CRI Assignment

Individual Assignment Student Name

: Lim Keng Liang

Student ID

: TP 028092

Module Code

: BM006-3.5-2 Creativity and Innovation

Intake Code

: UC2F1404SE

Lecture Name

: Haslina Hashim

Due Date

: 6th February 2015

BM006-3.5-2 Creativity and Innovation Page 1

Table of Contents Executive Summary.................................................................................................... 3 1.0 Introduction.......................................................................................................... 4 Problem Statement.................................................................................................. 4 Objective Statement............................................................................................... 4 Competitor Analysis................................................................................................ 5 Overview of competitor profiles.............................................................................. 5 UNIQLO................................................................................................................. 5 COLUMBIA............................................................................................................ 6 Comparison of Common Attributes.........................................................................7 2.0 Idea Generation.................................................................................................... 9 2.1 Attribute Listing................................................................................................. 9 2.1.2 SCAMPER...................................................................................................... 10 Product Concept Description.................................................................................... 12 Introduction to the Product....................................................................................13 Availability for Purchase........................................................................................ 13 Features................................................................................................................ 13 Functions............................................................................................................... 14 Frequency of Usage............................................................................................... 14 Price...................................................................................................................... 14 Technology............................................................................................................ 14 Comparison between BabySuit and competitor products......................................15 4.0 Market Identification........................................................................................... 15 5.1 Idea Evaluation................................................................................................... 16 5.1.2 SWOT Analysis............................................................................................. 17 Conclusion................................................................................................................ 18 References................................................................................................................ 18 Appendix.................................................................................................................. 20

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Executive Summary The objective of the research is to develop a new and innovative product that can be of great demand and usefulness for the potential target market in society. This is to improve the current state of the society and also to satisfy customer’s needs. There are many steps that are included in order to implement a new product into the current market. A few examples include problem statement, aims and objectives, research analysis of market and its competitors and idea evaluation. The problem statement and objectives are to be identified first, in order to fix a goal as to what the product has to achieve. Researching the current market and its competitors will help the current team of developers understand the market flow and what makes their competitors stand out. When a market is finally identified, the ideas for the product are evaluated in order to improve the prototype before launching of the final product.

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1.0 Introduction There is always a new product in the market, every now and then there would be a “new and improved” product that airs on the television or on the radio. This is the sign that technology is ever evolving, everyday items are being recreated into something much more than they normally would. In other terms, the world is becoming more innovative. It is the only way one can survive and thrive – by winning over their consumers in the terms of creativity and practicality. The proposed product is a daily necessity for a baby – a piece of baby clothing. As there are many different types of baby apparel available now in stores, this one should be made differently. The clothing should have the function of thermal insulation, meaning that the baby can stay warm and at body temperature at all times. This concept will ease parents’ burden, possibly medical costs in the long run. A baby can be put into the clothing and be kept at optimal temperature at all times, even for long hours. To be innovative, the shirt and pants can be color customized according to the user. It will also have a GPS tracking system in the form of a chip at the top left pocket of the shirt, to help the parents monitor the baby easily. Problem Statement

In this new era where people put emphasis on design and style, it is also important that the product itself is practical. Ordinary baby clothing simply do not have the functions of the proposed product and needs to be attended or changed frequently. With this new product, the baby can stay stylish and also comfortable at the same time. Objective Statement

The concept product will be properly named “BabySuit”, fitting its two-piece description of a suit. The objective of developing this product is to provide comfort for the baby and at the same time, ease the parents with their workload without having them to change the baby’s clothes frequently. A plus point is that it also has a stylish design and customizable according to the

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parents fancies. This will very likely create a new business opportunity and expand market diversification. Competitor Analysis

A competitor analysis is a very crucial part of marketing, as it is where a company can determine whether their product is unique or what can be done to improve it to attract their target market (Entrepreneur, 2015). The competitors of the BabySuit include Uniqlo and Columbia. Overview of competitor profiles

UNIQLO

Source : http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:UNIQLO_logo.png Uniqlo’s headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. It was first founded as a small men’s clothing shop in 1949, where it then expanded and was renamed Uniqlo in 1984. By April 1994, there were over 100 Uniqlo stores in Japan and has expanded to across the regions such as Australia, Canada, Singapore, United States and many more. It has also expanded its product range, from jackets to tees and baby products (Uniqlo.com, 2015).

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COLUMBIA

Source: http://logos.wikia.com/wiki/File:Columbia-sportswear-logo_black.gif Columbia Sportswear Company is a United States company that specializes in outerwear and sportswear. It was originally founded in 1938 by Paul Lamfrom. The headquarters of Columbia is situated in Washington Country, Oregon- Texas. It has outlets in over 72 countries and more than 13,000 retailers (Columbia.com, 2015).

