3. Introduction:
Aim:
Only fourteen percent of new product development projects are a commercial
success, how can a company efficiently deliver innovative products with a higher
successrate?
Gettingtherightbalancebetweenfamiliarityanddifferentiationisoftenachallenge
while developing radical solutions. Companies struggle to decipher whether
products are too similar to gain competitive advantage or too radical to adopt.
Uncertainty about the adoption patterns of consumers is the foremost concern for
managers while deciding which disruptive technologies to invest in. The proposed
methodology tackles these issues head-on by firstly providing a framework to
deliver differentiated concepts. Secondly, developing a visual tool to understand
user lifestyles and thirdly, providing a decoding process to answer these perennial
questionsthroughdirectconsumerfeedback.
Use design-driven innovation to transform an embryonic idea into differentiated
concepts. These are tailored to fit unmet consumer aspirations and blend into their
dailylifestyle.
ProjectBackground:
This project follows from a previous research carried out by researchers at C4D,
Cranfield University, to investigate new optimised oral care solutions for a target
consumer group in collaboration with P&G. Ideas were generated and tested
according to a pre-defined innovation territory. The top idea was selected and
carried into this project.The journey of transforming this top idea into an embodied
conceptdeliveringuniquevaluepropositionswasundertakeninthisproject.
Masters Thesis Project with PG: Sept 2011
4. LiteratureReview
Innovation is the“the process of bringing to market goods and services that are new
and significantly improved” . Radical innovations often disrupt the market, often
catering to unmet user needs, enabling consumers to quickly transition to them
(Christensen, 2007). They provide a new basis for performance, which often
overshoots the performance of current products thereby displacing them
(Christensen, 2005).These products form their own categories where there is less or
no competition, and can change market norms to their own advantage , emanating
theirimportance.
The next step defined factors proven to influence innovation adoption (Arts at al.,
2010).Thesewere:
Familiarityoftheconsumerwithcharacteristicsofthenewinnovation
Compatibilitywiththecurrentconsumerlifestyle
Convenienceinbecomingpartoftheirdailylife
Relevancetotheirneedsandaspirations
Differencewhichsetsitapartformitscompetitors
Emotional appeal would signify whether users can connect to it on a
personallevel
Popular toolsused bydifferentdisciplines tomeasureand assist the enquiry of these
factorswereresearched.
Market research findings show that experts like Goffin (2010) and Chrsitensen
(2010) highlight that current methods like contextual observation, interviews, lead
user groups and repertory grid analysis only pushes one to follow strategies
targeting“large,obvious,existingmarkets”providingincrementalinnovation.
Goffin (2010) explains that to create breakthrough innovations, hidden needs of the
consumer,whichtheythemselvesareunawareof,needtobeuncovered.
Users cannot tell you what they want; instead Verganti found the approach of
“makingproposalstopeople”morerewarding.
Design driven innovation highlights the importance giving radical new meanings
to a product (Verganti, 2009). It is the process of transforming insights into new
meaningsforproducts,capableofcreatinganemotionalbondwiththeconsumer.
Physiological tools like cognitive mapping and storyboards were found to be
effective in enabling consumers reflect their perceptions with problem areas
(Swan,1997). It provided an intuitive and visual method for consumers to
communicate their experiences. Norton (2009) proposes the use of storyboards to
provide a visual tool where the context, issue and proposed concept can be
presented. This allows different teams in the NPD process to have a unified vision,
workingtowardsaholisticstrategy.
Storyboards are engaging and easily understandable by consumers.They can easily
envision the proposals making it a powerful tool to test concepts and gain valuable
feedback(Norton,2009).
5. Methodology
Themethodologywasformulatedusingmanyofthetools
studied in the literature review to provide a holistic
methodologyoftestingconcepts.
ScenarioToolDevelopmentStage1
The objective of the scenario insight tool was to act as a
visual stimulus to help consumers map out their own
personal scenarios. It was designed to be simple and
intuitive, catered specifically to three consumer groups
within the targeted consumer segment. The typical daily
activities, for each of the sub-groups were brainstormed
to generate a series of mini-scenarios. These mini-
scenarios visualised small daily rituals, which the
consumercouldusetovisuallycommunicatetheir'typical
day'totheresearcher.Furthercomponentswereaddedto
specifically understand the oral care experience of the
consumer. Additional components were designed to
understandtheoralcareexperienceoftheconsumer.
6. ConceptGenerationProcessStage2
The pre-tested idea direction and innovation territory
prescribed by PG was then unpacked into fundamental
principles defining the essence of the idea. Functional
experiences and emotional sensations able to deliver
these were then brainstormed. Different combinations of
these were then used to form a range of concept
variations. The time and language of the day were then
integrated into these concepts to form a range of
differentiatedoralcaresolutions.
ConsumerImmersionStage3
Consumer testing was carried out in two-hour sessions for three groups of consumers within the target consumer segment. These were single women (20-30 yrs. old),
womenwith children(30-40 yrs. old) and older women(40-50 yrs. old).The scenario insight tool provided a visually engaging process wherethese consumers were quickly
able to create their own personal scenario map. They used this to communicate their current oral care experience. The second part included proposing the concept
variationsgeneratedandobtainingdirectconsumerfeedbackforthem,withconsumerschoosingandplacingtheirfavouriteconceptsontheirpersonalscenariocharts.
7. DecodingProcessStage4
The design driven methodology illustrated alongside was
used to identify meaningful patterns from the data
collected. This was analysed to identify similarities and
differentiations between the three consumer groups.
Scenario Findings aimed to recognise patterns in
consumer behaviour, and pinpoint opportunity spaces
where current oral care products were unable to reach.
Concept findings distilled out key design (engagement)
elements, which served as emotional and functional
reasons to believe. These were embodied into three final
concepts variations, which over 50% of the consumers
chose.
Conclusion
Speed in bringing out a constant stream of new innovations, and adapting to changing consumer needs are crucial in maintaining long-term competitiveness. In order to
increase the flow of successful disruptive innovations, deep consumer insight right at the start of the process is necessary in ensuring companies are moving in the right
direction.Currenttechniquesrevolvingaroundethnographicapproachesareunabletomeettheseconstraintsoftimeandcost.
