I feel like the number one difficulty when creating a product is testing whether or not the product will appeal to the targeted consumer and solve their problem. Last week in class, we had a workshop on creating and building ideas. This was helpful because it broke down the steps you take when creating a problem. In our first activity, we had to draw three cards at random. With these cards my group and I had to come up with a product. My group and I came up with Google Goggles, they were kind of a spin off Google Glasses. We drew up a sketch and then moved on to the next activity. In this next activity we had to come up a product the would appeal to the elderly. We brainstormed on what could we create that would solve a problem they have. We reached an agreement to create an app or social network that would help make the elderly more involved in the community. We created a storyboard to layout our plan. Our idea was to have a social network setup like Pinterest where anyone could look at recipes, stories, or DIYs that people could click on and interact with the elderly right in their home. We created glasses that had a camera attached to the lens. This is so the elderly could clip it on their glasses and video chat with people to show them how to do things like cook. This activity was very helpful in breaking down how to design and create a product.
After the workshop we had to meet with our teams and create a team name and design and print a team logo. My team and I came up with the name “Supra” and were able to design and print a logo. Supra means transcend in Latin. Our logo came out great!
A volunteer group called Limitless Solutions developed a way to 3D print prosthetic devices for children at a low price. Children grow at rapid speeds. They have to get new shoes every few months because they are constantly growing. It is pretty reasonably priced for a new pair of shoes or new clothes, but a new prosthetic is a different situation. Although, Limitless Solutions was able to create a product for children with the restriction of keeping the price down. Click here to read the article.
There is never a bad idea. Anything can be a product. The television show Shark Tank is the perfect example of this. This show allows people to pitch their ideas to a room full of investors. Some people with strike a deal with an investor and some do not. No one leaves empty handed, it is a learning experience. People get feed back on how to continue and improve the product/idea they already have.This is important to remember when creating your own product! Click here to read more on Shark Tank.
Hey Olivia,
Great Blog Post! I think the Pinterest idea would be awesome. I know that both of my grandmas love to cook, and besides learning new recipes and cooking styles, I’m sure they would love to teach others about how to make their recipes as well. It’s definitely a nice idea that could keep the elderly busy and engaged in the community. The limitless solutions article is really cool, and I think that what they’re doing is awesome. Hopefully this is just the beginning for them, and they continue to come up with ideas that could greatly help out the world. I’m also a big fan of Shark Tank, and seeing some of the ideas on the show make me believe inspiration for the next big thing can come from anywhere.
Hi Olivia,
I enjoyed reading your post, especially in the part of Limitless Solutions. It reminds me of the presentation in our first week of class delivered by Arielle Rausin about the printed gloves for wheelchair racers. Both of these two projects demonstrated the successful outcome from design thinking (maybe). One major concern of 3D printed prosthetic device that I can think of, after comparing with the gloves, is that prosthetic device might need to be more resistant to wear before it can be popularized. I do believe that the engineers are working on it and probably overcome the restrictions in commercial 3D printing material in short future.
Hi Olivia,
I really enjoyed reading your blog post! When I was listening to your groups idea of creating a Pinterest style app for the elderly I instinctively thought of my own grandma who would have loved to see recipes created by others as she loves to learn how to cook different styled meals. The two external articles you had were very relevant and interesting. Limitless Solutions is such an innovative organization, they seemed to have found the exact problems that their consumer, children, have. Every child grows at different rates which makes this 3D print prosthetic device incredibly innovative. Personally, I love watching Shark Tank and seeing all the unique designs brought on by the contestants, and your point on being able to receive feedback is such a great opportunity to grow creativity.