REFLECTIVE ESSAY

This journey as a semi- entrepreneur or a learning entrepreneur was very interesting as I have got to learn a lot of new things which can help me in future to start my own firm . The module Design Thinking as a subject was quite different and interesting to understand.  In this module I have understood how any product has its journey from its idea to the final product . This module explained the journey of a product and how important the journey of the product is. This course made me understand how important a product life cycle is and how it is to be implemented. This was an incredible encounter I could accomplish in Kingston University as I was a Masters understudy from development the board and business I was truly expecting something new something other than what’s expected. As I was totally guileless about maintaining a business this gave me an incredible chance and today we are experts having our own organisation. Experiencing every one of the means as a new business. confronted all good and bad times, all the weight of making benefits and an effective organisation, testing your item over and over until you’re certain you can dispatch it in the market. Generally, I would state it was a rollercoaster ride where we encountered and learnt things. What’s more, we are without a doubt going to recollect this for our whole lives and who knows we all would some time or another become extraordinary business visionaries in life on account of this wonderful course. Expressing gratitude toward my folks for allowing me a chance to proceed to ponder this course and extremely thankful for having Alice Comi and Janja Song for instructing us.

I had missed the introduction week as it had got delayed due to my visa . When I got to knew that the module is really different and interesting , I was really excited to see what the module is and what I am going to learn from this module. So when I attended the first class of the module I had learned that we have to make groups for a group work together which will be assessed . With the help of our instructor we mad a group of four people where I knew one guy from my group as he was my friend back from India . So one of my teammate was from Iraq and The other one was from Saudi Arabia . These two people had there own opinions about the course and were really excited to work together . My teammates were Akash Agarwal , Hassan Abomelha Ans Siavash Ahmedi.

After framing our group we were advised to choose who will be the Managing executive of the organisation and who will be in deals, the executives and money office. at that point we chose who might be what and proceeded with our procedure. Next, we should see one another and make sense of an issue and getting an answer for this by getting an extraordinary creative thought. It was actually difficult to comprehend what everybody’s preferences are and how might we make an extraordinary item by offering rivalry to our cohorts. I and my group chose to meet two times per week to examine increasingly about our item. I truly had incredible accomplices I set aside us some effort to come and settle to a product.

So Siavash Ahmedi had got an idea about the bike cycle as he got 3 of his cycles robbed because of his cheap and weak locks . So with this issue arising all of us came together to an idea where we would make a lock for a bike which was really strong and time consuming for the the thief to break the lock . So we had started our research together as a team and we all had came together to find manufactures who would give us good and strong parts for the bicycle. We had spoken too many lock distributors on how they will help us and what all changes can be done in the product . We had spoken to our professor Alice about our product and she was really happy to see the idea and the view points we had showed her . In the coming weeks , We had started our research on the lock and were gathering information which would help us to make this product effectively and efficiently. All of the team members were assigned work where they had to contribute the work and then we would have combined that work together . During this journey , as an Individual , I used to think about how the product has its own lifecycle and how this whole process is vital in the success of the product . While this process was going on I used to think to use all the procedures used here in my fathers business so that I could change the business style and bring some good changes in his business . While we all were getting ready for the development of the product . We had been said that we will be having a trade fair in the university where we will be showcasing the idea/ prototype we have been making since the start of the module . The day had arrived when we had the Trade Fair in the University . 

All of us were very  nervous as it was a very thing to us. And personally I haven’t been part of any of the trade fairs as am exhibitor . So this was a really good experience as we got to know view points of different entrepreneurs and our professors which would really help us in the future . It was a satisfied day for me as I had explained about the product myself and had confidence that the product will have its own place in the market. 

We had got reviews from our professors where we had to change some of the parts of the product and had to get major operations ready for the product , like the logo of our company and the tagline and major operations of the business . We were all gathering contacts and business operatives who would help in this operations. Time had come when we had our second Trade Fair on the Eden Street of Kingston upon Thames where we had to open our product for the public . We were really anxious but with confidence all of us explained the hard work and operations we had done in making the final product and made everyone understand the importance of our product in todays time. We got a lot of feedback from the public and many entrepreneurs who gave our stall a visit and spoke to us about the product . We had sold two of our locks to our friends who were requiring a bicycle lock . By this gesture they supported us in our works and also helped us start our business with a good promotion as they spread a word of mouth towards more people . 