This research has looked into these pressing issues and exemplified some leading edge research done in this field to provide multiple benefits for PG. The proposed
consumer insight tool providesa superior technique, and has been successfully tested with 18 consumers to provide qualitative data quickly. Results areobtained as visual
consumer scenario boards making it easy to identify patterns in consumer lifestyles and habits. It also dives deeper to outline consumer dissatisfactions and point towards
latentconsumerneeds.Avisuallyengagingtool,whichenablesconsumertobuildtheirownscenario,henceitcanbesimultaneouslydonebyseveralconsumers.Itishighly
repeatableandcanbeadaptedtotestarangeofotherproductcategorieswithinPG.
Pre-defined idea directions, outlined by PG, were transformed into differentiated concepts through a framework, which radically innovated the concept meaning. This
providedarangeof'new'productmeaningstobetestedthroughtheuseoffunctionalandemotionalengagementmetaphors.
Testing these concept variations with the consumer insight tool enabled contextual feedback to be received, as the holistic concept experience was reviewed. This
framework enables an embryonic idea to be transformed into a differentiated concept through an intense 'evolutionary metamorphosis'. Feedback received was decoded
to distil winning design elements, which communicate performance against criteria most important to customers. Decoding consumer feedback and behaviour patterns,
enabled concepts to be aligned against when and how they would be used, thereby smoothening product adoption. Most importantly, the research provides concrete
evidenceforthepotentialoftheconceptcategorytobepotentiallydisruptiveandcapableoftransformingthecurrentOralCareLandscape.
The final concepts have been embodied with quintessential aspects, which communicate the holistic concept essence, to ensure the meaning remains intact in the later
stages of development. In this way, the research has not only provided final concepts capable of impacting the oral care sector, but also provided new creative frameworks
throughwhichabatteryofnewradicalconceptscouldbedeveloped.
8. Masters Thesis Project with PG: Sept 2011
Introduction
Theadventofanagewhereanewbreedofconsumerdemandsinstantandeffortless
gratification is more or less upon us. A host of recent technological advances have
helped drive the emergence of this 'formidable consumer' and fuel their
expectations and desires. One company that has been successful in facing this
challenge through a host of successful innovations is Procter and Gamble. This
project draws onto PG's pioneering approach in placing the consumer at the heart
ofitsnewproductdevelopmentprocess.
A hugely important element of their customer-focused strategy has been their
research into psychographic profiles. This research has led to the identification of
four specific global consumer profiles; one of which it has been discovered maps
very closely to the free spirited 'formidable consumer', who do not like routines and
wantall-in-onesolutions.
This project takes on the challenge of translating these findings into disruptive
productconcepts.
Aim
Objectives
The aim of this project is to develop unique and powerful solutions with a potential
to revolutionise the current oral care landscape. It addresses the need to develop
ideastomakeoralcarecleanerandfaster.Indoingso,theconceptswillneedtobring
sensorialandemotionalexperiencethatdelighttheiruser.
•Usingcrosscategorymappingtoformanalogiesindetifyingnewtrends.
•Distilmappinganalogiestocreatearangeofinnovationdrivers.
•Usethesedriverstogenerateproductandserviceconceptswhichmeetlatent
needstothetargetedusergroup.
•Developtheconceptsthroughidentifyingsensorialandemotionaldesignques.
•Bringleadconceptstolifethroughinsightsintotheircommercializationstrategy.
9. Methodology
Themethodologywasformulatedusingmanyofthetools
studied in the literature review to provide a holistic
methodologyoftestingconcepts.
1.LandscapingOralCare
In identifying the 'big picture' of the oral care sector, four
mainareaswerestudiedtoencapsulatethefundamentals
oforalcare.TheLifestyleAspirationresearchextractedkey
attributes of target consumers. This information was
visualisedintoprofilestoaidunderstanding.
TheGeneralOralCareresearchanalysedcurrentoralproductsofPGandtheircompetitors.ThisinformationwascrossedexaminedwiththeLifestyle Aspirationtoidentify
timesofdaywheretherewerenoproductsavailableorused.Indoingso,theteamhadidentifiedtwomaingapsthatcouldbeexploited.
To understand the branding strategy of PG and their competitors, an analysis into product's packaging and advertisement was performed. Emotional and technical
attributeswerecomparedwiththepriceoftheproducts.Adiagramshowinghowthebrandscomparedshowedthevariationofthebrandsanalysed.
Thetechnologyresearchlookedatthetechnologyavailableinoralcaretoday.Itfocusedonthecostoftheproductsincomparisonwiththeperformance.
Lifestyle aspiration pics General Oral Care cards
10. Branding Technology
2.Crosscategorymapping
Theresultsofthebackgroundresearchwerethencollated
and brought forward into the cross category mapping,
which goes beyond the field of oral care. The cross
category mapping involved the search for new
technology from cross sectors. Products successful of
displaying the same attributes required from future oral
careproductswereselected.Keyinnovationtriggerswere
identified to form a spider matrix, to allow more detail
research to be focused on particular topics, and to link
technologies with similar attributes. This formed an
overall picture of the different technologies and design
signals capable to delivering the targeted attributes. To
move forward, the team needed to decode and extract
the key essence of the ten different innovation triggers
selected.
11. 5.Refinement
The concepts were tested with the target consumers.
New insights decoded from the consumer feedback
wereincorporatedintherefinementofthefinaldesign
of 12 chosen concepts. Interaction with specialists
from PG discussed with the team on how the
conceptscouldbeturnedintotechnicalpossibilities.
Through the adaptation of oral care professional
expertise and consumer’s feedback, the concepts
were transformed into commercial possibilities. A strategy towards how these
productscouldbedevelopedandmarketingwasthendeveloped,forfurtherworkto
bedoneontheconcepts.
3.Mappingdistillationforconceptgeneration
In distilling the cross category analysis, the team worked
together to decode the quintessence of innovation
triggers identified. Through discussing, the team refined
and finalised the innovation drivers in aid of ideation.
However, purely developing the innovation drivers was
not enough. In order to enable rapid idea generation, a
clear understanding of the condition of usage was also
needed to prescribe solutions. At this stage, previous
research into the consumers’ lifestyle was reviewed,
resultingintheformationofscenariosforeachinnovation
driver.
These scenarios highlighted possible opportunity gaps in
the consumer’s day where these technologies could be
usedforanewsolution.
sample innovation triggers templates
4.IdeaGeneration
Intheideationphrase,theteamonceagaindivergedto
generate a total of 55 concepts using the innovation
driversandscenarios.
