10th & 11th - Feasibility Studies

This week we need to start for our domain 4, which is feasibility studies to further discuss our 5 alpha concept was filtered from last week. Feasibility studies define as analysis of the viability idea. We are trying to identify the problem or weakness of every concept and figure out the solution for each. This will help us to think about that" Should we need to continue for this concept?? What if this idea contain so many issue or problem while producing in reality...." However, the result from the feasibility studies will support and narrow down the process to lead us for final decision making.

Basically what we face while discussing...hahaha :)

Basically, we are mainly facing three type of challenge which is culinary challenge, formulation challenge, and processing and packaging challenge. For the culinary based, we need to consider about the nutrition value for our product. Any technical ingredient should we need to add in to get a better product such as "Crisp Coat Uc" can maintain the crispiness of the product even when the product become cold. Beside this, add on some technical ingredient could solve some of the formulation problem in term of the viscosity, Microbial stability, and so on.

Beside this, for the formulation problem is mainly for the cost-wise problem. Any ingredient in our concept is not available locally. As we need to import some of the ingredient from overseas, the cost definitely will raise up sharply and cause the cost -wise problem. If one of the ingredient is seasonal, we may also cause some problem for us to get the ingredient while the season is not suitable for this ingredient to grow. At last, finding an efficient and productive machine to produce our product is another issue we may face in the future. Figure out the problem for each concept is easier for us to to sort out the possibility on it.

Don't think too much...just proceed?? hahaha ^_^

In this week , i'm able to enhance my Discipline Specific Knowledge in term of understanding ethical issues in the context of the field of study. I'm able to relate and substitute the theory and knowledge learnt from the class into practice. In addition, Interpersonal skill is important for a team. As a leader, understand team dynamics and mobilize the power of teams is the way to get the work done efficiently. Hence, the leadership ability of me is improve gradually as I manage to unite them and discuss cooperatively.

9th - Analysing Alpha Concept.....

From the previous week, we have finally finalized out 10 types of different concept which fit to the consumer preference and also meet our innovative and healthy concept. 10 types of different idea generated by us which is not even seen in the market. One of our alpha concept is infused with the local flavor which stuffed with the Spicy otak-otak filling. Other than that, we have invented our dumpling product in to a convenient ready to eat food or act as a tidbits for teatime. So far we are never ever see any ready to eat dumpling shown in the market other than microwavable frozen dumpling.

One of our concept blueprint from 10 types of Alpha Concept

For the presentation period, we are required to explain for our each concept in term of the targeted customer, rational and intention of design, and also the way of consuming. In addition, we are required to draw for the concept to show its characteristic, dimension, and also the packaging concept. This probably easier for us to interpret and explain to the consumer and lecturer. Thus, our lecturer and consumer can understand it clearly and leave a deep impression.

After the presentation was done, we open discussion with our audience and lecturer to find out the pros and cons for our each concept. They will give us some opinion in term of the culinary issue, packaging issue, or any problem or fault would be happened on this concept. Then, Each of them will started to vote for the best 3 and the worst 3 among 10 of the alpha concepts. This will help us to narrow down and filter the 10 concept to 5 concept and move on to the next domain. Although some of the concept will be discarded in this time, it doesn't mean that we can't keep its good point. From what our lecturer said, we are encouraging to combine some of the idea to become a better idea to achieve our achievement. Hence, 5 of the better concept will be remain in this stage for further discussion and enter to the next domain - feasibility study.

Black Bear + Polar Bear = Panda!!!!!!

In this week, I'm able to improve my Thinking and Problem solving skill in term of the creativity minded used in our idea generation. We have putting in a lot of crazy and innovative concept which can literally give a shock to the consumer. Beside this, my Communication skill is also getting improve while keep practicing in presentation and also answering in the Q&A session. I'm able to communicate appropriately in various settings and mode.

  

7th & 8th - Ideation

After finishing the market study and consumer study, we are on the half way of our final project. For this time, we're gonna to start our ideation based on the date that we obtain from the previous domain 1 and 2. Ideation is a way to initiate the idea generation through a creative process generating, developing and communicating of new ideas. Each of us need to contribute ideas as much a possible and then combine together. The generated idea doesn't matter to be care its going to work or not, idea can be crazy like hell, or the cost can be high like sky. As long as we can produce out more and more creative and innovative ideas.

After generating the ideas, we need to sort out the best 10 ideas based on the need of what consumer want and the targeted group. This best 10 idea come with a different way of innovative idea such as new ingredient for filling, new appearance instead of "Zig Zag" form, New packaging, or new idea in term of the way of eating. This best 10 idea is gonna act as our final "Alpha Concept" and tabulate it according to the template provided by our lecturer. From this template, we can show that what is the advantage, targeted consumer, detail of the concept to justify for our lecturer.

From this stage, I'm able to strengthen my Interpersonal skill which can lead my group member to contribute more and more creative idea in this domain. In term of this,I understand the team dynamics and mobilize the power of team thereby to improve my leadership. Beside this, Lifelong Learning is one of the capabilities that I have improved. I'm able to locate, extract, synthesis and utilize my knowledge effectively in the idea generation part. :)

6th - Focus Group Presentation

After finish and complete all of the focus group discussion, we are trying to tabulate all the resourceful and useful data into a table form. This is the easiest way for us to extract it in the future. This is not an easy task as it seen, every single word said by our panel come with a meaning as behind. We need to understand of it and analyse what are they willing to tell us. 