The item chosen by us is a start-up bike lock which has been intended for the bikes for decrease in burglary episodes inferable from poor securing framework utilised in the present bicycles. Our item is an exceedingly progressive item with improved highlights, two cautions and a GPS route to guarantee that the bicycle stays safe consistently. Every one of the viewpoints relating to out start-up as far as the highlights of the item went with the investigation of the contenders, client and market section for the item and furthermore the diverse options of the item that as of now exist in the market must be displayed in the introduction. Besides, the market passage methodology alongside valuing of the item was additionally examined by us amid the introduction. 

I found that cooperation has been very gainful for us and our gathering had every single accommodating part which guaranteed that the whole work was subdivided into little errands and was bifurcated and allocated to each gathering part by means of an assigned gathering overseer dependent on the range of abilities of each gathering part. Successful research was accomplished for finding every one of the information for the picked item and in end our introduction was acceptable and the item was generally welcomed. 

As all the operations of our Company HSL was going on the time of the main Dragons Den had come down where we had to present our finished product with packaged and finished product . We had completed the product and had made a really strong lock which was really time consuming to break . The final pitch was going to take place where we had to pitch infant of business Investors to invest in our company to help us make this product . The pitch was really interesting as we got a lot of feedback not only for our product but also for a general business to run and how it functions basing on the background . That day I had understood the importance of a business and all its operations. And also I had understood that there are many view to see a product other than our views . This experience will be remembered throughout my life as it was a very interesting and different experience in my life . In future when I will start my own company I will use all the techniques and procedures i have learnt in this module and will make my company successful using the feedback I had got from my well knowledge professors and the judges . As a Entrepreneur I will use all the techniques learnt in this module as i have understood that these all operations help in making any company or firm successful in its environment . This journey of a student to a Semi – Entrepreneur taught me a lot of things from scratch to a finalised and finished product . I would thank my professors for helping us all the way from the start to the end of the journey .

References :

Comi,A. (2018) Design thinking Week 2. (Power Point Presentation), BS7708: Design thinking for Start-ups. Kingston University.

Eppig, M. (2017). How to Frame Your Design Challenge. [online] Tools for Social Innovators. Available at: https://toolsforsocialinnovators.com/2018/11/27/stage-2-of-design-thinking-define/

McKinsey & Company (2016). The power of design thinking. [online] McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/digital-mckinsey/our-insights/the-power-of-design-thinking.

Rocheleau, J. (2012). Benefits of Teamwork in a Startup Environment. [online] Speckyboy Web Design Magazine. Available at: https://speckyboy.com/the-benefits-of-teamwork-in-a-startup-environment/ [.

Design Thinking is an iterative procedure in which we try to comprehend the client, challenge suspicions, and reclassify issues trying to recognize elective systems and arrangements that probably won’t be in a split second obvious with our underlying dimension of comprehension. In the meantime, Design Thinking gives an answer based way to deal with taking care of issues. It is a perspective and functioning just as a gathering of hands-on strategies.

Design Thinking spins around a profound enthusiasm for building up a comprehension of the general population for whom we’re planning the items or administrations. It encourages us watch and create compassion with the objective client. Configuration Thinking causes us during the time spent addressing: scrutinizing the issue, scrutinizing the presumptions, and scrutinizing the suggestions. Configuration Thinking is amazingly valuable in handling issues that are not well characterized or obscure, by re-surrounding the issue in human-driven ways, making numerous thoughts in meetings to generate new ideas, and receiving a hands-on methodology in prototyping and testing. Configuration Thinking likewise includes progressing experimentation: drawing, prototyping, testing, and experimenting with ideas and thoughts.