After discussion with clients, the concepts were
reviewed with the initial brief, and condensed to 24
concept proposals to be presented in the consumer
immersion process. Each concept visual was
supported with their innovation driver to give a
background to the inspiration of the idea as well as the
sensorialexperienceitaimedtocommunicate.
12. 6.FinalConcepts
The findings from the consumer immersion session were distilled to provide a concept proposal for the final designs.This summarised the customer feedback, what made
theconceptstandoutandhowitcouldbeusedbyconsumers.Asamplehasbeenattachedhere.
Conclusion
To maintain its position as the international leader in the oral care sector, PG must develop products matching their consumer’s constantly change lifestyle. In doing so,
theymustidentifynewtrendsandalignproductsfasterandbetterthantheircompetitors.
Thisreportdescribed theformationofstrategiccreativity model,capableofefficientlygenerating,testingandvalidatinginnovativeconcepts.Thiscreativemodelisableto
quicklyidentifytrendsfromothercategoriesandrouteittoforminnovativeproductconcepts,whicharealignedtouserneeds.
There were four key stages in this process included first, determining the current composition of the oral care sector achieved through secondary research. Next,
inspirations were delved from different sectors and distilled to form innovation drivers for ideation. Scenarios were formulated next to accelerate and focus the concept
creationleadingtothegenerationoffifty-fiveconcepts.Areviewoftheinitialresearchinthetargetconsumersaidedfiltrationoftheideasandhelpedusetherightsensorial
signals that could emotionally connect with the target group.Through testing with consumers, ideas were refined, and insights for their latent needs werecaptured. Along
with this, the interaction with technologists allowed the technical feasibility of the 12 final ideas to be discussed for future development. As a result, this report has
establishednewgapsinthecurrentmarketandhighlightedtrendstoexposeanewstrategicdirectioninoralcare.
Looking back, coming up with ideas was not difficult.The challenge lied in the ability to generate a number of‘relevant’ideas rapidly, within a specific requirement frame.
This project created and tested an efficient way to generate, test and validate a battery of innovative concepts in a short time frame that is crucial in today’s faced paced
environments.
13. Design Research project at Elephant Designs, India
Introduction
WhyLEDsarethefutureoflighting?
The Indian Middle class is constantly growing. It is currently estimated to consist of
over 150 million people accounting for sixty percent of the total consumption in the
country. This is reflected also in the growing demand for electricity that is taking its
toilonthepowersectorinIndia.Allstatesarefacingacutepowershortages.Withthe
growing environmental crises, a huge opportunity is seeing in energy efficient
technologies.
ThisprojectwasdoneataleadingdesignconsultancyinIndiatogaininsightsforLED
home lighting solutions for the Indian Middle Class. Lighting consumes eighteen
percent of the total power generated. We still see a high use of the power-eating
incandescent light bulb with CFL’s rapidly growing in demand due to their
comparativeenergysaving.
LEDs consume a tenth of the power of bulbs with a life of more than 30,000 hours.
They withstand greater shock, temperature and vibration variation. With high
durability and a low maintenance costs LED technologies are advancing at a rapid
pace.Theirsmallsizemakestheneasilyflexibleandadaptable.Howeverthemain
disadvantageliesinthehighercosttoachievesimilarwatts.
The growing interest in LED lighting and its rapid pace of development signals that
thisisapromisingtechnologyforthefuture.
This project was done for a local lighting manufacturer to gain valuable insights for
the potential of this technology in the Indian Middle Class. Insights gained aimed to
fuel an array of disruptive concepts to introduce LED lighting into the price sensitive
Indianmarket.
Aim
14. Field Research
Field research consisted of studying the way lighting was used and perceived in 30 local households. The insights were developed through observational research,
pictures taken from the houses as well as in-depth contextual interviews. This helped gain a deep understanding of the people emotional and functional needs and
aspirations. Additionally it helped understand the difficulties faced by current lighting methods.
Insights from functional households (lower-middle income group)
Lighting used sparingly as a
necessi ty to avoid high
electricity bills
Small crammed living
environments with one or
two light fixtures
Lights are often bare
causing strain to the eyes
Would like new lighting
formats to fit into current
bulb fixtures
High lighting levels for
living room and bathroom,
low lighting levels for
kitchen and bedroom.
Would like dimmibility feature
in lights especially if it helped
reduce consumption when
dimmer light used
Due to crammed rooms
they want small compact
lighting with a wide spread
Insights from functional households (lower-middle income group)
Ambience is important
especially in the living
room where guests are
received
Living rooms have multiple
lights with shades whilst
bedrroms have simplistic
tube lights
Would like dimmibility
feature so that not many
fixtures are required for
different lighting levels
High lighting levels seen in
all rooms
15. Decoding
These insights were then decoded to form a target
consumerprofile.
A scenario of his needs, concerns and aspirations was
drawn to encapsulate the target consumer. Six areas of
improvement were then identified which would enrich
thelightofferingsmadetoRajesh,thetargetconsumer.
How can we give efficient
spread of light?
How can the light adapt to
the crammed living
environments so that it is
not blocked by projecting
furniture?
How can we reduce the
glare of the light fixture
without compromising on
the lighting level?
Can we combine three
lighting level requirements
in a single fixture?
Can we transform the light
from focused to ambient
lighting as per our need?
Can we make the replactment
of lights an easy and safe
process for older consumers
Idea Generation
These insights were then decoded to form a target
consumerprofile.
A scenario of his needs, concerns and aspirations was
drawn toencapsulatethe targetconsumer. Sevenareas of
improvement were then identified which would enrich
thelightofferingsmadetoRajesh,thetargetconsumer.
17. Master’s project on Integrated Strategy Communication and branding
Jan 2011
Introduction
NewTudorBrandstrategy
TheTudorwatchbrandwasstartedbyHansWilsdorf,thecreatorofRolex,on6March
1946. He stated that it was created to “sell at a more modest price than our Rolex
watches”whilsthavingthe“standardsofdependabilityforwhichRolexisfamous”[1].
Although the Tudor watch brand shares a rich heritage with Rolex it lacks
individualityanddistinctionduetowhichitwasoftenconsideredasacheaperRolex.
Tudor watches exhibit high levels of technical excellence with trendy designs.
