Management Question

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BOX PROJECT

Goal: strategically, how do you assess a customer’s wants or needs and drive the product development strategy to develop a new and innovative product that provides the desired solution to the client? Also, what is needed from a project management perspective to develop and complete the project?

Process:

  1. Pick a client.
  2. Meet with that client. Describe the intent of the project.
  3. Discuss with the client their needs and wants. You want to build them a box. What would they use the box for (needs/wants)? What would they want it to look like (preferences)? You might need to probe at this point. If the client is unsure, then ask about interests, career, lifestyles, hobbies, etc. Do focus group type brainstorming with the client. By asking questions, you can come to a consensus on what would be a good box for this client.
  4. You then need to design and build the box. Use wood, metal, or plastic. Do NOT use just cardboard, paper, and tape, or buy it pre-made (pre-fabricated).
  5. If you have access to a 3-D printer, you may use it.
  6. Your budget is $20. You may not exceed the budget. Include receipts.
  7. Build the box.
  8. Present the box to your client. (It is their box to keep.) Assess their satisfaction and get their feedback. Does the box meet their expectations? Will they use the box (for its intended purpose)? What do they think of the design?

Analysis:

  1. Focus is on meeting the customer’s needs or wants through quality, creativity, and innovation. Is the design, features, and/or materials novel in terms of use and application.
  2. How would you classify your client’s market segment? If you were marketing the box as a new product, what would be your target market?
  3. What solution are you providing to your client?
  4. What particular attributes does the box have?
  5. Evaluate the box with a focus on design, function, and costs.
  6. Assess the project management steps you needed to go through to complete the box.
  7. Research – find three articles (from business publications) that discuss strategic project management involving product development.
    1. Do you agree or disagree with the conclusions in the article?
    2. What do the authors consider to be the most important considerations in project management for product development? How were these points reflected in your experience?
  8. Select three references from the textbook about how to manage innovation.
    1. Summarize what you learned from each article and reference. (Cite all six sources).

Deliverables:

  1. The Box! Presented to your client.
  2. Numerous photos of you building the box and materials used. Photos of the finished product from all seven angles (4 sides, inside, top, bottom). Include any unique features.
  3. Powerpoint or Prezi Presentation Deck (summarize findings):
    1. Introduction & Overview
    2. Cover each of the areas discussed above.
    3. What did you learn from working with the client? Utilize marketing principles.
    4. What did you learn from developing the box? Utilize strategic project management principles.
    5. What did you learn about assessing customer needs/wants, translating those needs/wants into a product design, and delivering the final product?
    6. Where were your findings consistent with the conclusions of the articles and references you researched? Where were did they differ?
    7. Conclusion: what specific project management and product development (innovation) lessons did you learn from the project?
    8. Be creative. Use audio and video to make the presentation come alive.
  4. Report:
    1. 8-10 pages, single spaced.
    2. Sections:
      1. Introduction
      2. Project Details (why, how, who, what, when, where – emphasize why and how)
      3. Interactions with client – from initial meeting to feedback
      4. Photos
      5. Analysis:
        1. Cover each of the information and analysis areas discussed above.
        2. What marketing and strategic management concepts are applicable to this project?
        3. Explore the marketing, product development, innovation, and strategic management concepts applicable to this project that was summarized in the presentation deck.
        4. Make sure you use the research you did (3 references) and the principles from the text (3 references).
      6. Future work applications (3 well thought out ideas on what you would have done differently in the project)
      7. Conclusion
      8. Textbook:
        Strategic Management 4e, Rothaermel, McGraw–Hill, ISBN 978–1–259–92762.