Hello Tech Searchies!

Final Week. This week we are so busy preparing for the fast approaching final pitching. We already got our product. There were some issues and errors with it but still we managed to overcome it during the final pitching. We also finished revising our pitch deck for the final pitching, even our BMC. Everything is good to go.

Pitch. So to end our journey with this this subject and with our product. We had our final pitching with the panels, representing our product. It was very nerve wrecking. Yes, we were prepared but we can’t neglect the fact that there might be some problems that will occur while we are pitching but fortunately it ended well for us. Hopefully, for everybody also.

It was a very rollercoaster ride with this journey. There were many ups and downs. We’ve been through some storms but in the ended we saw the sun with rainbows. It was an exciting ride. We learnt a lot. Everything we will be remembered. I hope no one regretted doing their product or from even going in this journey. It surely is a bittersweet goodbye. I’m glad it’s all done but i’ll be missing the feeling of doing something like this.

Until next time,

Validations. This week we finished every data needed, we validated the problem. We finished our quota for the interviews. We also researched other necessary information that we will be needing for the pitching. All is set but there are still a lot of things that are needed to be done. 

Materials. For the upcoming pitching we will be needing a prototype to present to the panels. So this week, we decided to look for suitable materials that we will be using, where it is cheap but still in line with what we desire with our product, strength-wise. We also looked for a fabricator since we don’t know much about steelworks, so we surely need one.Luckily, we found one.

Pitching Preparations. For our pitching, we are discussing who among us is going to pitch, representing our group. Also, we did our best to update the BMC which is also needed for us as basis. Regarding our pitch deck, we are still in process of revising it, incorporating the data we gathered. 

Another Validation. This week we have decided to continue our validation during our vacant time since we have no other extra or spare time to waste. We continued our validation in Limketkai Mall. We have interviewed numerous people with different perspective and different opinion. As you can see in the picture shown that we have interviewed numerous and we are lucky enough that they agreed to do this.

Insights. Since this week we have interviewed more than what we are expecting that we can interview. We have gathered a lot of information but still we have a lot to do with validation. We are thankful for their cooperation though, their insights and opinions regarding our idea is a great help for us and our product.

Class. In this week, we held a regular class for technopreneurship. In the class we were given an activity about Business Model Canvas or BMC. We used a manila paper, 3 different color sticky notes and a marker.

Activity. In the activity, we need to identify our key partners, key activities, key resources, what are our value propositions, our relationships to keep our costumers, the channels we will use for the people to know about our product. We need to identify our target customer,  our cost and structures and revenue streams. 

Valdiation. It’s been weeks since we are doing this validation. We never seem to reach our quota to interview 100 people to validate that our idea and the product that we are trying to make is solving a real problem.

Interview. In this week, we decided to continue our validation at Limketkai Mall. We have interviewed numerous people with each and different perspective and opinions regarding our idea. Many agreed and some disagreed. Some didn’t see it as a problem since they are fine and comfortable in that situation. Mostly also agreed, they say that it is indeed a problem.

Mostly who agreed are women and it very logical that way since most women don’t want a disorganize things. There are also men who agreed but they want to see the product first.

Beforehand. Before the pitching, we have been preparing on what to pitch. We prepared our pitch deck that we are gonna use during the pitching. We decided that there will be two of us who will be pitching and that is Regine Cailo and Yours Truly. Both of us practiced what we are going to say during our pitching.

Presentation. During the presentation, it was very nerve-wrecking because we know that our idea will be judged, criticize and we are nervous because what if during our pitching we made a mistake or what. So it was very nerve-wrecking but it was very fulfilling that we delivered what we need to deliver.

Judgement. So after the presentation of our idea, the panels asked us questions and some caught us off guard but we answered as much as possible. Honestly, after the pitching we felt lost because we don’t know the things that we needed to improve or should we just change our idea or what? but still at the end of the day we did our best and I hope our efforts will pay off. 

Midterm Week. It’s midterm week this week and we have a lot of subjects that we have to take an exam with. We are really busy this week because aside from studying for the exams, there are PIT’s or Performance Innovative Tasks that we needed to pass. It was surely a tiring week.

Rescheduled Pitching. Our pitching was scheduled to be held this week but due to the busyness of everybody. Our pitching was scheduled the week after. It was very relieving since we have exams to focus on and it will also give us more time to prepare for out pitching.

Work of the Week. So our group, namely the unknown, good thing we have a name already. We decided to meet after the exams, which is the very convenient time for everybody. Based on our schedules of exams, we met Friday after our last exam of the week. We discussed about how we can present our pitching, the finalization of our pitching in short. 

(Photo’s taken last January 19, 2018: Meeting - Interview)

Preparations. This week has been a very busy week. There’s not a single a day where there is no work to do. We have been very busy preparing also for our upcoming pitching.

Continuation of Research. Our topic was all about rainwater harvesting and treating it into a drinkable water. We have been researching with that, everything about it. The materials, the procedures, the things needed and the data needed in rainwater harvesting. We have been continuously having a bump with our chosen topic, but there is this greatest bump that made us change our topic. The bump that we are talking about is that we found out that the cost for filtering a water into a drinkable water is really high and not to mention the other materials used in making this Rainwater harvesting. We thought it won’t budge, it won’t sell since if we compare the money that a consumer will use in buying a rainwater harvesting is much higher than them paying their water bill. They might be burden to buy and expensive stuff, if ever they will, where in the end they can’t save any money.

