Business Plan

I finished our business plan:


http://dl.dropbox.com/u/31735637/E%26E%20Business%20Plan.docx

Intellectual Property

How can we protect the Memory-Master?


http://www.ipo.gov.uk/patent.htm

There have been a great number of view master 'copies' so it is possible for use to replicate the design to some extent, making it recognisable without breaching copyright laws 
Examples of View-Master inspired designs:  

 The Conway Colourscope  (1950's)

McDonald's monoscopic viewer  (2002)

The TRUE-VIEW stereoscope  (1950's)

A chinese View-Master 'copy'














The View-Master viewer has been around for over sixty years. In that time other companies have produced copies so close to the View-Master design that they can even view Sawyers and Gaf reels. 


Therefore we are able to design a casing in-capturing the character of the original View-Master, but we will have to patent the idea of putting in a digital camera. 

Formative Feedback

We presented the Memory-Master to a panel and the feedback we got was as follows:


They liked the Retro trend we had identified
They liked the idea of reinvention 


They wanted to know clearly what our product was
How would we distribute?
Money required to get the Memory0Master off the ground?
Protection?

Offering more than just a product

After a meeting with the group, I suggested we offer more than just a product, maybe a space for our customers to share their photos, an opportunity for networking and perhaps collaboration of keen photographers whom had purchased the Memory-Master. 

Innovation in eco-friendly packaging: Andrew Kim

I was looking at ways we could package the Memory-Master in a more environmentally sound way, than just using recyclable materials and came across this inspiring piece of design.

Kims Andrew's a CCS student has redesigned the iconic coke bottle to make it more eco-friendly.The new bottle shape would take up far less space in shipping pallets per bottle, and a push-up in the bottom large enough to accommodate the cap of the bottle beneath it would enable stacking. Said cap is offset for better drinkability.

Another interesting design feature is that underneath the label, the bottle is ribbed so that it can compress like an accordion, taking up even less space when it's time to go into the recycling truck.

http://www.core77.com/blog/object_culture/andrew_kims_square_coke_bottle_design_16266.asp

CRS: Looking at how best to package our Memory-Master

Being that I have been put in change of our businesses Corporate Social Responsibility, I've started looking at materials we could make the Memory-Master out of. Due to the nature of the product and the fact the casing will house delicate parts I need a durable plastic which is recyclable.

Polycarbonate

Mainly used for electronic applications that capitalise on its collective safety features. Being a good electrical insulator and having heat resistant and flame retardant properties, it is used in various products associated with electrical and telecommunications hardware.

Polycarbonate seems like the perfect choice as it can be recycled too, it is a #7 recyclable plastic. The plastic is durable and versatile with common uses including compact discs; "unbreakable" glazing; electronic apparatus housings; lenses including sunglasses, prescription glasses, automotive headlamps, riot shields, instrument panels.


The Motorola MOTO W233 RENEW is made from recycled plastic bottles
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/mobile-phone/109133/motorola-phone-made-from-recycled-plastic-bottles/

Design of the Memory-Master

Designed by Luke Harris, the groups CEO

The Return of the Retro Camreas

Retro is a growing trend which seems to have hit photography big time! 


The Diana Camera


Back in the early '60s, the Diana camera was a cult legend,
famous for its dreamy, radiant, lo-fi images. The Diana F+
is a new twist on the classic sold by photography specialists 
Lomography. 
The Diana camera stays true to its form and it still a 120mm
film camera


http://microsites.lomography.com/diana/




Holga


Holga D is a digital camera inspired by the extremely 
popular cult of Holga and other toy cameras of it's time.
Even though it's a digital camera, it retains the qualities 
and simplicity of the original Holga camera and brings 
back the joy and delayed gratification associated with good 
old analog photography.


http://www.saikatbiswas.com/web/Projects/Holga_D.htm

Our Business Idea

SLLAB 'MEMORY-MASTER'


Our product is the reintroduction of the 'View-Master'. The idea is to take an 'old friend' a piece of our childhood & re-invent it, have it grow up with us.
We are going to put a digital camera into the stylised casing of the Memory-Master, allowing people to build their own memories and view them in a unique way.

Business Plan, What We Need To Include.

(3000 words)


Front Page
Title/ Logo
Names & Contact Details




Executive Summary
Who we are
Our vision
The opportunity 
Harvest potential/ expansion 


The Product 
What is it?


The Market
Size?
Competitors  (Direct & Indirect)
Trends & Forecast


Figures


Customers


Unique Selling Point (USP)


Marketing Plan
Where we are going to sell?
Price?
Place?
Promotion?
Sales Channels 


Research & Development 
Prototypes 
Other products
Strategy


Manufacturing & Operations
How will it be produced 
Corporate Responsibility 
Distribution?


Action Plan
'Gantt Chart'
Deadlines
Credibility?


