Detachable Basking Multi-Purpose Seat

This innovative concept originated from the desire to have a more customer-friendly and customized furniture that performs many functions more than just providing a seat. To begin, it is important to mention that our organization manufactures of furniture and the recent revelations have provided all indications that the outdoor basking seats have been plummeting in terms of sales. This necessitated development of various conceptions to come up with a way-through idea that would revitalize the company’s image in the market as a formidable supplier of furniture. An idea that was also considered in the initial stages of the deliberation was to go out into the market and gather information from customers and prospective customers among other stakeholders to determine why customers have developed a reduced interest in the outdoor basking seats. The information from the field intelligence was categorical. It revealedthat there was a growing concern for continued reduction in available outdoor space that has made relevance of the basking seats to decline. While these revelations gave a clear view of the future of the fixed basking chair, this paper hold that the new idea of a detachable multi-purpose seat will provide an improvement on the features of its predecessor and give user-friendly outcome.

Product Overview

Since the product is a re-invention of the previously-existing product, it is imperative to highlight the features of the previously existing (or already existing) product. Comfort First is a company that has had a long history of providing customers with furniture for diverse needs. One of the high-end products is the outdoor basking seat, which the company permanently installs in locations as deemed fit by the customers. Fixing them is provided as an after sales service and has been one of the areas that have attracted customers. Secondly, the seats are made of permanently fixed parts, and this implies that once it has been fixed in place, any damage to one part of the seat is damage to the entire seat. It is important to realize that as a high-end product, aesthetic value is of prime importance and thus damage to any part that renders the product to have or portray an ugly image is unwelcome and this approach is supported by Cooper and Edgett (2008) who point out that an innovation from an existing product must offer an advantage over a previous demerit. Meanwhile, the basking seats are generally of standard measurement. These features have greatly contributed to decline in customer desire as they also feel they do not have sufficient autonomy over the products they buy.

An idea that has been considered is to have a custom basking seat with detachable parts, which can be put in different angles to be used for various roles. Having a multi-purpose seat that can be detached and moved easily has been found to have a multifaceted advantage. First, it offers the customer ultimate control over the product they buy. This is a feature that they could not get from the previous product (Innovation Crescendo 2013).

Another aspect that gives superiority to the new concept is the ability of the new product to offer spatial conservation advantage. The previous basking seat could be fixed permanently in the ground at a place where the owner feels comfortable at the time of purchase. The space occupied would permanently be used by the seat. The new concept allows the customer to move the seat hence the same space can be used for other matters such as tent erection. This new seat can be customized for use in the balcony, rooftops, and beachfronts and in the gardens or anywhere suitable for relaxing. It is also notable that in case one part of the seat gets damaged, it just replaced rather than the entire seta being repaired. Therefore, the much desired aesthetic value is maintained. It is thus evident that apart from solving problems associated with the previous basking seat, the new product would offer many other benefits to the user.

The process began with abstraction of the existing product and this is supported by Gemmell (2010), who argues that starting from an already existing product through abstraction provides an opportunity to only make modifications and also offers an advantage of working from a viewpoint of a product already recognized by the customer. We evaluated each permutation we made on the fixed basking seat and ensured that conceivable evolutionary change is revealed. One of the ideas filtered out of consideration was the idea that Comfort First does away with the fixed basking seat altogether. Doing away with basking seat would imply doing away with the entire department. This would present another risk of playing risky card with competition as it would allow competitors to grab the opportunity. Meanwhile, the idea is still under brainstorming as it scheduled to be subjected to the first market test have a pragmatic test on feasibility issue.

In conclusion, as it is evident from the various aspects of the new idea, it is a great improvement on the fixed basking seat. It also promises user-friendly comfort through assured aesthetic value, user autonomy, improved spatial management and customizable to customer desires.