Howeverevenwiththehighdemandofmechanicalchronographs,thepopularityof
Tudor watches is extremely low compared to its competitors. The main reason
behind this is a weak and unclear brand strategy. Through extensive research, this
report outlines a branding strategy capable of truly re-inventing the Tudor brand,
givingitadistinctpersonalityandconnectingtoitsusersonapersonallevel.
The branding strategy proposed focuses with focus on heritage and philanthropy.
Thesewillbethepillarsofitsdifferentiatedanduniquebrandstartegy.
The heritage theme builds on the aristrocatic name of the Tudor brand. The brand
also has a glorious past whereTudor watches were used the French and US navy.The
new brand will capitalize on these, in the past Tudor stoof for the ‘warriors of their
homecountry’,thenewTudorwillbefor‘warriorsoftheworld’.
The philanthropic theme will capitilize on the growing importnce of global issues.
The NGO sector is now the eighth largest economy in the world— worth over $1
trillion a year globally. This shows how global issues are concerning the average
citizentoday.ThenewTudorbrandcatchesonthesetrendsandidentifiesitselfasthe
watch‘forpeoplewhowanttomakeapositivedifferencetotheworld’.
18. The graph compares the popularity of international
sporting events on the left, with the popularity of
internationalcharityorganisationsontheright.
Charitiescanbeseentohaveastrongfollowing,matching
a lot of the international sporting events often used for
promotions.Thesecharitieswouldbenewavenuesforthe
Tudor brand to create awareness through sponsoring
charity events and conservation projects. The World
Wildlife Fund has over 4 million people worldwide, the
WildlifetrustsinUKalonehave800,000members.
With Tudor backing these causes in their core brand
startegy, it would enable customers to identify with a
watch which believes in the same values they believe in.
Branding is all about making emotional connections with
people through commonbeliefsand aspirations.Thenew
Tudor brand will do this by sharing the same dreams its
consumershaveaboutthenewworld.
Number of fans on official face book page (y-axis), year sporting organisation was
founded (-ve x-axis) and year charitable organisation was founded (+ve x-axis)
NewBrandSlogan
“Wealllikeindulgence,butlet'stakeself-indulgencefurthertoenrichchangeinourlivesandinourworld!”
A watch for those who inspire and enable change, a watch for achievers.The youth today are enthusiastic, dynamic and
concerned about their surroundings. The surge in environmental charities shows a shift towards a more conscious,
responsible and un-pretentious society that wants to make a difference. The Tudor watch will be targeted to those
individualswhohavesubstance,andwhopassionatelyfollowtheirdreams.
ThetargetcustomerwouldbethesameasidentifiedbyTudor,youngdynamicprofessionalsbetween25to40years.The
lifestyleaspirationschartgeneratedfortheseyoungprofessionalsisshownbelow.
19. Brand Ownership
“I make a difference”
“From the origins of elegance”
will be built on“Raw Elegance”, it is not pretentious, it is genuine
and it is a symbol for the goal you genuinely believe in and strive towards. It is‘the
luxury with responsibility’.Two powerful slogans will be used as branding signals to
powerfully connect with the consumer. They encapsulate the brand message in a
bite sized format which is perfect today, where there is already an overload of
marketingactivityinfrontofconsumers.
for sporty watches which will build on the philanthropic theme.
This powerful slogan connects to a very personal inner need of the target audience
tomakeadifference.
for the classic and glamour watches which will build
ontheheritageoftheTudordynasty.
ThenewTudorLogo
The old Tudor logo with the Tudor rose and the Tudor shield is perfect for the new
brandingstrategyandhasthereforebeenbroughtback.TheTudorshieldrepresents
protection,powerandstrengthandtheTudorrosestandsforeleganceandbeauty.
A combination of both denotes preservation of timeless beauty and elegance in tue
with the new brand strategy. The typography of the brand has also been brought
backtobringtheidentityofTudor’saristocraticnameout.
The new Tudor Logo
NewMarketingcampaign
The new marketing campaign will use Inspiring commercials depicting the story of
reallifeheroeswhomakeadifferencewillbeusedtoinspireandmovethecustomer.
20. Brandambassadorswill also be used as powerful toolsin marketing campaign.The
newbrandigstrategywouldusebrandambassadorswhoarenotonlysuccessfulbut
also believe in the same values as the Tudor brand. They will be celebrities who are
actively involved in environmental causes. Examples include Pierce Brosnan, who
passionatelyleadsappealsandcharityworkinenvironmentalissues.
Scarlett Johansson was selected for the second brand strategy“From the origins of
elegance”. She is not only a symbol for elegance and beauty, but is also incvolved in
severalenvironmentalcharitieslikeOxfam.
New Tudor advert with Pierce Brosnan
New Tudor advert with Scarlett Johansson
Conclusion
TheTudor brand was re-invented. The powerful brand idea combined with relevant
brandingsignalsarecapableofprovidinganewandempoweringbrandexperience.
The brand slogan “I make a difference” connects to a strong personal need to their
consumer to make a difference. Just like the Harley Davidsonis an experience for the
‘rebel lifestyle’, the Tudor creates the expereince for the ‘warriors of the world’. The
Tudor watch gives an identity to the young, affluent professionals whose concerns
abouttheenvironmentaregrowing.
The newTudor brand will empower consumers to influence the sponsorships taken
up by the brand. It will encourage strong consumer interation through forums,
charity balls and suck-like to create a community of “Tudor Warriors”. It has the
potential of becoming much morethen jus a watch, but a movement of like-minded
people.
Brandingisallaboutemotions.Thisthemepromotesthefeelingofapassionatedrive
to achieve its own goals as a brand, at the same time inspiring its customer to set the
same high standardsfor themselves, tomake a differencein their ownlivesas wellas
the world around them. Luxury conservation is seen today in many areas such as
luxury conservation holidays, charity events and balls and is hence gaining a lot of
interest.
The second slogan“from the origin of heritage”goes back to the roots of the English
history making use of Tudor’s aristocratic name and the several attributes it holds
suchatchange,transformation,eleganceandsophistication.
Most luxury watch brands support different sports. The proposed strategy stands
apart from the common message, but still focuses on a very relevant message. This
simple and differentiated strategy is capable of creating a compelling vision, of re-
inventionandtransformation,takingtheTudorbrandtonewheights.