Design thinking depends on the human capacity to be instinctive, to perceive designs, and to build thoughts that are candidly significant just as practical. The components of configuration thinking consolidate to shape an iterative methodology—one you can experiment with and adjust to suit your necessities. As IDEO originator David Kelley says, structure believing is definitely not a straight way, “it’s a major mass of circling back to better places all the while.”

Design Thinking is regularly refered to as the sound center ground of critical thinking — it isn’t soaks completely in feeling and instinct, nor does it depend entirely on investigation, science and method of reasoning; it utilizes a blend of both.

Another incredible advantage of Design Thinking is that it puts people first. By concentrating so intensely on compassion, it urges organizations and associations to consider the genuine individuals who utilize their items and administrations — which means they are substantially more prone to hit the imprint with regards to making important client encounters. For the client, this implies better, progressively helpful items that really improve our lives. For organizations, this implies upbeat clients and a more advantageous primary concern.

The Four Principles of Design Thinking

The human rule: No issue what the specific situation, all plan action is social in nature, and any social development will take us back to the “human-driven perspective”.

The ambiguity rule: Ambiguity is inescapable, and it can’t be evacuated or misrepresented. Testing at the points of confinement of your insight and capacity is essential in having the capacity to see things in an unexpected way.

The redesign rule: All structure is upgrade. While innovation and social conditions may change and develop, essential human needs stay unaltered. We basically just overhaul the methods for satisfying these requirements or achieving wanted results.

The tangibility rule: Making thoughts unmistakable as models empowers planners to impart them all the more viably.

A business model depicts the method of reasoning of how an association makes, conveys, and catches value,[2] in monetary, social, social or different settings. The procedure of plan of action development and change is additionally called plan of action advancement and structures a piece of business strategy.

In principle and practice, the term plan of action is utilized for an expansive scope of casual and formal depictions to speak to center parts of a business, including reason, business process, target clients, contributions, methodologies, framework, hierarchical structures, sourcing, exchanging rehearses, and operational procedures and strategies including society.

A business model for another endeavour ought to likewise take care of anticipated startup expenses and wellsprings of financing, the objective client base for the business, promoting procedure, a survey of the challenge, and projections of incomes and costs. A typical oversight in making a plan of action is thinking little of the expenses of subsidizing the business until it ends up productive. Checking expenses to the presentation of an item isn’t sufficient. An organization needs to keep the business running until incomes surpass costs.

A business model may likewise characterize open doors for collaborating with other set up organizations. A model would be a promoting business that could profit by a course of action for referrals to and from a printing organization.

A business model is an abnormal state plan for gainfully working a specific business in a particular commercial center. An essential segment of the plan of action is the incentive. This is a depiction of the merchandise or administrations that an organization offers and why they are attractive to clients or customers, preferably expressed in a way that separates the item or administration from its rivals. A business model for another venture ought to likewise take care of anticipated startup expenses and wellsprings of financing, the objective client base for the business, showcasing procedure, an audit of the challenge, and projections of incomes and costs.

A typical misstep in making a plan of action is disparaging the expenses of financing the business until it ends up gainful. Tallying expenses to the presentation of an item isn’t sufficient. An organization needs to keep the business running until incomes surpass costs.

A business model may likewise characterize open doors for joining forces with other built up organizations. A model would be a promoting business that could profit by a game plan for referrals to and from a printing organization.Another business being developed must have a plan of action, if just so as to pull in speculation, help it enlist ability, and propel the executives and staff. Built up organizations need to return to and update their field-tested strategies frequently or they’ll neglect to envision patterns and difficulties ahead. Speculators need to audit and assess the marketable strategies of organizations that premium them.

You have an incredible thought for a new item. You can envision in your mind how it will function and how cool it will be at the point at which it will be finished. You can find in your mind how all of the pieces come together and how much simpler it makes your life. Be that as it may, articulating that is a touch of testing. You get down to business to make something physical that looks like the image in your brain. You make an unpleasant counterfeit up of what the final item will be like. 