Another Topic. So with these, we decided to think another topic because it will really not sell, it won’t work for us. We spent hours thinking of another topic and as we continued to spit out suggestion. We realized that our suggestion is on a large scale basis and with the limited time, we won’t be able to finish it. We decided to scale down and we thought about the problem that each one of us has in our house or home or whatever problem that they think of that is common to everyone where we can provide a solution to it.

Topic. Finally, we had come to a decision and that is about a “Foldable Cabinet”. We thought of this since most of us loves travelling and we even have members that is not from here in Cagayan de Oro. The problem that we are trying to solve with this is that the traveler's difficulty to organize their things when traveling, going for outdoors activities perhaps like camping, picnics but these doesn’t only limit to that as for the fact that we are still researching finding ways to make it better.

Interview. On the same day, we decided to interview people to validate these information we had. We gathered very useful information though.  We interviewed 10 sets of interviewee and they all affirmed that they love to travel but only 8 out 10 said that they really have a problem on organizing their things on one place. The remaining two used their cars to store their things. We interviewed different people with different positions who has stable income and has some extra to go out for travelling. They also said that they liked our proposed idea and would like to buy depending on the materials used. Which is good also since the product will also vary depending on the customers preference. I mean there is a standard product but one can be able to customize if they want. We are still going through with that idea though, but we are not closing any doors here.

(photo’s taken after our meeting)

Ideas. Initially, before the long break, we already had a meeting for a back up plan just in case our first plan won’t work and it really just won’t. We weighed every option we had about our initial idea but it really just won’t. We can manage to work with it if we had a lot of time but we don’t so we pursued our back up plan, the underground floodwater system. We really thought this one through and it’s feasible but still there are holes in that ideas that we need to fill. It is manageable though and still we pushed it through to the proposals.

Proposals. So, we proceeded with the proposal with that idea. Also, we haven’t thought about group name yet we are still discussing about it. Back to the proposals. We proposed our idea, and it was OK. We are not rejected totally since they still have to discuss it but we are told about the possible revisions to our ideas and we are open for it.

Revisions. When we are told about our revisions on our ideas, we are a little confused and worried because there is an addition to our idea, which makes the scope of our idea larger. We are worried that we might not be able to complete it the given limited time. We are racing against time. So we made a decision to have back up plan again, since it is still not official if it is accepted or rejected.

NEW IDEAS. After the discussion last Wednesday about our project, wherein our instructor discussed about INNOVATION meaning a change that adds value and that in our project it doesn’t necessarily need to be in somewhat connection about technologies like making apps or websites and etc. We just need to focus now on problems in our society where our field, civil engineering, can be a great help with the innovated solutions.

INSIGHTS. Honestly, it was a great decision to make for our instructor and a big help since it was a big challenge for us generating ideas where we can hit three birds with one stone, the innovated solution with technologies and by the end we can sell it.

WORRIES. With that being said, now, me and my group worry about our idea that we have because it was about creating a somewhat a website. We already conducted an initial progress about it. We already interviewed 8 people asking questions that somehow has connection with the idea that we had. Somehow confirming our ideas from them if it was really a problem. Though it was too early to say that it was a problem but still we already invested time with it.

IDEAS. We really need ideas for this. We have been brainstorming for days now. We blanked out at first. It was hard trying to think about an idea where our study can focus on, where it is feasible though we know it won’t be easy but at the very least we know that we can achieve it somehow. It was really a struggle, but thanks to the tips we got from our adviser on how to generate ideas, and with the help of our peers, we somehow got an idea.

MEETINGS. We, me and my group mates, conducted a meeting for us to discuss about the possible topics that we can tackle and find a solution for. We have a meeting either on group chat or in person. There is an idea that my group mate suggested on the possible area in the Civil Engineering Industry where our study can focus on. We got excited because it was a topic that is somewhat interesting but we got bumps with that idea. We don’t know yet if it really is something that fits our goal, where one can innovate and somehow sell it. 

Hesitations. We hesitated at first because what if we will just be wasting our efforts for a study that doesn’t fit our goal. Not just efforts but also time. Also, with this topic I think we will be needing a knowledge about coding. I am not sure with that though. Though we have a background about codes, we just hope that there won’t be a bigger problem for us with that. With our generated idea also, we have a lot of questions like; how can we innovate? how can we sell our innovations? what will then be our product? who will be our target market? will it be relevant?. Questions like that led us to hesitate. 

Blog #001: Who? Why? What? How?

Who? Lately, it has been a struggle finding or forming a group since there is a lot of things that is needed to be considered. In this research, we need people who is reliable on doing their assigned tasks. Group mates who can fill your gaps, who can fill in your weaknesses. One who teaches you a thing or two and vice versa. One who is compatible to you for your group to be harmonious and productive. Group mates who wants to bring out that best in you. One who pushes you to do better.  Now, thinking about my group mates is exciting. Why? Let’s just say that with my group mates, we’re in for a ride.

Why? Why is it that they were the first one who came into my mind when it comes to groupings like this? Let’s just say that are very reliable and when we are grouped, we are very diverse. We have our own specialty. We fill the gaps of the other person. We become the strength of one another. We somehow captured the 3 important roles in a group (Hackers, Hustlers, Hipsters). One has background about technology stuffs and knows how it works. One is very meticulous when it comes to making everything look presentable. One who is very outgoing and can vibe with everyone easily. To my group mates, Good Luck and God Bless to us. 

What? What to do? One of our struggles right now is finding a topic where we can focus. I mean there is a ton of topics we can choose from but since there’s a lot we can’t seem to decided what. We don’t know where our topic will be focusing. But we have been researching individually which will be opened up when we meet. We already have something in our mind we just need to organize our thoughts to know where we will be focusing as a team. Let’s just say that we are at the brainstorming phase in our tasks.