Empathizing Night Market Food Hawkers in Malaysia Using Design Thinking Approach to Improve Food Safety

Food safety is a significant health concern in developing countries like Malaysia, where night markets, also knownas “pasar malam”, are often linked to food-borne diseases. The practices and environment of these markets areoften associated with unhygienic practices by hawkers, contributing to these illnesses. This study aims to identify theexperiences, perspectives, and problem statements of six hawkers from two-night market sites in Hulu Langat, Selangor,Malaysia. Using the “Design Thinking” approach covering the initial stages namely “empathy”, “define” and“ideation”, the study identifies the goals and pains of each hawker, aiming to address holistically to increase theirlivelihoods and consumer’s quality of life. The development of a food warmer was chosen as the best solution, apreliminary outcome of this study, not just it addresses their goals and pains, it also ensures food safety which wouldreduce enforcement actions, lower the burden of authorities, and indirectly save resources. Consumers also would benefitfrom increased quality of life and safe, quality products from night markets. To strengthen the study’s outcome, moreresearch is needed, considering wider night market sites, increased respondents/subject matters, and a wider variety ofdishes. The next chapter of the research would emphasize the final stages incorporating the “prototype” and “testing”stages to develop physically the food warmer, including ensuring its functionality and obtaining feedbacks from theexisting users (hawkers) for further commercialization. A “user-centered design” (UCD) approach would be applied inthis final stage of the DT process.