21. Master's Entrepreneurship Module
Feb 2011
Abstract
The Indian urban market is currently generating e-waste at alarming rates posing
severe environmental and health concerns. Mumbai tops the list with 19,000 tonnes
ofelectronicwasteproducedandmorebeinggeneratedatfrighteningrates.Mobile
phones are one of the four major constituents of e-waste. This report summarizes a
business plan for an innovative mobile phone leasing service targeted the Indian
urban market. This will promote a culture of phone rotation and re-use, through
different income groups in the society, shifting the focus from the product to an
enhanced service thereby radically changing current consumer behavior. This
product will be further supported with a mobile phone ID tag that will enable easy
data transfer and virtual data storage to simplify the process of phone rotation, also
eliminatingtheneedformemorycards.
This product-service solution is capable of increasing the average usage life of a
phone, from the current 2 years, to 6-7 years, reducing mobile phone e-waste
generationbyatleast50percent.Thepropositionaimstotransformuserbehaviorto
a more sustainable approach building on the ‘Use not Own’ philosophy. The
marketing plan launches first in famous colleges in Mumbai to spread awareness of
theserviceamongststudents,whoarethehighestusersofsmartphones.
The proposed plan potentially aims to reach its break-even point after 18 months,
when its expected consumer base would be 0.3% of the targeted consumer group.
Beingahighlyscalableproposition,ithasthepotentialtobecomeahighlyprofitable
venturewithinfiveyears.
In India, currently service providers operate separately from handset providers.
Hence the majority of phones are newly purchased with the whole amount paid up
front.AsthecostofsmartphonesishighonlyasmallsegmentoftheIndiansocietyis
able toaffordsmart phones.Themajority of the Indian populationbuyscheaper low
qualityhandsets.Mainproblemswiththissystem:
E-waste: High discard rate of mobile phones of 1-3 years, is causing an enormous
amount of e-waste generation. Mumbai for example generated 144 tones of mobile
phone e-waste in 2007, expected to reach over 661 tones generated annually by
2015(IRGSystemsSouthAsia,2007).
Introduction:ProblemsfacedintheIndianphonescenario
22. Low-income group: The majority of the Indian population does not have access to
the latest technology and smart phones. There is a high demand for low cost smart
phone options with growing literacy rates, as a result of which they purchase cheap
qualityphonesthatneedtobefrequentlyreplaced.
Trendy high-end: The small percentage of affluent high-end consumers, want to
movewiththetrends,makingthemfrequentlydiscardtheirphones.
Unreliable quality of second hand phones: Second hand phones are usually sold
through small independent retailers with no quality assurance, making people
refrainfrompurchasingsecondhandphones.
The proposed solution takes into account the demands of different income groups
andproposesacustomizedleasingsystemformobilephonestoensureproductsare
Productandservicestrategy
rotated till they reach their end of life and then re-cycled and disposed in a
responsible way. It aims to shift the focus from the product to enhanced services
thereby influencing consumer behavior to adopt a more sustainable approach,
whilsttalkingwithalltheproblemsexplainedearlier.
Thetargetmarket includes students and young professionals who fall within the 15-
30yearsagegroup.Literacyratesintheyouthisincreasingandastheybecomemore
technology savvy thereby wanting access to smart phones. Additionally university
students, being a great source of word-of-mouth promotion, would enable a rapid
uptakeoncetheservicehasprovenitscompetitiveadvantage.
Productandservicedescription
Two leasing options will be provided which will be the new phone-leasing contract
and the second hand phone-leasing contract. The illustration of the proposed
servicethroughthedifferentconsumersegmentsisshownbelow.
23. ServiceA:Newphoneleasingcontract
New phone leasing services will be targeted towards the affluent high-income
group enabling them to use a brand new phone every 6-12 months along with
additional services like repair and maintenance by paying 6-8% of the cost price of
the phone every month. Being a less price sensitive segment and spending high
amounts on telecommunications, this would be an attractive service for them, as it
willallowthemtoenjoynewphoneswithouthavingtopaythefullprice.
ServiceB:Secondhandphoneleasingcontract
The handsets would then be rotated at a cheaper rate to the next income group, at
5% of the cost price per month. This segment is more sensitive to price typically
waiting for prices to come down before purchasing the latest handset. Relative
advantagetothis group wouldbe an access tosmart phones just 6-12 monthsold at
a reasonable price. Second hand phones would be reconditioned to ensure high
quality of the phone. Additional benefits like minimum term of lease as less as one
month would make it even more attractive. The phones will then be rotated to the
lower income groups at cheaper rates as shown in the phone leasing service model.
Theolderthephonethecheaperitwouldbetolease,therebygivingtheuserarange
ofpricesandmodelstochoosefrom.
Technologysupport
Technology transition is often the main barrier for the adoption of new innovative
technologies. To provide a smooth transition, an ID tag will store all the consumer’s
phone data on a virtual server that will help transfer the data effortlessly when the
consumerchangestheirphone.Thisdatawillbepasswordprotectedandconnected
to the 3G networks in India. It would therefore be compatible with the latest phones
andenableuserstosynchronizetheirdatabetweendifferentdevices.
24. MarketAnalysisandStrategy
The Indian communication market is growing rapidly with 5 million new
connections every month. It is forecasted to grow the fastest with the compound
annual growth for the urban market reaching 14.4% in 2025 (McKinsey Global
Institute,2008).
Source: McKinsey Global Institute (2008)
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Pilot: Jaihind college
After 6 months: Xaviers college
Total student population: 11,500
Customer forecast: 1,622 (15%)
Open store in Colaba Mumbai: College road
Total target population: 2.5 million
Customer forecast: 6,110 (0.3%)
Total target population: 2.5 million
Customer forecast: 16,380 (0.7%)
Open new store in Mumbai
Customer forecast: 28,280 (1.0%)
Open another store in Mumbai
Customer forecast: 47,637 (2%)
GrowthPlan
The customer forecast for the next five years has been shown below. In the first year
weaim toattract 15% percentof the collegestudent population. Oncewereach this
target, we will proceed to open stores in the high streets of Mumbai, which are
frequented by the targeted population, and aim to reach a target of 2% of the total
Mumbaitargetgroupbytheendofyear5.
PricingStrategy
The pricing strategy has been set up as a monthly lease rate for the phone hire. The
rate of the phone depends on the age of the phone, hence the older the phone the
cheaperitwouldbetolease.
