Example of Group Projects

Group Assignment 1
​As newly formed group, examine the intersection of subsistence and ecology.

• What are the unique ecological issues that subsistence marketplaces face?
• How does this affect their daily lives?
• What are some directions to take to find solutions?

Be as creative as you wish to be, bringing in images and providing insights.
The questions above are merely examples – please take the assignment in any direction you wish.
1 PowerPoint slide presentation (2-3 slides fine) per group – 5 minutes per group – to be emailed before class and presented during class.

Group Assignment 2
Tease out the needs, drivers, and larger context for your project topic. Plan out idea generation for the core design area. Talk through some dos and don’ts for group functioning – eventually moving to a code of conduct in a couple of weeks. Each group has a slightly different task. Do not be limited by previous offerings but think completely out of the box.

Group Assignment 3
Groups will present a summary of their progress on needs/drivers/context and idea generation.
Please meet with your group and generate ideas. Each group will very briefly discuss needs/drivers/context relevant to the project the ideas you came up with. Use a few slides do this. You can convey the ideas any way you want along with the methods you used to generate them.
The game plan is idea generation, idea generation, idea generation. Do not be constrained at this stage for any reason beyond the rough product category guidelines.
Don’t rule out any idea, however absurd you may think others may think it is.
We will then continue with idea generation for another week at least without evaluation.

​Group Assignment 4
Continue idea generation. Sort out ideas into categories if that helps and separate focal design ideas from other ideas. Develop criteria but continuing to emphasize idea generation. In class, present your ideas using powerpoint slides.
Dos and don’ts of group interactions. Email slides before class.

Group Assignment 5
Consolidate your schedules and send out an email to sponsors for:
A. 1 meeting in the first 10 days of November.
B. 1 meeting between November end and December 8.
Mid-Semester presentations on project

• Needs/Drivers/Context
• Idea generation
• Ideas
• Categorized within clusters – if you have different aspects to the focal design or different categories of design.
• Criteria for evaluation and relative importance of criteria
• Ranking of ideas on criteria

Field trip

• Whom you want to speak to – housewives, etc.
• What you want to observe
• What products/items from India do you want purchased in advance for your trip

Group Assignment 6
Incorporate more background research. Continue part and whole idea generation.
Set up the meeting with sponsors.

• Cc me on the final agreed time and place (which can be my office, 183 Wohlers – my graduate assistant will give you access).
• I would like to be in the first meeting and will find a way. In the next class, I am going to have small group interactions with John Clarke in the last hour so we get another person providing feedback. No class presentation of project but small group interaction.

We have begun orientation for the field trip. Please collect your questions for November 12.

• Please go through the itinerary in detail. Now is also the time for suggestions for the trip.
• Videos are available here for your review and cover interviews with participants, cultural issues, and so forth.

Group Assignment 7
For your project, address and send the most recent powerpoint file to the group folder before class.
Continue work on the Excel File organized by:

1. Ideas
2. Hybrid versions of ideas
3. Categorized within clusters – if you have different aspects to the focal design. (e.g., water purification, shelter, etc.)
4. Criteria for evaluation (attributes – let us hold off on technical specifications for now)
5. Importance of criteria
6. Ranking of ideas on criteria
7. Summated totals

Continued development of 1-2 concepts moving toward presentable form on the field trip.
Field research:

• What questions you want answered on the trip
• What stimuli you will show – example concepts but other things as well

Group Assignment 8
A presentation in class with PowerPoint slides that:

• Generate more ideas
• Elaborate on ideas
• Elaborate on your research plan
  • Whom to talk to, what to see
  • Detailed script for interview
  • Your group strategies for observing and recording

Things to cover

• Ideas
• Hybrid versions of ideas
• Categorized within clusters – if you have different aspects to the focal design. (e.g., water purification, shelter, etc.)
• Criteria for evaluation (attributes – let us hold off on technical specifications for now)
• Importance of criteria
• Ranking of ideas on criteria
• Summated totals

Continued development of 1-2 concepts moving toward presentable form on the field trip.
Field research

• What questions you want answered on the trip – script in detail
• What stimuli you will show – example concepts but other things as well
• Whom you want to talk to
• What you want to see
• What are some strategies you will use as a team to observe and record

Group Assignment 9
​Continue to generate ideas – which can be in more focused arenas now.

1. Develop the sequencing, broad questions, and followup questions some more.
2. Concretize 2-3 concepts in greater detail – it can then be customized to interviewees in different parts of the value chain.
3. Get ready for the next sponsor meeting.

Group Assignment 10 – Concept generation based on reflectionAt the abstract level – absorb, reflect and generate insights…from the field research, while discussing and gaining insights. A formal needs/drivers/context model is not necessary yet but should be considered in the background and a rough sketch would be useful. This sketch will continue to evolve. Generate 4-5 concepts you want to pursue as we step back before reconverging. Avoid being too broad or narrow in your concept generation; find the reasonable breadth. Do include the concept(s) that sponsors showed interest in.

