7A Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1
Mark Candela
You Have an Opportunity, Now What?
Students and individuals across the country have very difficult times finding parking in heavily populated regions and zones in the United States because of the mass number of people driving vehicles and the limited number of spots and ways of getting available spots to pursuing drivers.
The Who: Drivers, of both cars and scooters, across the United States.
The What: They are unable to easily and efficiently find open spots to park and are late to events or forced to park illegally as a result.
The Why: Not enough parking spots for both cars and scooters and a lack of a function of communication to get notifications for when potential parking spots are available.
Testing the Who: I believe the vast majority of the people I have listed, both car and scooter drivers, would appreciate the product for a potential opportunity. Yet college students around the country who drive scooters would be the perfect prototypical customer for a product that offered these services. Along with this individuals who drive private scooters in heavily populated areas such as New York City would be open to the idea as well.
Testing the What: Some boundaries for the need are a single concise application that directs everyone in the region successfully. Everyone would need to abide by a single product in the market in order for it to be efficiently and effectively done. On top of this, people would need to be weary about submitting their parking so open spots don't seem filled and filled spots are listed as open for keen drivers.
Testing the Why: I believe the why i offered does apply to everyone. This dilemma is common among people all around the country, yet it is still quite a specific dilemma in that it can be solved relatively easily and individuals problems can quickly be resolved.
Interview 1 (Jack):
I asked Jack if he often drove a car, to which he answered "Yes" that he was a car owner and drove it frequently to and from school and work. I then asked him if he ever had trouble or had gotten frustrated looking for available car parking spots. He responded "Yes, 100%. I drive my car almost every single day and parking is constantly a mission." I then asked if he has ever drove or ridden a friends scooter. He said he had, that he had actually previously owned a scooter as well when he went to school on a small campus but sold it following graduation. I asked if he had ever had trouble finding a scooter parking spot, similarly to the car situation. He responded "Absolutely. I actually had a harder time finding scooter parking than car parking." I asked him why he felt that was the case and he simply said there are not enough spots for students to park their scooters in the limited parking areas on campus where he went to school. He said he would be very interested in a product such as the one I was proposing as it would solve a common issue for drivers.
Interview 2 (Angel):
I interviewed someone who I had played basketball with in the past but wouldn't necessarily consider a friend if he was a car or scooter owner. He said yes that he owned a car but has never owned or ridden a scooter before. I asked him if he ever had trouble parking his car in overcrowded areas and he responded "Yes, once or twice I've had trouble finding parking, but I work far from civilization so my parking is usually relatively easy as it isn't nearly as packed as downtown Miami is" where he works. I asked if he would be someone who was interested in my product as I felt it could be an opportunity for success. He responded that he thinks it could be successful and a good idea in practice, but for his personal life it isn't as practical because he is not in a situation where he desperately needs it.
Interview 3 (Jorge):
I Interviewed a collegiate friend of mine named Jorge and asked him if he has a car or scooter. He said he did not own either at the moment but he previously drove a car to school when he was in high school. I asked if he had seen from a 3rd party view the mess that is scooter parking here on campus at UF and he said "Of course I have. I have numerous friends who constantly complain of the lack of space and parking available to them and have to force their way into parking spot. As a result of this, a lot of my buddies have gotten tickets that bothered the heck out of them. I asked if he would consider my potential product and if he felt it could have a significant impact on campus. He said he felt it could have a legitimate impact here at UF, but he really thinks the difference would be in the downtown metropolitan area the most.
Interview 4 (Courtney):
I interviewed Courtney and asked her the same question as the others, if she had ever owned a car or scooter in her life as a college student. She said yes that she was the owner of a pink scooter and always drove it on her way to class. I then asked her how parking was on campus and answered with an abrupt "Horrible! Finding a parking spot on campus in the busy spots where everyone hangs out." It was a common response. I told her about my product and if she felt it could be a good idea and successful in the world and here at UF. She said that she did and thought that it would become relatively popular among students. She sees people fighting and racing for scooter parking spots everyday. She thinks it could be a success.