ServiceA:Newphoneleasingservice
The new phone leasing service will be provided a minimum contract length of 6
months up to 12 months, with a monthly fee of 6-8% of the phone cost price. This
pricehasbeensetlookingatthedepreciationvalueofphones.Thesamplepricesfor
the Blackberry Curve 8900 with a market price of Rs. 28,000 (£375) have been
providedbelow.
MarketingPlan
The venture will be first launched in Mumbai colleges, targeting college students,
through sponsorship of college events and on-campus promotions. The growth
strategy starts with a pilot set up in Jaihind, one of Mumbai’s famous colleges
attracting over 5000 students. Once the pilot is successful, the next step would be to
spread across into the popular high streets, daily frequented by numerous visitors.
Thismodelwouldthenbereplicatedintoothermajorcities.
Mumbai would be the perfect launch pad for this venture as it is the biggest E-waste
generator with 2.5 million people between the age of 15-30 year olds. It also has the
highestGDPinAsia,witha77%literacyrateandisthecommercialcapitalofIndia.
Phone lease
duration
Percentage of
cost price plan
Lease fee (per
month)
6 months
12 months
8%
6%
Rs. 2240 (£30)
Rs. 1,680 (£22.4)
The new phone leasing price sample (made by author)
25. ServiceB:Secondhandphoneleasingservice
The second hand phone leasing service will have cheaper rates with a flexible
contractperiodwithaminimumlengthof1month.Themonthlyrentwillbecharged
according to the age of the phone and the sample for the Blackberry Curve 8900 has
beengivenintheexamplebelow.
As we can see from the table the Blackberry Curve 8900 with a retail price of Rs.
28,000 is capable of providing revenue of Rs. 50,080, which gives a gross profit of Rs.
22080 (78%). Furthermore if the phone is purchased for the new phone leasing
service, over half the cost of the phone has already been revived after the first year.
This validates the fact that this can be a very profitable venture after the first few
yearsofbusiness.
Break-evenpoint
Theventureaimstoreachabreak-evenpointafter1.5years.Herefixedcostsincrease
with rhe introduction of new retail outlets. The high variable costs reflect the
purchase of phones. However after 1.5 years the costs of the phones have been
recoveredandtheextrarentwouldcontributetowardstheprofit.
Financials
Pleasenote:AllcalculationshavebeenmadeinIndianRupees[1GBP=75INR]
Cashflowstatementandfinancingstrategy
The cash flow forecast for the first year is presented. This initial money will be
generatedbyanequalinvestmentbythethreepartners.Thisinvestmentwillbeused
to develop the software and set up the first pilot store. Following this, the
government will be approached for a grant in month 6, since it aids government
efforts to reduce e-waste. In month 11, we see another increase in the cash flow as
hereabankloanwillbeappliedfor,basedonthesuccessoftheventure.Atthisstage
theloanwouldbeusedtoinvestinanewstoreintheMumbaiColaba.
Thecashflowforecastasshownwillbemaintainedataminimumbalanceof
Rs.1,400,000toallowforanyextracosts,whichcouldbeincurred.
Phone life
1-2 years
2-3 years
3-4 years
4-5 years
More than
5 years
5%
4%
3%
2%
1%
% of cost
price plan
Actual Price
(per month)
Revenue
(per phone)
Rs. 1,400 (£18.7)
Rs. 1,120 (£15)
Rs. 8,40 (£11.2)
Rs. 560 (£7.5)
Rs. 280 (£3.7)
Rs. 16,800 (£224)
Rs. 13,440 (£179.2)
Rs. 10,080 (£134.4)
Rs. 6720 (£89.6)
Rs. 3360 (£44.8)
Total Rs. 50,080
Second hand phone leasing service price and revenue
(Graph made by author)
26. Profit and loss account
The profit and loss account reflects the investment in year 1 on mobile phones and
technologyset-up.Howeveroncethephonesareboughtrevenueisgeneratedfrom
them over the next 5 years, and similarly the software would only need updating
every year. Hence, although the first year shows a big loss this value will soon be
recoveredwithgrowingsalesinthesecondyear.
ConclusionandExitstrategy
The business plan has defined a way to translate the proposed phone-leasing plan
into a highly profitable venture byattracting a very small percentageof the targeted
population. The service provides differentiated benefits to its consumer's by
recognizing a strong gap in the market, proving it to be a viable business plan. More
focused researchon the reactions to such a service by the consumers will need to be
gauged to further validate its potential. The authors predict the service to have
successfully taken off and be on a steep revenue curve by the end of year 5. This
would be a good time to sell the business to a big service provider so that they can
scale the service on the national level. Since it is a highly scalable service, a high
financialgaincouldbereceivedbysellingthebusinessatthispoint.
Profit and loss account for the first year end (Currency: India Rupee )
Turnover
Cost of sales
Gross profit
Other capital expenditure
Rent on premise
Gas/Electricity
Start-up costs
Advertising and promotion
Telephone charges
Wages
Other costs/income
Profit before interest and taxation
Net interest receivable
Retained profit
4,297,440
- 13,940,000
- 9,642,560
- 150,000
- 180,000
- 45,000
- 262,500
- 70,000
- 8,600
- 1,020,000
- 17,600
- 11,396,260
- 11,396,260
27. Undergraduate design and professional skills group project
April 2009
Introduction
InitialProductDesignSpecification
This project follows from a brief was to design a product to attract prospective
students to the mechanical engineering table at University open days. This report
outlines the process undertaken to design an interactive and automated ‘3 Card
Monte’usingarangeofmechanicalengineeringcompoenents.
The fast speeds needed to fool users were achieved by high specification
components, such as stepper motors, lead screws and control via a PLC/PIC thereby
enablinginterestintofieldofmechanicalengineering.
28. InitialDesign
The initial design was selected keeping in mind the easiest way the cards could be
changedatahighspeed.Thedesignselectedhasoneendarmabletolift,rotateand
drop two cards at the same time. A lead screw is used to rapidly move the arm along
thehorizontalaxisineitherdirection.
Lead screw option with swivel
ConceptPossibilities
To bring the concept into relaization several mechanical components were studied
todecipherwhichwouldbethebestforuseinthe‘ThreeCardMonte”
Possiblesolutionsforholdinganddroppingthecards:
Comparison of holding and dropping solutions
Suction cups were ultimately chosen for this application as no modifications
would have to be made to the cards and the cards have a flat surface which is
perfect for suction.