By implementing this thought of a new product and making it physically is a prototype . A prototype is an underlying making of an item that demonstrates the nuts and bolts of what an item will resemble, what the item will do, and how the item works. A model isn’t intended to be the last form, it’s the work in progress type of the item. It will regularly have components that exhibit how the item will function, despite the fact that the model might not have the usefulness that the last item will have after it is expertly produced. The model causes you to get a strong thought of what the item will be and make modifications while the thing is still in idea model.

Prototypes can exhibit a thought with more prominent lucidity and larger amounts of commitment than any particular archive ever could. We use prototypes in our work process on each venture, at different phases of a plans improvement and in client testing thoughts before creating or deploying.A prototype constancy can shift incredibly , it very well may be an arrangement outlines, a progression of wireframes, a structure model, a section or completely manufactured framework. Prototype can be made on paper or on screen. As a rule the closer the reenactment appears to the proposed end structure, the more exact the yield from prototyping. Some of the time anyway finding a less precise solution quicker is superior to finding a progressively exact solution slower.

It is less expensive to change an item right in the early stage in the improvement procedure than to influence change after you to build up the site. In this manner, you ought to consider building models right off the early stage simultaneously.

Phases of prototyping 

Low fidelity prototype 

To execute the key elements of the product and the fundamental association process, additionally, it’s anything but difficult to alter, quick to make prototype and the creation costs are lower than different models.

Medium fidelity prototype 

Medium constancy prototype includes more subtleties and the collaboration is nearer to the last item. Much of the time, medium constancy model is sufficient for the client to completely encounter the last item, you can test the ease of use of the item and guarantee that the serious issues can’t be found in the accompanying advancement process.

My blog tells about the Dragon Dens experience which was held as of late in my college. It was a generally excellent encounter for us, as we were prepared for the introduction. Mythical serpent’s lair was essentially an introduction of our start-up thoughts which we were abiding with since the start of the module. The entire thought behind this was to improve our introduction aptitudes and endorsement of the start-up which we had picked

The item chosen by us is a start-up bike which has been intended for the bikes for decrease in burglary occurrences attributable to poor securing framework utilized in the present bicycles. Our item is an exceedingly progressive item with improved highlights, two cautions and a GPS route to guarantee that the bicycle stays safe consistently. Every one of the viewpoints relating to out start-up as far as the highlights of the item went with the examination of the contenders, client and market portion for the item and furthermore the distinctive options of the item that as of now exist in the market must be displayed in the introduction. Besides, the market passage system alongside evaluating of the item was additionally talked about by us amid the introduction.

Our item for the start-up is a bike lock intended for top of the line bikes to lessen the quantity of robberies of bikes being lost. Beginning with the need of the item, the client division, the evaluating of the item, the highlights of the item, the contenders and choices present in the current market to the market passage of the item which we picked was to be introduced in the mythical serpent’s nook.

Fundamental research has been seen to be basic to find noteworthy information explicitly from the potential purchaser of our thing. Tending to the right customer parcel and the fitting people inside the business has been valuable.

Cooperation was a noteworthy favorable position for us. All our colleagues are truly co-usable and accommodating. Cooperation assumes an imperative job in any gathering introduction. My colleagues similarly partitioned the work with equivalent duties and never postponed in work.

To close, our general introduction was great and the judges loved the thought as well. Our course instructor Janja Song and Alice Comi were an extraordinary help to us. They helped in every single part of this module.

I have displayed our trade stands in two trade fairs in the Kingston business school and on the Eden walk, Kingston upon Thames. We have tried to convey our product features and benefits to all the visitors who visited our stand. The main motive was to spread awareness to people about our brand and the unique features offered. We had many enquiries about the product and pre-orders too only for future use by providing their contact details to contact them when the product was ready. Many people appreciated the idea and also were interested in the final product. The trade fairs included the prototype which we had created and our website on which we were taking orders and also feedback forms for people to provide us with feedback on the product. 

The sales strategy for majorly based on the entering new target markets and introducing new products to the market. This was done by increasing conversations with majority of people. As it is a start-up, our strategy was to increase sales to a broader customer base by attracting new prospects with unique solutions and features provided. We have lead with what’s in it for our prospect, clearly articulated our features and offerings, we were flexible on our idea and accepted suggestions and recommendations. We did not have much sales as our final product was not ready and had managed to sold 2 locks only with the alarm sounds to 2 people who were our near and dears who motivated us by buying the lock from us.

