Capstone Project:
Digital Concierge Service (DCS)
Context
This product concept and implementation plan was completed as a capstone project for my Master’s degree in Digital Product Management.
Our cohort was divided into groups of six, with each group paired with a real client.
​
Our client was Cineplex, the largest Canadian operator of movie theatres and entertainment centers. Specifically, we worked with Cineplex Digital Media (CDM), the company's B2B digital agency that designs in-store digital signage solutions for leading brands.
Problem space
The problem our team received from the client (CDM) was as follows:​
​
With physical products, it is common for a customer to start their shopping journey online and then visit a physical location to try a product on.
However, the in-store experience can be unpredictable—items may be misplaced, out of stock, or difficult to locate in a large store.
As a result, customers cannot rely on a seamless and pleasant in-store experience unless they place an order for in-store pickup. However, this approach requires them to go through a return process if the item doesn’t meet their expectations, leading to incomplete and abandoned purchases.
​
Our task was to find a way to bridge the gap between online and offline experiences, creating a seamless solution and increasing sale conversion.
​
Depicted on the right is the Business Model mapping we developed while analyzing our client’s business model (top image). Based on this, we created a product vision (bottom) to further enhance CDM’s existing business strategy.
Problem Exploration
Our team conducted in-depth product discovery:
​
-
User needs discovery (top left)
-
Jobs-to-be-done
-
Customer journey mapping (bottom left)
​
User research revealed a clear divide between online and in-store shopping. Shoppers spend significant time online comparing products but visit stores mainly for final validation—trying on items, assessing weight/comfort, or seeking last details before purchasing.
​​
​
The product we would build had to be beneficial to both parties:
For CDM: Increased market share and revenue
For CDM's customers (retailers): increase in # of completed in-store purchases and customer satisfaction.
Discovery and Opportunity mapping
We approached product discovery from multiple angles.
Our process included a technology assessment of the existing tech stack - including in-house hardware and software, APIs, cloud infrastructure, and data analytics - along with a service blueprint to explore valuable resource connections for stakeholders.
This led to the creation of a system map to synthesize our findings, identify stakeholder impact, and uncover gaps.
​
Finally, we conducted an ethics analysis to ensure our product does not pose any ethical risks.
Proposed architecture
Given the complexity of the flow and the stitching of online e-commerce and offline in-store experiences, we proposed to utilize microservices to connect components together. Microservice architecture uses small, independent services that handle specific functions.
​
Services such as profile retrieval, pricing and promotions, product documentation, planogram, and stock information retrieval can be developed and maintained separately, though they integrate through a common backbone.
​
This modularity makes it easier to scale individual services within the future product as needed, ensuring the ability to adjust solution configurations as conditions require.
Solution Space
As a result of our discovery, we produced a prototype of a new product called
"Digital Concierge Service".
​
The solution consists of 2 components:
-
An iFrame embedded in the retailer’s website, allowing customers to transfer their search results to the physical store. (first 2 images)
-
A digital signage screen installed in-store, enabling customers to seamlessly continue their shopping journey from where they left off online. (bottom image)
​​​
​
Below are the results of usability testing. ​
Security assessment and architecture
We conducted a security assessment of the solution we proposed, and divided risks into 3 categories.
The High category includes fines, negative publicity, loss of revenue/market share, legal, overtime, loss of contracts fees are greater than $1 million. Moderate – erode customer trust, fines, penalties, liabilities potential to be determined.
Low – system downtime, local inconveniences.
​
After that, we developed an architecture plan for the proposed solution comprised of hardware and an iframe for retailers' websites.
Growth Strategy
To highlight key narratives and assess the viability of the Digital Concierge Service (DCS), CDM’s PLG strategy must focus on two key user groups:
​
-
Retailers (CDM’s direct customers) – DCS drives in-store traffic and bridges the digital-to-physical shopping experience.
-
Retailer Customers (indirect users) – DCS provides quick access to relevant information, such as inventory availability, in-store offers, and product locations.
​
We developed a strong value proposition for both CDM and its retail partners.
Additionally, we outlined a detailed go-to-market (GTM) strategy, covering:
​
-
User acquisition (referrals, partnerships, SEO, roadshows)
-
User engagement (social media campaigns, onboarding, user education)
-
User retention (product updates, loyalty programs, support)
-
Product growth (tiered pricing model, cross-selling)
Results and Impact
As a result, we provided a detailed roadmap, together with the product delivery plan to the customer. ​Our deliverables included:
Problem Exploration
-
Business Model exploration
-
JTBD analysis
-
Technical scan
-
Systems map
-
Ethics Scan
-
Requirements gathering
-
Prototype and usability testing
Solution Exploration
-
product architecture
-
systems security analysis
-
product market fit assessment
-
product optimization
-
growth strategy
-
launch and delivery plan
CDM began the development of this product in 2023.