Possiblesolutionsforactuation
Comparison of actuation solutions
As the product is required to be compact and adaptable, electrical actuators
were chosen.
Monitoring of card position would again be controlled by the programming.
A PIC or programmable Logic controller was chosen as it is flexibile, with a
low cost and power consumption.
MaterialSelection
29. Final design with some dimensions
Features of Final Design
360 degree rotating arm
80 degree lift
1mm clearance to
avoid rubbing against
Perspex leg
Screw with custom made ends to aid assembly
Final Design
Pulley attached to motor and fishing line rolled around pulley and tied to hole
to lift arm.
Bearings to spread
load from Screw onto
rails
30. GrowthPlan
The end product produced is both mentally and visully stimulating. The perspex
frame enables the user to look at the different engineering components in play
inside the machine. With the advent of technologies such as Wii and e-books being
used to enhance the educational experience, we feel the ‘Three Card Monte’ too
would be successful as a hands-on educational tool. The ‘Automated Three Card
Monte’ shows engineering components in action, providing a visual and intuitive
methodtoteachstudentstheprinciplesofengineering.
Since the‘Three Card Monte’is a bespoke product which links to both gaming and
engineeringeducation,theauthorswillaimtoexploreboththeseavenuestosellthe
‘AutomatedThreeCardMonte’.
Marketing for the product will first be centred around its educational capabilities.
The product will be sold at a price of £700.The higher price would be justified by the
expensive components used to perform a difficult task and maintain long term
usabilityoftheproduct.
To lower the price for Universities, additonal aid through sponsorship by companies
supplying the components would be looked into. In return their logo would be
placed on the machine to provide them with exposure to the next generation of
engineers.
After analysing the fixed costs dependant on making a small factory to
assemblethecomponentsthebreakevenanalysisbelowhasbeenprojected.
Variable cost/unit £
Fixed cost
Price/unit
BEP unit
Break Even Point
£
£
£
£
433.29
16650.00
700.00
433.29
60
124793.88
Data from breakeven table
An analysis of profitability conclude that at current factors the breakeven point will
bereachedafter60productshavebeensold.
A mentally and visually stimulating“Aumated Three Card Monte’was developed in
this way using mechanical enginering concepts to grip the user and generate an
interest in mechanical engineering. All the different aspects of new product
develoment were researched upon to realise this concept. A study into materials,
engineering components, manufacturing techniques, costing and marketing
helpedlookatthevariousaspectssurroundingnewproductdevelopment.
The high speeds needed to fool users was achieved by using high specification
components, such as stepper motors, lead screws and control via a PLC/PIC and as a
resultfinalunitcostsaremuchgreaterthanwhatwasinitiallyexpected.
The proposed solution might stand to be expensive, however the benefits and
opportunity for students to see mechanical components in action would be
invaluable. The potential use of the product in arcades and casinos could also be
exploredtoenabletheproducttoreachawideraudience.
Finally, as a design project the design developed is fit for purpose with the
‘Automated Three Card Monte’being capable to inspire interest amongst students
andattractthemtothe‘MechanicalEngineering’displayonopendays.
Conclusion
31. Use of Novel Materials and Manufacturing Techniques
Introduction
Cleaning utensils is often viewed as a chore in the cooking process. Current cleaning
methods include using conventional washing up liquids like Fairy and Persil which
are found to be very harmful to the environment and human skin [The ethical
consumer, 2009]. Although the dishwasher is gaining populrity, it is still expensive,
requiring all dirt to be rinsed off first, before taking approximately 120 minutes to
clean. It is therefore not ideal, consuming a significant amount of electricity,
especiallywithincreasingeffortstoreduceelectricityconsumption.
Hence we see that an efficient, environmentally-friendly and healthy cleaning
solution is desperately needed. This report aims to solve this need by offering self-
cleaning cookware and tableware. The proposed solution is inspired by the sacred
lotusleafwhichhasasuper-hydrophobicsurfacewhichcleansitself.Thisproposition
hasapotentialtocompletelychangethewaycleaningisdonemakingone’slifeeasy,
hassle-freeandbenefitingtheenvironment
TheLotusEffect
The Lotus Effect refers to the sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) leaves which grow in
muddy water but emerge from it completely clean.They have a self-cleaning ability,
which enables any dirt particles on the leaf to get easily cleaned by just a light
showerofrain(Forbes,2008).
Several studies carried out by scientists have found that the leaf has a super-
hydrophobic surface making it extremely water repellent. A super-hydrophobic
surface is measured by its static contact angle when a drop of water is placed on its
surface (Shirtcliffe et. Al, 2004). Static contact angle refers to the angle between the
materialandthesurfaceofwaterasshown.
32. TheDesignProposal
The Lotus has this effect to not only protect itself from dirt and contamination, but
more importantly from pathogenic organic contamination like bacteria or spores.
Hence this technology can be very beneficial for cookware as it gives multiple
benefits of self cleaning, reducing the need for harmful detergents as well as
protection against bacteria (Lotus Effekt, 2010). The proposed solution is for frying
pans and tableware, and will use a Teflon coating with the Lotus effect to provide a
self-cleaninganti-bacterialandanti-microbialfinish.ThereasontheTefloncoatingas
beenchosenisbecause:
Itisnaturallyhydrophobicwithacontactangleof100°C(theethical
consumer,2009).
Italreadyhasawell-establisheduseincookwareespeciallyfryingpans,
and can withstand high temperatures upto 349°C (660 F). Most foods like
vegetable oil, fats and butter start to scorch and smoke after 204°C and
hence it can be used for most cooking purposes requiring low to medium
heat(Dupont,2010).
Verygoodcorrosionresistance.
Teflon has been accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
tobesafeforconventionalkitchenuse.
Teflonparticlesifingestedarenotharmful(Dupont,2010).
Itcanberecoated.
The Teflon coated non-stick pans were introduced in 1961, and have been a huge
success since, as they provide easy cleaning and cooking, the non stick surface
further enables less oil to be used whilst cooking thereby making the food healthier.
Hence the proposed solution will further enahnce the Teflon effect by making it
super-hydrophobic.