The Trade Fair gave me a lot of new experience as I got to meet different type of customers and got lot of views about my product .

The item chosen by us is a start-up bike which has been intended for the bikes for decrease in burglary occurrences inferable from poor securing framework utilized in the present bicycles. Our item is a profoundly progressive item with improved highlights, two alerts and a GPS route to guarantee that the bicycle stays safe consistently. Every one of the angles relating to out start-up regarding the highlights of the item went with the examination of the contenders, client and market portion for the item and furthermore the diverse options of the item that as of now exist in the market must be exhibited in the introduction. Moreover, the market passage technique alongside estimating of the item was likewise talked about by us amid the introduction.

I found that collaboration has been very useful for us and our gathering had every single supportive part which guaranteed that the whole work was subdivided into little errands and was bifurcated and relegated to each gathering part through an assigned gathering overseer dependent on the range of abilities of each gathering part. Viable research was accomplished for finding every one of the information for the picked item and in end our introduction was acceptable and the item was generally welcomed. I am very grateful to our course teachers Janja Song and Alice Comi that they bolstered me with their important bits of knowledge and input all through the adventure and helped me increase basic information required for the fruitful creation and running of a startup viably.

The Final pitch!

Today was the day of pitching our strategic agreement to the judges and persuading them that our product is immaculate and it doesn’t have any issues. It is a major day as the judges will finish the principle victor. As we needed to show our items to the judges in private in the live with a power point introduction it would have been somewhat extreme and I was very nervous. We had got to know from our judges and our course instructors that we won’t be given more than 8 minutes for our presentation . I needed to discuss the importance of the bike lock we had made and the major ambitions and goals of my company .

We had wore T-shirts of our company and also were arranged well for the pitch yet some of them were all the while looking apprehensive like me and it was extremely agreeable to chat with those folks and increasing some inspiration for one another. We had 11 groups who had to present for the final day . We were the last group to present the presentation and all of us were very tensed as it was an important day for all of us.

At last, the time had come when we had to go and pitch the business idea we have been planning and implementing for a while. We all were very nervous for the presentation and very confident as well . The presentation was good as we had got good feedback from the judges during our presentation . But the review given by them showed us that we have to improve in some parts of the operations and be serious towards the business and the company.

After we had given the final pitch all the teams were called together to the atrium and we had been given the results . Unfortunately we had not been selected for the final but I was happy for my other mates who were selected as it was a good experience for them . This final pitch altogether taught me a lot and helped me understand many concepts of business and different view how to see a business .

When fabricating a brand for an organisation, the primary thing you need to consider is the thing that sort of group of onlookers we need to reach. Feeling is a factor that is regularly neglected in light of the fact that numerous visual originators accept that interestingly, it fills in general, rather what is important is the message you need to pass on and what you need to speak to. It is fundamental to pick the name that splendidly typifies an idea you need to pass on. Now we get to the logo plan, a realistic in which we pick the correct blends of picture and textual style hues. Brand configuration contains in itself every one of the procedures recorded above to decide the corporate character, and it will likewise comprise of an entire arrangement of frill required by an organization for their visual correspondence: paper, bundling, handouts, flyers, business extras for clients and workers.

Branding is unquestionably not a light theme – entire distributions and many books have been composed on the point, anyway to place it more or less you could portray a ‘brand’ as an association, administration or item with an ‘identity’ that is formed by the impression of the group of onlookers. On that note, it ought to likewise be expressed that a fashioner can’t “make” a brand – just the crowd can do this. An architect shapes the establishment of the brand.

Numerous individuals trust a brand just comprises of a couple of components – a few hues, a few text styles, a logo, a motto and possibly some music included as well. As a general rule, it is considerably more confused than that. You may state that a brand is a ‘corporate picture’.

The basic thought and center idea driving having a ‘corporate picture’ is that everything an organization does, all that it claims and all that it produces ought to mirror the qualities and points of the business all in all.