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Comparison of Common Attributes Uniqlo Toddler Heattech UNeck Long Sleeve

Differences

Columbia Youth Buga™ Set for Toddlers

Name

Picture

Free sizing More than 30 Types 

Size Variation (Waist

18-21 inches

Size)

4 Types

Colour types

Fibers that absorb



moisture and retain and re-emit heat that

Omni-Tech™ waterproof

Technology

converts perspiration into warmth.

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

Omni-Heat™ thermal reflective



Composite of acrylic rayon and

Material

polyester Approximately RM45.50

Price

Nylon Legacy Twill Polyester Microtemp XF

Approximately RM 430.00

The two products being compared are the Heattech U-Neck Long Sleeve from Uniqlo and the Youth Buga™ Set for Toddlers by Columbia.

Uniqueness The Uniqlo shirt is of a more vibrant colour, with various designs. It has a free sizing, with suitable and stretchable materials so that it can fit toddlers of various sizes. However, the Columbia shirt is more of an outdoor shirt, where it is more suitably used in cold and chilling weathered places.

Limitation The limitations of Uniqlo’s shirt are that it needs to be washed carefully as the fabric is soft and presumably more brittle. It has to be handled with care. The limitation of the Columbia shirt is that it is bulky and not suitable for wearing indoors. Technology Both brands have their own specific technology. Uniqlo’s technology is Heattech, where it provides thermal insulation by converting the vapor generated from the body into heat, and then retaining the heat in between the fiber of the shirt (Uniqlo, 2015). Columbia also has its own technology, named Omni-Tech™, which is waterproof and also conserves heat within the body. Conclusion Both products have its uniqueness and strongly fulfill its purposes. However, Uniqlo is the much better brand here as it can be worn casually, thus making it more suitable for toddlers. Columbia

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can adapt from their products and apply Uniqlo’s concept to create a new product and capture more market potential.

2.0 Idea Generation 2.1 Attribute Listing

Attribute listing is a suitable technique to ensure all aspects of a problem are examined and monitored. Attribute listing works like this; an initial problem is broken down into smaller and smaller parts. As a user progresses through attribute listing, he/she will discover more attributes. Features Prints

Attribute Design on shirt

Ideas Attractive

Mobility

Stationary

designs for toddlers Stretchable fabric

Material

Cotton/Nylon

Easily

GPS

GPS chip

breathable fabric Removable chip

and

suitable

washable,

Outcome 1. Easily washable + removable chip + attractive designs 2. Stretchable fabric + removable chip + easily washable 3. Attractive designs+ easily washable + Stretchable fabric

Evaluation

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After considerable evaluation, the best outcome would be number 1. A clothing which is easily washable, with a removable GPS chip and attractive designs would appeal to the target audience much more. Attribute listing techniques are very common and very effective when used for quality improvement, especially on complicated products, procedures or services. It can be used in conjunction with group discussions or brainstorming sessions, which will increase its effectiveness by allowing the researchers to study on one specific part of a product in order to gain more ideas. 2.1.2 SCAMPER

SCAMPER is a mnemonic that stands for i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii.

Substitute Combine Adapt Modify Put to another use Eliminate Reverse

SCAMPER is used to generate ideas for new products by encouraging a user to ask questions on how they can improve the existing product. The questions asked will help the user define the attributes in SCAMPER and solve their problems. Method Substitute Combine Adapt Modify Put

Improvement Make it into a two-piece suit Combining science with technology Using breathable fabric

Benefit Easily removed Breathable clothing Able to absorb sweat and balance temperature Children get to look stylish Comforts children at any

Design on shirt to Can be worn in any climate

another use Eliminate

temperature Remove any material sensitive from the Prevents irritation

Reverse

suit Design shirt for adults

or

infection Adults get to wear matching

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outfits as their toddlers

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Product Concept Description

Introduction to the Product

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The product is named BabySuit. The main reason why this product is proposed is because it can help parents keep their infants or toddlers safe. As working class parents, there may be not much time to attend to their infant children and their necessities, such as changing their clothes and feeding them, which is why modern parents opt for a babysitter. Even so, some babysitters may be irresponsible, so it isn’t a risk free solution. BabySuit helps ease out the burden of having to wash too many baby clothes at once and also saves the time and workforce needed to change an infant’s clothes frequently. Availability for Purchase

Because this is a clothing product, it can be started off just about anywhere. According to the existing technology curve, it would be ideal to start off in America, as they are known for being brand leaders in the clothing line industry already. Prototypes can be distributed to regions across the country for data collection and feedback from customers and retailers. The product can be sold either online of at local stores depending on the retailer’s preference. Features

BabySuit has multiple features. It is mainly designed to keep the infant or toddler at optimal body temperature at all times. The clothing provides thermal insulation by converting sweat or vapor generated from the infant’s body and then retaining the heat between the fibers of the clothing. It is a perfectly safe and eco-friendly way to keep the baby safe at all times. It is easily removable and washable, as the GPS tracking chip has a clip-on mechanism that can be removed before washing the clothing. The GPS device acts as a defense mechanism and also a surveillance tool for parents who are always away from the baby.