Group Assignment 11

• Mine insights – abstract from field notes and individuals/interviews/interactions
• Draw out the needs-drivers-context model with interlinkages
• Stay grounded through this approach
• Develop concepts for the core solution
• Product models or process models are the focus; not focused on other business plan elements for now
• Combine concepts if needed
• Develop criteria
• Develop matrix
• Put together presentation
• Sacrificing full development of criteria for the sake of more concept generation is acceptable.
• Start thinking about top-down and bottom-up problem statements.

In summary, step back and brainstorm to continue to generate concepts that provide solutions for your design focus (the inner circle representing core design rather than next outer circle representing peripheral design or outermost circle representing business plan). Each of these concepts will be seriously evaluated by you leading to convergence on a concept. In parallel, please continue to define the needs, drivers, and larger context.

Group Assignment 12

1. Continue with concept detailing – Need to present progress in class
2. Complete and prepare the following on slides to present in class –
   1. Bottom-up problem deconstruction
   2. Bottom-up needs listing in hierarchy using verbs and customer perspective where possible
   3. Listing of needs – metrics/benchmarks/specs

Group Assignment 13 - As a group:

1. Continue with concept detailing – Need to present progress in class.
2. Complete and prepare the following on slides to present in class –
   1. Bottom-up problem deconstruction
   2. Bottom-up needs listing in hierarchy using verbs and customer perspective where possible
   3. Listing of needs – metrics/benchmarks/specs

As an individual – read Chapter 8 and submit 3 bullet points of insights to the design of the core concept for your project – not the peripheral design but the core design. Be specific in how it can be applied to move your project forward from current thinking. Read this chapter thoroughly as we will apply it several times.
As a group skim the report and presentation (VisionSpring) and abstract insights to apply to your group – present to the class on a slide or 2. Be specific as to how you applied the concept.

Group Assignment 14

1. Complete top-down problem deconstruction.
2. Proceed to top-down need deconstruction and forming hierarchy of needs
3. Systematize with needs-metrics-benchmarks-specs table
4. Continue to work on detailing concept.
5. As an individual – use the reading from last week (Chapter 8) and submit 3 bullet points of insights to the peripheral design of the project NOT the design of the core concept Be specific in how it can be applied to move your project forward from current thinking.
6. As a group – skim the presentation assigned to you below and abstract insights to apply to your group. Be specific as to how you applied the report in informal comments (slides not needed).

Group Assignment 15 - Tagline PowerPoint of final talk to be presented in class – just headings of what to say, occasional bullet point on main part of slide okay but content to be avoided
Notes jotted in for rough, preliminary red part of business plan to be put into dropbox before class – see outline below.

Group Assignment 16 - Business plan writing – Complete red part; compile all sections of blue part, jot notes down for green part.
Presentation – Begin to add content – particularly need/driver/context/background and solution part so we can go over that part of the presentation.

Group Assignment 17 - Business plan writing – Complete green part. Please do NOT go back to red part and edit, but do fix missing sub-sections if time permits; jot notes down for yellow part.
Presentation – Add content – all the big picture content

• Importance of need/problem you focus on
• Who you are
• Drivers/context of need
• Your core solution
• Demo of prototype/Storyboard
• Ecosystem/peripheral solution
• Marketing plan – Not in detail but big picture including
  • Segmentation/positioning map
  • Segment/positioning/sustainable value prop/communicating and delivering it
  • Implementation – briefly
  • Financials – Overview
  • Performance – Overview
  • Investment request – if time permits
• Prototyping

Group Assignment 18 - Business plan writing – Complete orange part. Please do NOT go back to green part.
Presentation – Get close to the final presentation – up to 14 minutes is okay. Bring in some of the feedback on the green part (strategic thinking etc.) into the presentation.
Prototyping, prototyping, prototyping.


Case Analysis
Each group will prepare slides. No write-ups are needed. Each group will be asked to make a 5-minute presentation (maximum) of their key insights and recommendations. After this, the discussion-leading group will lead a free-flowing discussion using slides with questions where groups maintain their original positions and challenge other groups whom they disagree with.
The analysis of each case can focus on the following issues. However, each group is free to choose any specific direction or emphasis.
Focus on:

• Needs and Consumer Behavior
• Specific need being served
• Relevant consumer behaviors
• Product and market context
• Larger context of life circumstances
• Market Research
• Examples of methods used
• Suggestions for methodological improvements
• Management and Engineering Issues
• Technology
• Products
• Distribution
• Promotion
• Pricing
• Recommendations for Product and Market Development for Subsistence Marketplaces
• Specific lessons learnt for group project

Provide a summary covering:

1. New insights from the case
2. Applications to your project
3. Suggestions for their own project