MY REFLECTION - LEARNING LAUNCH

I have been using this tool much time before, but I only learned that it is called the  Learning Launch. I have been a product developer for many years, but unfortunately,  my products didn't yet reach the big market. Well, I am from a humble country that  does not have many open innovation avenues, I think. Though I love to enter my  products to local and national contests at least and to some like-minded people with  whom I share my humble technologies. As I have mentioned, despite not getting my  products into the market, I get to leverage on it because I am working in academe.  As a faculty member, I get promotional points for the technology products that I make,  creating more of them.

Challenges

When conceptualizing my product, I usually start with observing people. Whenever I  observe some discomforts in what people do, I get to think of innovation for simple  technology. I use to watch children writing, older people eating, artisans do their work,  and so on. I get to observe what tools or technology if there is any that they are using  to have things done. For one specific example. I have observed how my wife holds a  pen when she writes. She had been adopting a particular posture in writing that is so  stressful that she even developed a hard lump at a portion of one of her fingers  because of the pressure of the pen on it every time she writes. My curiosity was  furthered when I saw my young son as he started school and started learning to hold  the pencil to write. I am a drawing teacher and the first skill I teach the student is the  proper holding of the pencil which is comfortable and allow ease of movement in  creating all lines and shape using it. It came to my mind that maybe I can provide a  technology that will teach young people to learn to handle a writing implement earlier.   And for older people to correct their holding of the pencil when used to using the  incorrect posture.

Selection

I thought this is where the learning launch tool in product development became useful  to me in my product development endeavors. Whenever I recognize some  discomforts, paint points, etcetera, I do sketches of possible embodiments of a  product on people. That's where my state of saying, "I got an Idea" that Heiko Kaiser  referred to in his video on Learning Launch. The Learning Launch tool is the right tool  for innovators to validate their idea without falling entrapped to what he calls the  "confirmation bias," which I believe from my observation is familiar to many inventors.  Most often, inventors fall into the thinking that what they have created or conceived  technology is the answer to the problem. Fortunately for me, I don't fall into this trap.  As a practicing patent drafter, I learned ways to validate my idea, which falls in the  Learning Launch tool's coverage.

Application

When I get into an idea, it became my regular part of the procedure to validate an  innovative idea to do a prior art search or commonly coined as a patent search. In  doing the prior art search, I look for existing products, procedures, or processes which  address the issues that my proposed product attempts to answer. Doing so, I can  avoid what Kaiser said about our "own judgment" of our idea. Searching for  related technology to my product serves some purposes. First, I get to know whether  my product is novel or not; if it is novel, it can have the freedom to do business,  especially if patented. Otherwise, I may dismiss the idea of continuing the  development of the product. Second, it allows me to improve if I find a very close  product to my product. I can add more features that can add value to my product.  Third, it gives me an idea of a good market for the product, mostly if the related  technology is selling. If the competing product performs well in the market, adding up  or improving my design criteria to produce more features would probably perform to  the competing product level if not better. As a result of the validation, I go back to my  drawings. I use a 3D modeling application in my designing works. That, for me, is a  cheaper way of creating preliminary prototypes in graphic forms. Like most designers,  I do different configurations of the product until I reach the optimal one that "wows"  me. Fortunately, 3D printing is now cheap. I can do several prototypes of my products  now than before using the 3D printer. It allows me to produce test pieces that I can  show people to test. My work is a consumer product, so that anybody can relate. For  instance, the one I mentioned, which is for improving the pen or pencil holding  posture, can be 3D printed for 15 minutes. For that particular product, I was able to  produce many samples. Next, I asked people who may find the product useful to try  using it. That further validates the product's effectiveness in addressing the issue that  the product intends to do. I gave the samples to them after testing as a token. I  consider the user's feedback for further enhancement of my work. Fortunately, that  product won first place in our local Invention contest sponsored by our Department of  Science and Technology. This course in Design Thinking validates the procedure I  have been using, which gives me a good result. I have been using this procedure for  all my product development activities. This course emphasized to me to consider  more the intended users' insights about the product we want to develop.

Insights

I have learned from the tools that I used, which I have a name for it now because it  helps me create a user-centered product. A product that the user becomes your co- creator, as Mona Martinez has said. Instead of relying on or claiming to  have a bright idea, it is best that the idea will be validated by the people who were the  intended users of the product. I must admit that I have also been in that state of having  a "confirmation bias" before, but the Learning Launch approach had changed the  results of my design activities when I used it.

Approach

Learning from the lecture of Heiko Kaiser, I think I will give the Learning Launch tool  more consideration in the flow, as presented in this lecture. I think I will provide more  concerns about selecting people that will be validating my product or products. That  said that these people should represent the end-users of the product I am creating.  This way, the result will be more reliable, primarily if I can engage in business. Also,  learning the other tools poses a challenge on my part, which I would be happy to do  so if an appropriate situation requires their application.

