ITDS | SPMS

A SMART SERVICE DISCOVERY PLATFORM FOR GHANA'S DIGITAL ECONOMY

Project Description
Supervisor

The world is using digital platforms to deliver and obtain services these days, and they are also growing fast. In Ghana, service discovery still primarily comes by word-of-mouth referrals or an occasional advert. This leads to inefficiencies in connecting service providers to service seekers. This project involves the design and implementation of a Smart Service Discovery Platform for the digital economy of Ghana. The system is produced by applying modern technology and has a feature such as advanced search and filtering, real-time booking, service rating and review, secure authentication, and chat integration. A structured approach was adopted that included requirement gathering, system design, implementation of the app using Flutter and Firebase, and user testing. Through a comparative analysis with other international platforms like TaskRabbit and Thumbtack, we found that our proposed solution not only includes vital features but also comes with local innovations, like distance calculation and availability in Ghana. The evaluation results showed that the users were satisfied with ease of use, responsiveness, and effectiveness in services. The platform is filling a huge gap in Ghana’s service sector, building trust and a level playing field. Service seekers and providers have never had it so easy to access each other. Service Providers have never been more visible either. All this is done under the broad vision of building a digital economy that is easily accessible to all.

Web App Development: Web Development research in Computer Science and Information Technology focuses on the design, creation, and optimization of websites and web applications that are accessible over the internet or private networks. This research area spans a variety of topics, including front-end and back-end development, web frameworks, web performance, user experience (UX) design, security, and emerging web technologies. Front-end development research explores the design and functionality of the user-facing side of web applications. This involves studying languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as popular frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue.js, which help create dynamic, responsive, and interactive user interfaces. Researchers in this area often focus on improving the accessibility and usability of websites across different devices and browsers. Back-end development focuses on the server side of web applications, where databases, server logic, and application functionality are managed. Research in this area includes database management, server configuration, APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), and the use of frameworks such as Node.js, Django, and Ruby on Rails. It also involves optimization of server-side processes to handle large-scale traffic, improve load times, and ensure seamless data processing.

We aim to conceptualize, develop and evaluate a digital service finder in the Ghanaian context. In particular, the digital service finder will address gaps in existing service finder systems and provide a trustworthy, accessible service sampling. Also, the output will further aid in bridging the first and second economy in the Ghanaian service sector and improve value generation in the digital economy deliverables.

2024/2025

Oct 16, 2025

MASHUD ABDUL-RASHID OFOSU REINDOLF AMOAKO GYASI MAHAMA BOAFO KWADO KELVIN AGYEKUM OTENG DANIEL

BSc Information Technology