In example of eating behavior part, One of the data show that most of the people like to used chopstick rather than using spoon and fork. From this, we know that dumpling product is mostly consume by the Chinese people rather than other races. Dumpling product is Chinese traditional cuisine is one of the reason cause that dumpling is mostly consumed by Chinese people. However, the main ingredient of dumpling which is pork meat is one of the main issue cause that Malays people can't take it in our Muslim country. Therefore, as we wanna localize our dumpling product, the user of spoon and fork will be increase in the future.

In term of our presentation, we separated the data into three categories which is eating behavior, purchasing behavior, and symbolic study. From this three categories, we can observe that the habit and eating style of consumer thereby supporting our next domain which is ideation part. All of the data obtained from marketing study and consumer study is a back up for us to idealize and improve our dumpling product.

Focus Group Presentation....

From this week, I'm able to improve my Intrapersonal Skill which i manage to interpret the result and analyze what the important part behind of it. In other than that, i'm able to reflect one's actions and learning from it. In addition, I'm able to show my strength in Discipline specific knowledge. In term of the theory part, I'm able to apply the theory in our practical and understand the professional practice within the field of study.

5th - Focus Group discussion proceeding......

During this week, we able to find 20 panels for our focus group discussion. We hope that we can obtain reliable data from our panelist, so we found a lot of different people who live in different kind of background. Both of them come from very different background such as culinary base, Food science and nutrition base, and so on. During the Focus group discussion, there is different role of position in it such as data entry, interviewer, and photographer. Our lecturer required us to take turn in different position so that we can learn from how to start a proper focus group discussion and proceed smoothly in reality. Hence, this is a really precious and appreciative experience for us to learn from in the campus.

In term of this experience, there is some difficulty and challenges that we faced in the focus group discussion. Sometimes, the panels that we found is not that talkative and can't really provide us a reliable and informative data to us. The advice provided by our lecturer which is encourage our panel to talk more is one of the ways to solve the problem. However, we should make sure that don't give too much hint to the panel and cause them mislead by us and bring to the answer that what we want. This is a wrong way to conduct focus group discussion.

Beside this, finding a proper venue to conduct focus group discussion is not an easy task also. We only get one week preparation to prepare our focus group discussion included with finding panels, finding venue, and preparing questionnaire. Although the whole procedure is quite rush and panic, we still able to calm our self and make sure every single step is on the track. All of the panel was invited by us will receive some mystery gift from us to thank for their coming.

From this week , I'm able to improve my Communication Skill with bunch of people. I need to communicate appropriately in various setting and mode to ensure that the whole discussion is smooth and  avoid awkward moment happen in the discussion like silence in discussion. In addition, I'm also improve my Thinking and problem solving skill as I able to solve some problem and difficulty while facing in focus group discussion. 

4th - Presentation and mock focus group discussion

Weeeeee....time flies....it turned to the 4th week of my semester 5 already. We are starting to prepare our presentation to conclude all the data that we collected from the marketing survey. This is not an easy task and we seriously feel headache on it while compiling all the data in a presentation slide. It is because that all of the data and suggestion collected from the surveyor is very random and subjective, this cause the data become very bias and inaccurate. Nevertheless, we still managed to conclude all the data and plan it to narrow down our range in our next step--- focus group discussion.

Focus group discussion is one of the research methodology to obtain the useful data and information to support your concept whether can proceed or not. In this step, we require to find 20 panels for our focus group study and separate in to a few group no more than 5 panels. The length of this focus group discussion require no less than 30 mins and we need to conduct 3 different types of questionaire which is Eating pattern, purchasing behaviour, and symboloic studies. Before we conduct the focus group discussion, we need to prepare our very special questionaire to ensure that we can get some useful and trusted data and perform the focus group discussion fluently.

In this week , i am able to learn thinking and problem solving skill to analyze the problem and lead the team to solve the problem together. Beside this, we trying to figure the questionnaire in a team which will improve our interpersonal skill in term of understanding team dynamics and mobilize the power of teams.

3rd - Marketing study preparation

In this 3rd week of semester 5, we're gonna to analysis our data what we collect from the marketing survey paper. This step is show that how we analysis the data to make it useful and help us to innovate our final product. From what we get the data, we analyse that most of the 10's and 20's people is slightly prefer sweet food but 30's and above population is not. This may due to the health conscious among the age proportion, adult population more concern about their health care rather than the teenagers. 

Beside this, the data also show that most of the population are prefer more crispy and soft texture throughout the texture part. This mean that most of the population are prefer dry type of dumpling which is contributing the crispy skin and the soft texture. Even though we found out that half of the population didn't know about what is frozen packaging dumpling product in the market, but up to 73%of the surveyors willing to try the frozen packaging dumpling product in the future. This is strongly support us to invest our product in frozen packaging in the future.

Beside this, we're trying to brainstorm the questionnaire for the preparation of focus group. After the marketing survey, we're trying to prepare the focus group progression. Our goal is conduct focus group with 20 panels in 2 weeks time. This focus group include with the eating pattern, purchasing behaviour, and symbolic studies. After this focus group studies, it could let us know better of the preference of customer and some of the idea generate by the panels. 

Overall of this week, I feel that I'm truly improve in my thinking and solving problem skill. We need to think creatively and critically in our focus group questionnaire to avoid that some of the question is not that straight forward  and make sure that we can really get the data from our panel. Bside this, analysing the data that what we get it form marketing survey is another task to let us know better of our market.