Reference

Cooper, R. & Edgett, S. (2008) Ideation for Product Innovation: What are the Best Methods? PDMA Visions Magazine March 2008. Retrieved March 29, 2014, from: http://www.stage-gate.com/downloads/wp/wp_29.pdf

Gemmell, R. (2010). The Socio-Cognitive Dynamics of Entrepreneurial Ideation. Working- Case Western Reserve University; Retrieved March 29, 2014, from: http://digitalcase.case.edu:9000/fedora/get/ksl:weaedm363/weaed363.pdf

Innovation Crescendo (2013) “Filter: Innovation Crescendo” Retrieved March 29, 2014, from: http://innovationcrescendo.com/tag/fliter/

Qualitative and Quantitative Data Market Analysis

With the advancement in applications in the furniture market, qualitative and quantitative analysis needs to be conducted to determine the market feasibility of a company’s introduction of a selected technology or application. A systematic market research is carried out that involves the objective collections, competition, environment and analysis of the selected application. It involves collection of data either using primary market or secondary research. Market feasibility can be determined by using either qualitative or quantitative data analysis but is more effective when the two are combined. The reason for market feasibility research on an application or technology such as the use of a detachable basking multi-purpose seat is to determine the benefits and disadvantages of the application before investing in their production (McKibben 2012).

Quantitative data analysis needs important attention when measuring market occurrences as is based more on statistics and numeracy. It uses a structured approach that involves large numbers and interviews. It is normally conducted to help the company determine how many consumers are willing to buy or use the new application or product of service so that accurate conclusions are drawn from the profiled statistical data. The large samples enable the marketer to draw projectable conclusions to the market target they want to reach. Some of the common types of quantitative data analysis such as survey that basically involve data collection from several different customers to determine the new technology market feasibility. The survey can be performed using self completion approach, face to face or computer technique. During the survey a questionnaire may be used to collect more response from a larger population.

Another is face to face quantitative analysis involves interviewing consumers either at home or in the street to identify their attitudes and reactions about the introduction of a new advanced detachable basking multi-purpose seat. The marketer is able to analyze the individual and note some of the expressions that would determine the pros and cons on the introduction of the new application. Use of telephone or mobile is a type of quantitative data analysis that is cost effective and quick in obtaining data. A group of clients are called via the phone and their response considered on the technology’s market feasibility. Self completion and postal analysis is cheaper but normally takes a longer duration in data collection. It is not the best analysis approach as it is biased and wrong response may be given by their addressee that may negatively affect the sales of the application.

Quantitative data analysis is more of observations and words and not numeracy. The data analyzed is text when starting the analysis process no hypothesis or variables are commonly involved in this type of data analysis (Deming 2011). Refining and identifying the significant concepts poses a key concern in the interactive processes of qualitative analysis. Conceptualization analysis as a type of qualitative analysis that starts with observation that is directly interpreted and put into meaningful information by analyzing the concept’s frequency through the use of matrix or well designed chart to aid on coding and categorization to examine the relationship from the displayed data to analyze the consumers’ reaction on the introduction of the technology or application (Madden 2010). Ethnography analysis assists to establish consumers’ trust on their products as they live and able to use their approach in marketing their goods.

Introduction of the new application or products may experience threats such as inadequate resources, skills or substandard services that summarize the internal negative aspect of the business that will reduce the overall market performance. Their applications help in product and service assessment.

Some critical success factors considered in the success deployment include taking advantage of the real time insights and alerts to minimize the error rates and enhance the productivity through integration of data and events with their production system. Also use of standard based approach that adopts solutions that adhere to the global furniture standards that will ensure the products are up to scale. The organization needs to be flexible to expand their implementation without being limited to only a single consumer. Also, organization needs to plan for continuous enhancement of products in order to meet the ever increasing and evolving consumer needs.

Types of qualitative and quantitative data market analysis such as survey, conceptual, ethnography analysis amongst others enable an organization to assess the market feasibility of their new application. Assessing and application of the potential threats like inadequate skills and resources should help in product and service analysis to improve their business strategies.

References

Madden, P. (2010). Qualitative and quantitative data analysis in research. Science News, 174, 16-

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McKibben, B. (2012). Statistics in new technology. National Geographic, 212(4), 32-37.

Deming. J. (2011). A billion Lives.Critical success factors. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Elkind, D. (2008). Can we Research? Greater Good, 4(4), 14-17.