Capstone Project: Step 1

Task

The main focus of the first part of our Capstone Project was to figure out who and what our product will be most useful for. We determined the problem that we are solving with our product, potential clients that would buy from us, and other components to take into account when designing our instrument.

Copy of KROST: Design Step 1 - Defining the Problem

Defining the Problem

The first task that we tackled as a group was determining the needs of our customers who are buying our environmentally-friendly guitar. Our goal was to shape our engineering process around the desires of the customers while also figuring out what is possible and what is necessary. To distinguish between the "needs" and "wants" for our product, our group created a list of demands and a list of wishes. Our main problem was the high cost of our instruments, which was mainly due to the desired quality of the pickups on the guitar. To solve this problem, we came up with a potential solution to design interchangeable pickups. Essentially, we would design pickups that are expensive and better-quality and different pickups that are a cheaper alternative. We plan on designing a guitar body that allows for these pickups to be easily switched out depending on the customer's preference.

Market Research

After determining the wants and needs of the customers, we turned our focus towards the type of customers that would buy our product. Fortunately, our group has a couple instrument players who we received input on about potential buyers of our product. We brainstormed ideas on our padlet and found that music stores and schools that have music programs who especially help beginner players are our target. From this information, we created a customer survey for people interested in our product. Once we gather more information and conclusions from this survey, we can design our product based on these results.

Copy of Presentation-market research report

Customer Survey

We designed this survey to focus on any changes that we should make to our designs and our demands and wish list. The survey also asks about the customer's thoughts on saving the environment since that is a big part of our work. This information will be vital to the way we approach our design in terms of quality and the environment.

Important Concepts

pickups: converts string vibrations into electricity
research: the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions
brainstorm: group discussion to produce ideas and different ways to solve problems
innovation: action of improving an initial idea

Design Sketches

Design 1

Design 2

Design 3

Sketch of Electronics

Brainstorm

Reflection

Throughout the first part of our Capstone project, there are some areas that I have succeeded in and want to maintain for the rest of this project. I felt that my ability to take initiative and practice leadership skills were proficient, as I divided up the work among the group in order to complete our tasks efficiently. Each member was able to complete their assigned task, which showed that we maintained an efficient work ethic. I also was able to practice my communication skills. When some group members were absent, I communicated the tasks that we completed and what we expected from them while they were gone. This allowed our group to stay on top of our work, despite the absence of some people. I hope to maintain this type of work ethic throughout the rest of our Capstone Project..

There were also a couple areas where I could use some improvement for future projects. One of these includes Collaboration. There were times where I wasn't always an active participant in the group, which prevented me from really understanding some of the important concepts of our project. I should have been paying attention to my group and actively listening to the ideas of my other group members. However, eventually, I got back on track and did my part of the project. To prevent slacking off in the future, I could try my best to eliminate any distractions and build more self-awareness. I also believe that I personally could work on improving my work ethic as a Conscientious Learner. As an individual, I am not strong in managing my time, which impacted my productivity. There were times when I wasn't pulling my own weight and was slacking off. To avoid this from happening for the next project -- or any work at all -- I need to focus on my priorities and on organizing my time to create the best quality of work to the highest of my abilities.

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