Reflection – Visualization   Deiby

Challenge    For some time I frequented a public gym and showered there before my work day.  Although the  showers may have been cleaned daily, they were not cleaned between each use - sometimes  the floor was, well “icky” and traditional flip-flops just didn’t cut it.  I searched and searched, for  an existing product that would provide the protection I needed, without any success.  I then  realized a need for a solution for increased sanitation when using any facility that has communal  showers - gyms, dorms, camps, athletic training facilities, etc.  I came up with an idea that would  provide antimicrobial protection for the feet while using these facilities’ showers.  The challenge  was how best to explain my idea, prove that there was a need, offer a solution, and propose it to  potential sponsors for development.    I spoke with fellow gym rats, college students, moms of summer campers, professional athletes,  etc. to see if they agreed that a product like mine could be helpful. Once I received excited  interest in my solution, I set about trying to find a way to make it a reality. My next step was to  submit a formal request for a design patent. Then, equipped with a list of businesses from my  target market, I would need to find the best way to get my idea out to the potential backers.      Selection      With limited funds, I had to focus on a method to share a prototype of my antimicrobial shower  shoe idea to determine interest, by potential stakeholders, in a product that was only a concept  at that point.  I thought of using some type of drawing that would depict what it would look like  and highlight the benefits, instead of a physical prototype. This is where the Visualization Tool  came into play.    As Angela Meyer stated in her Visualization video from Module 1, ​“When you get to concept  development visualization becomes incredibly key. Because concepts are literally coming out of your  imagination. And your brain is creating pictures of something that doesn't yet exist. It's creating  pictures of something that will soon be.”    She also stated that, “As we move forward into prototyping, we get much more detailed in the way  that we start to visualize. Then we create very complex diagrams, or maps of how we think the  customer experience ideally is going to work.”    I needed that complex diagram of something that wasn’t yet real.

Application      Since I already had a rough “to-scale” drawing submitted along with my request for a design  patent, I was able to provide enough details of the product idea to a professional that could  construct an electronic 3-D rendering in a video format. This way a link to the video could be  shared via email to each business on the list that I gathered for my target market.

The video was built similar to an infomercial with the 3-D artistic technology making the concept  appear real, including a voice-over explaining the benefits of the product while highlighting  features of the design. I believed this would be a good way for others to visualize my idea.  I  emailed this video link to those on my target list and was able to get feedback by receiving  callbacks from companies that wanted to discuss the idea further.       Insight    Using the Visualization Tool was a great advantage to getting my idea in the hands of the right  people.  It generated the feedback and interest that helped me understand that this could  actually work, and helped me to begin developing a product that could be beneficial to so many.  At the same time it helped me learn that there would be additional challenges that I would need  to work out before this could ever get to market - with regard to companies’ procedures for  investing and taking on new products. I learned that there are many cost, evaluation, and  statistical figures that were needed upfront.       Approach     So, having gathered the insight that there would be much more work needed to get my idea off  the ground, I would still use a Visualization Tool to capture the figures that I would need to  present. Since these figures would be guesstimates, I would do the legwork and then prepare a  presentation document (e.g. PowerPoint) with maybe an embedded spreadsheet.  Once this is  done I could reach back out to those companies that showed interest, or a totally new set of  companies and this time be prepared with solid information using the tools that I chose.


Reflection – Visualization Deiby Challenge For some time I frequented a public gym and showered there before my work day . Although the showers may have been cleaned daily , they were not cleaned between each use - sometimes the floor was , well “ icky ” and traditional flip - flops just did n’t cut it . I searched and searched , for an existing product that would provide the protection I needed , without any success . I then realized a need for a solution for increased sanitation when using any facility that has communal showers - gyms , dorms , camps , athletic training facilities , etc . I came up with an idea that would provide antimicrobial protection for the feet while using these facilities ’ showers . The challenge was how best to explain my idea , prove that there was a need , offer a solution , and propose it to potential sponsors for development . I spoke with fellow gym rats , college students , moms of summer campers , professional athletes , etc . to see if they agreed that a product like mine could be helpful . Once I received excited interest in my solution , I set about trying to find a way to make it a reality . My next step was to submit a formal request for a design patent . Then , equipped with a list of businesses from my target market , I would need to find the best way to get my idea out to the potential backers . Selection With limited funds , I had to focus on a method to share a prototype of my antimicrobial shower shoe idea to determine interest , by potential stakeholders , in a product that was only a concept at that point . I thought of using some type of drawing that would depict what it would look like and highlight the benefits , instead of a physical prototype . This is where the Visualization Tool came into play . As Angela Meyer stated in her Visualization video from Module 1 , ​“When you get to concept development visualization becomes incredibly key . Because concepts are literally coming out of your imagination . And your brain is creating pictures of something that does n't yet exist . It 's creating pictures of something that will soon be . ” She also stated that , “ As we move forward into prototyping , we get much more detailed in the way that we start to visualize . Then we create very complex diagrams , or maps of how we think the customer experience ideally is going to work . ” I needed that complex diagram of something that was n’t yet real . Application Since I already had a rough “ to - scale ” drawing submitted along with my request for a design patent , I was able to provide enough details of the product idea to a professional that could construct an electronic 3 - D rendering in a video format . This way a link to the video could be shared via email to each business on the list that I gathered for my target market . The video was built similar to an infomercial with the 3 - D artistic technology making the concept appear real , including a voice - over explaining the benefits of the product while highlighting features of the design . I believed this would be a good way for others to visualize my idea . I emailed this video link to those on my target list and was able to get feedback by receiving callbacks from companies that wanted to discuss the idea further . Insight Using the Visualization Tool was a great advantage to getting my idea in the hands of the right people . It generated the feedback and interest that helped me understand that this could actually work , and helped me to begin developing a product that could be beneficial to so many . At the same time it helped me learn that there would be additional challenges that I would need to work out before this could ever get to market - with regard to companies ’ procedures for investing and taking on new products . I learned that there are many cost , evaluation , and statistical figures that were needed upfront . Approach So , having gathered the insight that there would be much more work needed to get my idea off the ground , I would still use a Visualization Tool to capture the figures that I would need to present . Since these figures would be guesstimates , I would do the legwork and then prepare a presentation document ( e.g. PowerPoint ) with maybe an embedded spreadsheet . Once this is done I could reach back out to those companies that showed interest , or a totally new set of companies and this time be prepared with solid information using the tools that I chose .