Theme: “Items for use by people living in household circumstances that enhance control and self-sufficiency.”
The events over the last 2 years have disrupted normal life tremendously. Healthcare and education services were disrupted, jobs were lost, travel was restricted, supply chains were stalled, etc., and all of this occurred on a large scale. Even something as cheap as toilet paper became very valuable! As a result, many people desire to gain a sense of self-sufficiency and control in their lives.
– Visualize the situation(s) you have experienced over the last 2 years of disrupted or semi-disrupted life.
– Consider designing a product that helps increase a sense of self-sufficiency and life control.
– To provide a reasonable bound on brainstorming, envision a physical product that can be produced for under $100 (the anticipated sales price of your product should not exceed $100 at your typical retailer).
Some sample ideas of SIMPLE products that could fit this theme: a multi-use storage container, a survival pack, a combo device holding liquid sanitizer and wipes, an indoor/patio herb garden, specialized food and/or beverage containers, etc.
Please remember to keep the product idea ‘simple’. A good rule of thumb to use could be “Can the average person off the street build your idea?” If the answer is yes, then it’s probably simple.
Create a conceptual or physical prototype of their products. Ideally, this prototype would communicate both the appearance and functionality of the desired end product.
Following are the guidelines:
There should be a demonstrable market for the product. One good way to verify a market need is to identify existing products that meet the need. Your product need not be a variant of an existing product, but the market need addressed by your product should be clearly evident. The product does not have to have a tremendous economic potential but should at least be an attractive opportunity for a small firm.
The product should be a material good and not a service. Although many of the ideas in the course applies to services (e.g., customer needs and product architecture), many do not (e.g., design for assembly).
The product should have a high likelihood of containing fewer than 10 parts. Although you cannot anticipate the design details.
The product should require no basic technological breakthroughs.
Come up with an idea and write a descriptive project A few nearest competitors (if there are similar existing solutions) and prices (if possible). A description of the product opportunity you have identified. Your description may include any of the following: Documentation of the market need, shortcomings of existing competitive products, and definition of the target market and its size. Please keep in mind that the focus is on the market opportunity and not on solution concepts.