Functions

BabySuit is created to help assist parents in the terms of not having the need to frequently change their babies clothing and also maintaining the temperature of the infant. The GPS locator helps with enabling the parents to monitor their baby even from work.

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Frequency of Usage

The frequency of usage is expected to be daily as the child should be kept at optimal temperature at all times, even with a babysitter or not. The lifespan of the product is deemed to end at around 6 or 7 years old and it may start from as young as infancy, as the baby might outgrow the suit starting at ages 6 or 7. Price

The price of the product shouldn’t be too cheap, but it cannot be too expensive either. This is because of the GPS chip implementation, which can cost quite a fortune to implement. A rough estimation of around Rm70 per suit is considerable. If the product receives steady revenues from sales, there can be more features and/or designs added for the clothing. Technology

There hasn’t been much technology regarding clothing in these few years. It isn’t entirely out of development though; companies such as Uniqlo have proven that they can come up with new and innovative products. By merging science and technology, there would be plenty of room in the future to develop clothing technology. This product may be simple, but it can be revolutionized in a few years and grow as time progresses. A working internet connection is required to access the GPS locator on the clothing. With the capabilities of the internet implemented already on the chip, it opens up many opportunities to develop more complex and advanced systems into the clothing.

Comparison between BabySuit and competitor products

When compared to Babysuit, Columbia is incapable of matching as it is too thick and not suitable for a tropical climate country like Malaysia. Uniqlo has a better chance of competing with BabySuit, but it lacks the GPS technology that BabySuit has. This primary factor and its

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customizable colours and designs might just make BabySuit lead the market of baby apparel and clothing line in the near future.

4.0 Market Identification The target market of the products are mostly parents and their toddlers, as toddlers cannot pick their own clothes yet, the parents will have to pick it out for them. The idea of the product is aforementioned to allow the baby to feel comfortable and also stylish at the same time. As a new product, not everyone may be interested and even little people might even fork out that sum of money for just baby clothing. But with the extra features and the implementation of technology into it, it will be truly worth it. As it is popularized, the probability of the clothing will be prone to price dropping is very likely, as the technology will grow old.

5.1 Idea Evaluation 5.1.1 Evaluation

Matrix

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Evaluation

Data Collection Methods Staff Questionnaire Lecturer

Questions

Student

Questionnaire What

are

limitations

Questionnaire

the of

the

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

proposed idea? What are the nontechnical

problems

do you think may exist

when

the

proposed idea is to be implemented? Will there be any technical difficulties in

designing

and

implementation the

of

proposed

product? If yes, what are

the

technical

difficulties? Do you agree that the proposed product innovation can be introduced five

within

years

now? What

from

suggestions

can you provide to overcome limitations,

the non-

technical

problems

and

technical

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difficulties that you have

identified

above? What

other

suggestions can you give

in

order

to

✓

✓

✓

improve on the idea? A series of questionnaires have been handed out to specific people for data collection. 5.1.2 SWOT Analysis

A SWOT Analysis is a very useful technique, mainly used for understanding the current situation of a product or system; its strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats it may undergo when it is officially released onto the market. Strengths 1. Customizable designs to suit toddlers 2. Breathable fabric, suitable for baby skin 3. Unique and Stylish Weaknesses 1. Has many competitors 2. Not everyone can afford it Opportunities 1. More technology parts may be implemented ( QR Code scanning etc) 2. High value target market, as toddlers are centers of attention in family reunions and social gatherings Threats 1. Other companies are very competitive 2. Many consumers may not see the potential of the product

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Conclusion In conclusion, the product will be released in a small amount first to test the target market before further improvements. Research and mass production will be continued if it appeals to the target audience.

References Columbia.com, (2015). Columbia History. [online] Available at: http://www.columbia.com/About-Us_History.html [Accessed 3 Feb. 2015]. Columbia_US, (2015). Youth Buga™ Set – Toddler. [online] Available at: http://www.columbia.com/youth-buga-set-%E2%80%93-toddler-SC0030.html? cgid=technology-omniHeatReflective&dwvar_SC0030_variationColor=053#fit [Accessed 5 Jan. 2015]. Entrepreneur, (2015). Competitive Analysis Definition | Small Business Encyclopedia. [online] Available at: http://www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/competitive-analysis [Accessed 14 Jan. 2015]. Uniqlo.com, (2015). About UNIQLO - UNIQLO. [online] Available at: http://www.uniqlo.com/my/corp/ [Accessed 22 Jan. 2015]. Uniqlo.com, (2015). UNIQLO - HEATTECH CREWNECK LONG SLEEVE T-SHIRT. [online] Available at: http://www.uniqlo.com/en/catalog/055.html [Accessed 5 Feb. 2015].

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Appendix

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