Images of the handwriting postures without and with my product


MY REFLECTION - LEARNING LAUNCH I have been using this tool much time before , but I only learned that it is called the Learning Launch . I have been a product developer for many years , but unfortunately , my products did n't yet reach the big market . Well , I am from a humble country that does not have many open innovation avenues , I think . Though I love to enter my products to local and national contests at least and to some like - minded people with whom I share my humble technologies . As I have mentioned , despite not getting my products into the market , I get to leverage on it because I am working in academe . As a faculty member , I get promotional points for the technology products that I make , creating more of them . Challenges When conceptualizing my product , I usually start with observing people . Whenever I observe some discomforts in what people do , I get to think of innovation for simple technology . I use to watch children writing , older people eating , artisans do their work , and so on . I get to observe what tools or technology if there is any that they are using to have things done . For one specific example . I have observed how my wife holds a pen when she writes . She had been adopting a particular posture in writing that is so stressful that she even developed a hard lump at a portion of one of her fingers because of the pressure of the pen on it every time she writes . My curiosity was furthered when I saw my young son as he started school and started learning to hold the pencil to write . I am a drawing teacher and the first skill I teach the student is the proper holding of the pencil which is comfortable and allow ease of movement in creating all lines and shape using it . It came to my mind that maybe I can provide a technology that will teach young people to learn to handle a writing implement earlier . And for older people to correct their holding of the pencil when used to using the incorrect posture . Selection I thought this is where the learning launch tool in product development became useful to me in my product development endeavors . Whenever I recognize some discomforts , paint points , etcetera , I do sketches of possible embodiments of a product on people . That 's where my state of saying , " I got an Idea " that Heiko Kaiser referred to in his video on Learning Launch . The Learning Launch tool is the right tool for innovators to validate their idea without falling entrapped to what he calls the " confirmation bias , " which I believe from my observation is familiar to many inventors . Most often , inventors fall into the thinking that what they have created or conceived technology is the answer to the problem . Fortunately for me , I do n't fall into this trap . As a practicing patent drafter , I learned ways to validate my idea , which falls in the Learning Launch tool 's coverage . Application When I get into an idea , it became my regular part of the procedure to validate an innovative idea to do a prior art search or commonly coined as a patent search . In doing the prior art search , I look for existing products , procedures , or processes which address the issues that my proposed product attempts to answer . Doing so , I can avoid what Kaiser said about our " own judgment " of our idea . Searching for related technology to my product serves some purposes . First , I get to know whether my product is novel or not ; if it is novel , it can have the freedom to do business , especially if patented . Otherwise , I may dismiss the idea of continuing the development of the product . Second , it allows me to improve if I find a very close product to my product . I can add more features that can add value to my product . Third , it gives me an idea of a good market for the product , mostly if the related technology is selling . If the competing product performs well in the market , adding up or improving my design criteria to produce more features would probably perform to the competing product level if not better . As a result of the validation , I go back to my drawings . I use a 3D modeling application in my designing works . That , for me , is a cheaper way of creating preliminary prototypes in graphic forms . Like most designers , I do different configurations of the product until I reach the optimal one that " wows " me . Fortunately , 3D printing is now cheap . I can do several prototypes of my products now than before using the 3D printer . It allows me to produce test pieces that I can show people to test . My work is a consumer product , so that anybody can relate . For instance , the one I mentioned , which is for improving the pen or pencil holding posture , can be 3D printed for 15 minutes . For that particular product , I was able to produce many samples . Next , I asked people who may find the product useful to try using it . That further validates the product 's effectiveness in addressing the issue that the product intends to do . I gave the samples to them after testing as a token . I consider the user 's feedback for further enhancement of my work . Fortunately , that product won first place in our local Invention contest sponsored by our Department of Science and Technology . This course in Design Thinking validates the procedure I have been using , which gives me a good result . I have been using this procedure for all my product development activities . This course emphasized to me to consider more the intended users ' insights about the product we want to develop . Insights I have learned from the tools that I used , which I have a name for it now because it helps me create a user - centered product . A product that the user becomes your co- creator , as Mona Martinez has said . Instead of relying on or claiming to have a bright idea , it is best that the idea will be validated by the people who were the intended users of the product . I must admit that I have also been in that state of having a " confirmation bias " before , but the Learning Launch approach had changed the results of my design activities when I used it . Approach Learning from the lecture of Heiko Kaiser , I think I will give the Learning Launch tool more consideration in the flow , as presented in this lecture . I think I will provide more concerns about selecting people that will be validating my product or products . That said that these people should represent the end - users of the product I am creating . This way , the result will be more reliable , primarily if I can engage in business . Also , learning the other tools poses a challenge on my part , which I would be happy to do so if an appropriate situation requires their application . Images of the handwriting postures without and with my product