDIFY internet shopping • Get Someone Else To Do It For You… • No internet connection • Difficulty with interface • Slight modification to the DIY approach… • More stakeholders • More complex structure Edinburgh DIRCshop

7. Intermediary Supermarket Client On-line, credit card Email or web confirmation Goods delivery GSETDIFY shopping diagram Edinburgh DIRCshop

8. Net Neighbours • Based in York • Providing social contact & shopping service • Stakeholders: • Elderly people (clients) • Volunteers (intermediary) • Age Concern York (intermediary) • Development Worker • Local Supermarkets Edinburgh DIRCshop

9. Net Neighbours (contd.) • Interactions • Client – Volunteer: over the phone • Volunteer – Supermarket: on-line • Volunteer – Development Worker: over the phone • Client – Development Worker: over the phone and possibly face-to-face Edinburgh DIRCshop

10. Net Neighbours HTA (1) 1. DW Register Volunteer 1.1 DW Get references 1.2 ACY Train volunteer to work with older people 1.3 ACY Train volunteer to use service 2. DW Register client with supermarket 3. DW Match volunteer to client 4. DW, V, C Introduce Volunteer to Client Edinburgh DIRCshop

11. Net Neighbours HTA (2) 5. V, C Perform shopping activities 5.1 C Decide groceries required 5.2 V, C Select groceries (on-line) 5.3 V, C Select delivery slot (on-line) 5.4 V Pay for groceries with credit card (on-line) 5.5 V Send order details to DW 5.6 V, C Agree time for next call Edinburgh DIRCshop

12. Net Neighbours HTA (3) 5.7 C Be in to receive groceries 5.8 C Check groceries and return unwanted substitutions/error 5.9 C Put away groceries 5.10 C Send receipt and cheque to ACY 5.11 ACY Arrange reimbursement for volunteer Edinburgh DIRCshop

13. Net Neighbours HTA (4) 5.12 V Check credit card statement Plan: 5.1 then 5.2 and 5.3 in any order, then 5.4 – 5.11 in that order, 5.12 when available 6. ACY Audit payments and receipts Plan: 1 – 4 only once then repeat 5 and 6 as necessary Edinburgh DIRCshop

14. Supermarket Volunteer Client ACY Phone call On-line, credit card Email or web confirmation Goods delivery Payment and reimbursement Net Neighbours, simplified shopping diagram

15. Structure and Dependability • Multiple stakeholders • Separated in time and space • Each has different views • Extra communication • Trust issues and dependencies Edinburgh DIRCshop

16. Possible exceptions: clients • No suitable delivery slot • Forget or unable to be in for delivery • Delivery does not arrive on time • Essential items are not delivered • No bank account for payment to ACY • Volunteer does not ring as agreed • Insensitive volunteer upsets client Edinburgh DIRCshop

17. Possible exceptions: volunteer • No suitable time for next call • Delay in reimbursement from ACY • Apparent error on credit card statement Edinburgh DIRCshop

18. Possible exceptions: ACY • Volunteer does not ring as agreed • Essential items are not delivered • Client does not send payment and/or receipt • Reimbursement error or delay causes volunteer to resign • Insensitive volunteer upsets client • Apparent error in audit Edinburgh DIRCshop

19. More on Dependability • ACY facilitates dependable service • Measures taken: • Development worker to handle exceptions • Volunteers selection and training Edinburgh DIRCshop

20. Summary • DIY and GSETDIFY grocery shopping • Stakeholders and structure issues • Dependability lies in the way the service is administered • Benefits of Net Neighbours scheme: • Grocery shopping for elderly people • Socialising medium Edinburgh DIRCshop

21. Future work • Extending Net Neighbours scheme • Other shopping purposes? • Books, train timetables, etc. • More clients and volunteers • Adding another stakeholder • friend or relative physically visits the client Edinburgh DIRCshop