Whatever good things we build end up building us
Put the Pro in Prototype
Remember your Minimally Viable Product (aka your MVP)? As a refresher, in business, an MVP is the most basic form of your product you can make. Now it's time we think about how to build it in real life. We use the term prototype to describe the first time(s) you create a new product.
IMPORTANT:
Your first prototype will not be perfect, and you second probably won't be either. Will you be able to sell them? Unlikely. Probably not. And that's the whole point. Building a prototype is part of the learning process. Building a prototype helps you learn how to create value .
Prototyping is the conversation you have with your ideas.
~Tom Wujec
Video: Importance of Equipment
How to do effective Google searches for finding equipment.
~Tom Wujec
"No tricks, gimmicks, special pills, special potions, special equipment. All it takes is desire and will."
-Richard Simmons
Business Plan Part 7: Equipment & Materials
If You're Shooting for the Stars, Bring a Rocket
It's critical that you can make good on the goods and services you are going to make. To do this, you need to have the skills, and you need to have the resources. Here are a couple questions you should yourself at this stage of the planning process.
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Do I have the skills needed to make my prototype?
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Do I have the knowledge needed to offer the services I wish to offer?
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Do I know where to go to get the skills or knowledge I need?
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Do I know which parts of the business I am comfortable handling?
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Do I know which parts of the business I will need help with?
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Do I know where to go to get that help?
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There are other questions you could ask yourself at this point in time, but let's not get too stressed out or bogged down with lots of details at this point! Our main objective at this stage is to do an initial reality check to make sure we know what we are getting into!
Video: Order of (Business) Operations
Business Plan Part 7: Business Processes
“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
– Winston Churchill.
End of Unit Activity
To cover in this unit:
- Prototype of product
• Create a list describing each step necessary to create product
• Identify equipment necessary to solve issues determined from needs assessment
• Identify the lowest cost (equipment, materials, etc.) to make product
