One of the businesses that has confronted these difficulties is a top commercial construction and fit-out services provider with Swedish roots in the UAE market who has been running there for the past thirty years. Apart from fit-out and conventional projects, they provide their customers furniture, fixtures, and equipment services. Still, the current design process is
carried out conventionally. Since the company's clients are referrals, when they require a project they contact the sales department, who subsequently forward the projects to account managers. Then the entire design process from concept to execution is handled manually. Top management has found a problem in this process since they see an opportunity in the
development of a digital platform that will simplify the sales process by giving consumers an easy-to-use interface allowing both them and the team members to readily coordinate on interior design projects The company decided on their furniture, fixtures, and equipment department for the study and pilot project since they are unsure about the prospect of digitizing the entire fit-out and design process currently The company has recruited a product designer the author of this thesis to create an e-commerce platform that would allow them
To enhance the furnitur fixtures and equipment
work process and their relationship with the clients, so addressing this difficulty and grabbing on the opportunity. Further complicating the procurement process are supply chain interruptions, shifting consumer tastes, and technological developments in the furniture, fixtures, and equipment sectors (Inform Design, 2023; sp2london, 2023; Commercial Interior Design, 2023). Delays, mistakes, and poor communication could lead to cost overruns,
project delays, and user discontent (Designing Commercial Interiors, 2023) Before COVID-19 pandemics, the furniture, fixtures, and equipment process handled by the interior design and fit-out companies worldwide were regarded as comfortable and involved specifying products from local suppliers for projects all over the world handled manually by the furniture, fixtures, and equipment specialists (archdesk, 2023). But from the start of the COVID-19 epidemic, the
sector sees shifting consumer tastes, technological innovation, and COVID-19 effects. The continuous supply chain problems led to a need for reconsidering how the procedures were executed (Inform Design, 2023; sp3london, 2023; Commercial Interior Design, 2023) Material shortages and dependability problems on longer projects resulted in the need to respecify and reevaluate designs, leading to additional costs and delays; among the challenges faced by
The furniture fixtures and equipment experts
and companies in UAE were limited access to materials and samples from suppliers, which caused problems in preparing the mood boards for design projects that forced them to work with what was available. Some UAE businesses started working with local manufacturers and suppliers in order to overcome obstacles. Large quantities of products needed, however, caused supply chain problems and extended lead times for furniture, fixtures, and equipment
companies as local manufacturers struggled to handle the volume, so compromising the general design and quality of materials. Smaller design firms are still under great demand on their resources and staff despite sluggish industry development because of the time-consuming process of reselecting items and defining finishes. For food and beverage projects
where the procurement process and deadlines are more exact, this is especially difficult Should shipment delays or lengthy lead times arise or if the client leaves the furniture, fixtures, and equipment until the very last minute, these companies could also have few choices. In these situations, being involved in the post-contract side is crucial to keep accountability during the building development (Inform Design, 2023; sp3london, 2023;
Commercial Interior Design Among other problems
the interior design and fit-out firms deal with, misunderstanding between customers and teams is one of the ones that affects the furniture business in the B2B market most especially with erroneous data resulting in hat addresses. The organization wants to remain competitive and serve their clients better by including digital technologies into their sales process. The responsibility of the product designer in this project is great since they will make sure the
platform satisfies the needelays in project handover, improper allocation of teams and contractors, difficulty tracking project costs and revenue, and delayed project timelines caused by inadequate or non-existent mapping processes development (Inform Design, 2023; sp3london, 2023; Commercial Interior Design, 2023; occa-design, 2023). According to Grand View Research's market research report published in 2021, the global B2B furniture market size was valued at USD 519.7 billion in 2021 and was expected to reach USD 689.6 billion
procurement (Personal communication with the owner of the researched company). The future of the furniture, fixtures, and equipment procurement will require designers to be connected to a wider range of suppliers and related services. According to Alan Benjamin the founder of one of the world's leading hospitality the furniture, fixtures, and equipment procurement firms, designers will need to make more informed and efficient decisions about
Conclusion
While many studies in the fields of information systems, business, and industrial marketing have emphasized the importance of understanding the causes and effects of digitalizatio there is still much to explore (Smith & Smith, 2021; Wei et al., 2019; Yeow et al., 2018) Specifically, there is currently no research on the digitalization of the furniture, fixtures, and equipment sector. Previous research has focused on its impact on factors such as corporate
reputation, business model innovation, information technology habits, and the effects of organizational information technology innovation in hospitals (Ali et al., 2015; Bhatti et al., Lankton et al., 2010; Leidner et al., 2010). Some researchers have noted that companies switching to digital business may encounter conflicts between their digital orientation and their internal resources (Yeow et al., 2018). However, no research has covered the furniture,
fixtures, and equipment industry and the effects of digitalization. This study employs a human-centered approach to support digitalization in the furniture, fixtures, and equipment (the furniture, fixtures, and equipment) sector. Humancentered design (HCD) has been proven effective in identifying user needs and pain points, and in designing solutions that meet those needs (Liedtka et al., 2011). According to Liedtka et al (2011), HCD can help businesses
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