Location based citizen reporting : a case study of a road hazard reporting system

[摘要] (cont.) Part II of the thesis will focus on presenting a solution to the problem by introducing Hazard Spy, a road hazard reporting system. Part II will be presented from the prospective of an entrepreneur who is seeking to launch such a hazard reporting system as a viable venture. The thesis will examine both the business side and technical side of this venture and present a complete business plan as the result. Research methods used in this thesis include literature reviews, online sources, surveys, interviews, and field observations. Many of the frameworks and methods used in this thesis were introduced in the SDM core and elective classes (both business classes and engineering classes), including System Architecture, System Project Management, Tech Strategy, Product Design and Development, Marketing Management, Finance Theory, Financial Accounting, New Enterprise, and Mobile Programming. The conclusion of this thesis is that the critical technology components for a location-based citizen reporting system that can alleviate the road hazard problem are already exist today in the U.S. These components have enough speed, accuracy, portability and their prices are in the range of affordability. In fact, some smartphones on the market today have all of the required technology natively. However, challenges are still laying in wait for combining these technologies into a marketable product and for launching such a product into a viable venture. The proposed product and business plan in this thesis can be one possible path to success.

[发布机构] Massachusetts Institute of Technology