It is the consistency of this center thought that makes up the organization, driving it, indicating a big motivator for it, what it has confidence in and why they exist. It isn’t simply a few hues, a few typefaces, a logo and a motto.

Branding refers to the apparent picture and ensuing enthusiastic reaction to an organization, its items and administrations. It likewise speaks to the discussion that clients are having with one another about the organization, and how that spreads. My preferred definition about brand is the one Seth Godin gave: A brand is the arrangement of desires, recollections, stories and connections that, taken together, represent a buyer’s choice to pick one item or administration over another. On the off chance that the purchaser (regardless of whether it’s a business, a purchaser, a voter or a contributor) doesn’t pay a superior, make a determination or spread the news, at that point no brand esteem exists for that shopper.

As an independent venture, you need to keep your clients reliably intrigued by your business and your items. Independent companies are an immense piece of my country’s economy, and on the off chance that you take a gander at the eCommerce showcase, you can see really how huge of an effect private ventures have on the world. In any case, on the off chance that you move the greater part of your items on the web, you truly must have an item that gets your clients’ eyes more than some other comparable item on the web. You might be the main custom wedding band provider in a 50-mile span, however when you open an online store, you end up one of thousands. This fair expands your opposition, which ought to require a requirement for something about your organization that emerges. So why not update your bundling to attract new clients and keep current clients intrigued?

A colossal piece of updating your item is managing the way that a few people (perhaps some of you clients) simply don’t care for change. It’s a troublesome exercise in careful control of staying with your’s concentration and fundamental beliefs at the cutting edge of your item while likewise enabling yourself to develop and change as an organization. On the off chance that you overhaul your item in the correct way, you can change and recharge the vitality of your organization.

The primary thing you need to do when starting to consider upgrading your item is to relinquish any wistfulness you have about the present or past item. On the off chance that you remain too tuned into the old item’s look, you won’t have the capacity to see the advantages of the new, and your item won’t finish up evolving. The second thing you have to remember is your gathering of people. You have a gathering of steadfast clients who you truly would prefer not to lose. The best item update will get new clients and keep the old faithful clients cheerful, too.

Entrepreneurs must be prepared to find a way to characterizing and assessing their thoughts so as to approve the potential accomplishment of their startup. The incentive is critical at the beginning period of the current of the organization since it sets a portion of the establishments for future business advancement: it is a piece of the field-tested strategy, of the showcasing system and characterizes the future client connections. The incentive is the guarantee that the business visionaries make to their clients that the normal esteem will be conveyed to them, that explicit issue arrangements will be offered and certain requirements will be fulfilled.

Here comes one critical piece of the improvement of the startup incentive: The center must be focused on the thought and the item as well as on the client’s needs and the esteem your item and administration accommodate them. At last, even the best thoughts don’t end up beneficial organizations on the off chance that they don’t pull in and keep clients. Your startup’s offer characterizes the plan of action of your organization, how the organization will create benefit and incomes and how the clients will reach and experience the estimation of your item. Financial specialists are constantly intrigued by the incentives of the new businesses they will put resources into and the appropriate response of the accompanying inquiries can characterize the future plausibility of winning and anchoring subsidizing.

The item

In the center of the advancement of your incentive stand the item and the administration that you will offer and give. One of the primary inquiries business people need to reply to themselves is: What am I advertising? What is the estimation of my item to the client?

The client sections

Who is your client and does your item have the stuff to fulfill the necessities of your objective gathering? It is about the client and the fulfillment of their needs and prerequisites. At the point when business visionaries assess their startup offers, they should know about the necessities of their clients and how their organization will meet these desires.

The market fit

When you know why the potential clients require your item, it motivates less demanding to proceed onward to the following stage, and assess the capability of the commercial center that you might want to enter. Is there a space in the market for your item?

The competition

Regardless of whether you see that the challenge is intense and that there are numerous different organizations that offer comparable items and administrations, you have to characterize what improves your item than the current ones. There must be something that makes your item increasingly appealing for the clients and this favorable position will remain in the center of the improvement of the plan of action and the activity plan.