Economy & Finance
Cash Flow


Appendices
Budgets 
Patent Contracts
Team CVs


'KNOW YOUR INDUSTRY'

http://www.lok8u.com/uk/

Initial Business Ideas

The Child GPS System
A system which alerts the parent when their child strays a set distance aways from them.
Idea came about from my mother who is a childminder, she often takes the children she looks after to a park and finds herself constantly looking for the kids as they play. She spoke to me about the idea of a child gps system in which she could be warned when the child goes a certain distance away from her. 


A Student Cab Service
A system in which students can use a cheap car service, a mini bus style system which can only be used by students.


A Clothes Range For Larger Breasted Ladies
Woman with larger bust sizes often find it hard to find clothes that fit properly and have to settle of buy ing bigger sizes that don't suit their shape.
This would be a clothes range which take into account the plight of the larger chested ladies.

Upcycling

An interesting article on upcycling I found on The Ecologist website.
http://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/home/855347/upcycling_2011s_greenest_decorating_trend.html

Conceptual design company Droog (www.droog.com) have many examples of innovative upcycling on their website.

The 'Rag Chair' designed by Tejo Remy in 1991 is a great example upcycling. 

The chair is made of fifteen bags of rags and unwanted clothing.

Trend: Up-Cycling

Up-Cycling is different to recycling, it doesn't require energy or resources to collect, sort or process the materials. Up-Cycling is about reusing something without downgrading it's quality. 
Rather than throwing out old furniture for example why no re-upholster or give it a fresh coat of paint. 


A company called ReMake have come up with a unique way of Up-Cycling by reusing old billboard adverts.

ReMakes™ eco-friendly placemats are made from reclaimed billboards and movie posters. Each one-of-a-kind set of four placemats is randomly cut and selected from the same poster. 

ReMakes™ placemats help preserve our environment and reduce landfill, while bringing an artistic and unique look to your table.

http://www.remakes.biz/Home.html

Trend: British Heritage

Maybe it's the festivities of the up and coming Royal Wedding or the 2012 London Olympic Games, but patriotism is here and a trend that's taking over.

The Union Jack

The union jack is unavoidable in all areas of design at the moment from Jan Constantine's collection of hand embroidered textiles, to Paul Smith's union jack lined umbrellas. 

Locally sourced foods

In our current economic climate everyone seems to be more aware of supporting our local business' and local farmers in particular. There has been a greater demand for locally sourced foods and supermarkets such as M&S and Waitrose are committed to sourcing local produce.

"We value our farmers, so we are doing all we can to support them and help maintain a prosperous British agricultural industry. " M&S

British Heritage in Fashion
Think the great outdoors. British Heritage is all about teaming up wool, tartan, sheepskin and tweed with fur trimmed accessories.

The

 British classic Barbour Jacket. 

Hunter wellington boots.
British designer Vivienne Westwood.

The Brief

During this unit we will investigate where ideas come from, how they are valuable and how they can be developed into viable business concepts. We will see how ideas do not just come from nowhere –the strong ones are underpinned by hard work, knowledge, awareness and research. As the great innovator Edison pointed out – genius is “1% inspiration and 99% perspiration”.

For the Project you will

a)    identify an opportunity for an innovative new product, service or organisation

b)    shape your ideas into a business concept proposal

c)    create a selling business pitch

The project will give you and your team the opportunity to try out your creative capabilities in new contexts and pit your wits against fellow teams.

For assessment and grading during this project, you are required to work together in teams to apply your creativity as follows:

·      Having looked at trends and fads in society and keeping your ear to the ground, identify an opportunity i.e. an idea for a new product or service that you believe has commercial market potential. This may be directly related to your subject specialism or can be something quite different.

·      Come up with a business plan where you:

a.  Develop the idea into a robust concept, describing

•                 The opportunity/setting (trends etcetera)

•                 The concept (service, product)

•                 The target market (segmentation, customer profiles)

•                 Market need or desire and how you satisfy it

•                 Who your competitors might be

•                 Why your concept is better/different and why

•                 What steps you would need to take next to make your concept happen

b.  Include a basic start up and cash flow budget and a project implementation/ action plan (Gantt chart) showing key activities and the timeline required to implement your business concept

c.   Create a selling (no more than 10 minute) presentation of your business concept/idea for a potential funder (e.g. PowerPoint or equivalent), including rationale for proposed business concept and supporting evidence, details of the research and analysis you have undertaken to develop it thus far and the next steps necessary for taking your concept forward to reality. All members need to take part in the presentation which will take the shape of a ‘Dragons Den’ style pitch to a panel.

d.  You are required to keep a personal project log or blog throughout the project to record your research and learning journey.   For summative assessment you will fill in an individual statement through an online questionnaire/ exam where you will account for your contribution to your group and answer some questions on content we have covered through the unit. You will also submit a link to your blog.