Hello everyone, I am currently enrolled in an entrepreneurship course at the university, and I am facing some challenges. Several weeks ago, we began by selecting a problem that we encounter daily, with a focus solely on the problem rather than the solution.
we strated by asking the five whys, to get to the root of the propblem in order ti have the big question that we will build the solution based on.
The ultimate goal is to create a product or service that people are willing to pay for. However, I need to avoid anything infrastructure-related due to its larger scale. I am feeling lost and confused, and time is running out. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
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Right now your creative scope is way too broad. “What problem do I encounter daily”
Many businesses start because someone had a problem at their job/work and wanted to improve it and made something.
But where you are in life and school you maybe not naturally run into those often at this phase of life.
Narrow your scope: What can I due to improve this pencil. What bothers me when I turn my tv on to watch it What about this lamp annoys me When I reach into my fridge is there anything that could be improved about how i use the inside.
Deliberately narrow your lens and scope.
What do I hate about owning and wearing tee shirts…
Who knows, you might stumble on something at least good enough for your class!
I will take on this approach, It actually makes more sense. Thanks!
You are having issues getting started as many do globally. Think of the real reasons why that is and try to figure something out that will help you and others with this problem.
Can you share what you started with?
Sounds like you focused on big economic/ world/ country / city problems.
Try refine to personal problems that you encounter on a really frequent basis that irritate you - the kind of problem where you know someone can come up with a solution, and you’d buy it.
So it would be really easy for example to say look at “world hunger” - avoid those ones
Instead look at issue like “damn every time I go shopping forget to buy toilet roll, if only someone would just give me a subscription delivery of TP”
So look at smaller problems on a human level if you get my meaning.
5whys is a Toyota investigation tool, aimed at getting to the root underlying cause of the issue. It’s a tool, you use it as you see fit as an aid to help you think through the problem eg with the toilet paper example
Why do you forget your toilet paper
- I got too many things on my list and I’m dealing with my kid at the same time in the supermarket Why do you feel the need to juggle so many things whilst shopping
- I don’t have time help or money to support me on shopping or kid caring so I have to do it myself Why don’t you have time?
- I work 2 jobs and shop between whilst my husband is at work as well Why is that the only time slot you can pick?
- on all other free time ether the shop isn’t open or I need a break from work and chores
So my doing this kind of interview you widen some of the solutions -
- Could we change the opening time? 2 could the shop provide a play area 3 could you you do a order and collect service 4 could you make the shopping experience more relaxing or enjoyable in some way, less stressful
i looked into it from a personal way, like for example i hate how fast my car get dirty, and after using the five whys methods, the root problem turned out to be the shoe i wear, and the big question was how do i stop my shoe from collecting dust and rocks? but if i want to take it a step further, a lot of possible solutions are already out there or that people wouldn’t car buying the product.
To paraphrase Mr. Wonderful, does your solution solve a unique problem and does the solution have great value.
The paper clip was great idea. Take short length of cheap metal wire and bend it around a couple times to hold pieces of paper together without punching holes in them.
However, paper clip has little value because you have to sell millions of them to make any real money.
So, you need to identify consumer need and then determine if your solution has great value (sales potential).
For example, someone figured out some people are pretty lazy so why not start up app-based food delivery business.
Such businesses exist, but most are having a hard time turning a consistent profit.