Showing the contact angle for different surfaces, and the effect it has in its self-cleaning
ability. [Source: Forbes, P. (2008)]
The super-hydrophobic surface of the Lotus leaf is due to two distinct features. The
waxinessofthelotusleafenablesittobeonlyhydrophobic.Howeverthestructureof
the coating consists of nano-sized wax crystals, which appear as bumps under the
microscope, which make the surfacesuper-hydrophobic (illustrated bythe spikes in
thefigure).
As these aremicroscopic bumps they are able to trap air between them blocking the
watertotouchthesurfacebelow,andhencethesurfacestillappearstobesmoothto
the human hand. Due to this, only two or three percent of the dirt or water on this
surface, is in contact with the leaf surface.Therefore when a water droplet slides any
dirt is easily attracted to it and leaves the surface. This produces a self-cleaning
surface,theprincipleofwhichcanbeappliedtovariousapplications(Forbes,2008).
Super-hydrophobicsurfaceshaverecentlystartedtobeusedinthecement,window
and textile industry however their application to cooking utensils has not been
studied.
33. Proposedformingandcoatingmethod
To discuss the proposed coating method I would like to exhibit the work in two
papers and then combine their results to reach an optimum coating surface for the
proposedselfcleaningcookwareandtableware.
The coating method generally used consists of nano-sized tubules to be formed
above the surface of the product. The picture illustrates a coating experiment
conducted attheOhiostateUniversity.Hereatwostepmoldingprocesswasusedto
compare different surfaces and judge which surface was the most efficient.The first
was a low cost molding process used to replicate a micro-patterned silicon surface
using an epoxy resin, on nano and hierarchical structures. Hydrophobic
nanostructureswere createdbyself assembly of alkanes (C36H74) on the micro- and
hierarchical structures. The resultant SEM micrographs are presented alongside
(Bhushanet.Al,2009).
SEM Micrograph of the different surfaces created at Ohio State University
[Bhushan et. Al, 2009]
Thestaticcontactangleforthesewasthenmeasuredwheretheflatsurfacehad91°C,
the nanostructure had 158°C, the microstructure had 154°C and the hierarchical
structurehad169°C.Theexperimentfurthershowedthatthehierarchicalstructureis
able to maintain an air pocket at the bottom of the droplet, which remains intact
even afterevaporation experiments.Thisensures the hierarchical structureprevents
liquidtofillthegapsbetweenthepillarsevenwhenheated,givingthemostbenefit.
Themicropattereneddesignmaynotbeveryrobustinapplicationslikecookingand
cutlery as they will undergo a high amount of shear thereby likely causing the
modules to break off. Hence the author proposes to combine the nanostructured
plateletswithanothercoatingmethodmoresuitedforthisapplication.
The second coating method proposed is one
researched by the University of Cambridge
where super-hydrophobic surfaces are made
using Teflon. Here a low cost approach is
made using a aqueous suspension mixture
containing Teflon spheres (200 nm) with
larger sacrificial polystyrene beads (100nm –
3 µm). The mixture was spread-coated by
moving a sharp blade across to drop off
suspension on the substrate. It was then
heated to make the Teflon colloids sinter
together. The polystyrene colloids were then
removed by annealing and washing, leaving
an almost hexagonal array of circular pores.
The wettability was then characterised using
the static contact angle of a water droplet. The
density of pores was found to also affect the wettability and depended on the
volume of sacrificial toTeflon colloids.The optimum value was found to be between
0.6-0.75 which gave the static contact angle of approximately 170°C to the Teflon
surface(VanDerWalsandSteiner,2006).
The unstructured Teflon surface has a contact angle with water of approximately
110°C, the porous surface structure significantly increases the contact angle to
170°C. This interconnected structure has also been tested to be more robust in
withstanding surface shear. Furthermore the proposed process is low cost using
industrially-useddispersions.
This contact angle could further be increased using the nanstructured platelets
which would help form a air gap thereby ensuring the food never touches the
particle surface. This will ensure the food easily and quickly slips off the cookware
whenrinsedwithwater.
Illustration of the hexagonal array of
circular pores created in the University
of Cambridge (Van Der Wals and
Steiner, 2006)
34. MaterialforTableware(dishes,bowlsandservingpieces)
The main material for the underlying material in the self cleaning tableware line is
proposedtobeglass-ceramicastheycontainpropertiesofbothglassandceramic.It
isamechanicallystrongmaterialabletowithstandsuddenandextremeandsudden
temperature changes. It also has low thermal expansion thereby making it an ideal
choice for tableware (Lefteri, 2003). This material is currently used in cooktops and
henceisextremelydurablewithalonglife.
MaterialforCookware
Glass-ceramic is a great material to use for cookware. However they are not
completely unbreakable and hence a range of aluminium based cookware is
proposed. Aluminium is suggested because it is light and environmentally friendly
being one of the most abundant metals available (Lefteri, 2004). It is also soft,
durable, mechanically strong, stiff and can be easily machined. It has strong
corrosion resistance and good thermal conductivity thereby making it ideal for the
selfcleaningcookware.
Demonstration of red wine, water and soy sauce on the GreenShield fabric
made replicating the lotus effect (Source: Greensheild, 2010)
Conclusion
Super-hydrophobic surfaces are being used to create self-cleaning textiles, cement
and glass. Applying this technology to cookware would enable a high level of
convinience and sustainability compared to current solutions, making it a lucrative
businessventuretopursue.
This report proposes the possible application of the Lotus inspired self-cleaning
super-hydrophobic coating for cookware and tableware.The chosenTeflon coating
ensures the temperatures upto 349°C can be reached.The further study into tested
and recommended coating and forming methods uncovered a possible process
wherethestaticcontact anglewithwatercouldreach170°Ctherebyalmostforming
a clear sphere with the water droplet. Any dirt would barely touch the surface at this
anglemakingiteffortlesstoclean.
The selection of base materials of Glass-ceramic and Aluminium are to provide
robust utensils which will last for years. The life of the self-cleaning porous Teflon
coating will need to be determined through experimentation however the ability to
re-coat using Teflon ensures that the utensils can be used for a long period of time.
The chosen approach for making the super-hydrophobic surface is low cost
therefore economically feasible and more resistant to shear, thereby ensuring a
longer life compared to other techniques. The proposed solution increases
convinience whilst being better for the environment fullfilling two essential
requirements thereby having the potential to be a truly disruptive innovation
capableoftransformingthecurrentcleaningprocess.
The results of an experiment conducted by scientists to apply the lotus structure on
differentmaterials[Source:LotusEffekt]