Interview 5 (Harrison):
My final interview was with my friend Harrison and his interview began the same as others with me asking "Have you ever owned a scooter or car?" He said that he has a car here on campus. I asked him how his parking experience has been throughout his years at UF and he answered so-so. He pays for a parking lot so he typically finds a spot quickly, but sometimes in the years past he has trouble finding a spot. I explained to him my idea of an app that could tell you about available spots and if he felt it could work here in Gainesville. He agreed resoundingly and thought it could help him in his situation perfectly and if it can help him then it can help numerous others.
Throughout my interviews I learned that many other students on campus and other alike on campuses around the country have the same feelings as I do when it comes to parking. The majority of people interviewed agreed that an app of this sort could help them everyday and make one part of their lives simple as ever. The app has the potential to gain popularity not only in Gainesville but all around the country.
You Have an Opportunity, Now What?
Students and individuals across the country have very difficult times finding parking in heavily populated regions and zones in the United States because of the mass number of people driving vehicles and the limited number of spots and ways of getting available spots to pursuing drivers.
The Who: Drivers, of both cars and scooters, across the United States.
The What: They are unable to easily and efficiently find open spots to park and are late to events or forced to park illegally as a result.
The Why: Not enough parking spots for both cars and scooters and a lack of a function of communication to get notifications for when potential parking spots are available.
Testing the Who: I believe the vast majority of the people I have listed, both car and scooter drivers, would appreciate the product for a potential opportunity. Yet college students around the country who drive scooters would be the perfect prototypical customer for a product that offered these services. Along with this individuals who drive private scooters in heavily populated areas such as New York City would be open to the idea as well.
Testing the What: Some boundaries for the need are a single concise application that directs everyone in the region successfully. Everyone would need to abide by a single product in the market in order for it to be efficiently and effectively done. On top of this, people would need to be weary about submitting their parking so open spots don't seem filled and filled spots are listed as open for keen drivers.
Testing the Why: I believe the why i offered does apply to everyone. This dilemma is common among people all around the country, yet it is still quite a specific dilemma in that it can be solved relatively easily and individuals problems can quickly be resolved.
Interview 1 (Jack):
I asked Jack if he often drove a car, to which he answered "Yes" that he was a car owner and drove it frequently to and from school and work. I then asked him if he ever had trouble or had gotten frustrated looking for available car parking spots. He responded "Yes, 100%. I drive my car almost every single day and parking is constantly a mission." I then asked if he has ever drove or ridden a friends scooter. He said he had, that he had actually previously owned a scooter as well when he went to school on a small campus but sold it following graduation. I asked if he had ever had trouble finding a scooter parking spot, similarly to the car situation. He responded "Absolutely. I actually had a harder time finding scooter parking than car parking." I asked him why he felt that was the case and he simply said there are not enough spots for students to park their scooters in the limited parking areas on campus where he went to school. He said he would be very interested in a product such as the one I was proposing as it would solve a common issue for drivers.
Interview 2 (Angel):
I interviewed someone who I had played basketball with in the past but wouldn't necessarily consider a friend if he was a car or scooter owner. He said yes that he owned a car but has never owned or ridden a scooter before. I asked him if he ever had trouble parking his car in overcrowded areas and he responded "Yes, once or twice I've had trouble finding parking, but I work far from civilization so my parking is usually relatively easy as it isn't nearly as packed as downtown Miami is" where he works. I asked if he would be someone who was interested in my product as I felt it could be an opportunity for success. He responded that he thinks it could be successful and a good idea in practice, but for his personal life it isn't as practical because he is not in a situation where he desperately needs it.
Interview 3 (Jorge):
I Interviewed a collegiate friend of mine named Jorge and asked him if he has a car or scooter. He said he did not own either at the moment but he previously drove a car to school when he was in high school. I asked if he had seen from a 3rd party view the mess that is scooter parking here on campus at UF and he said "Of course I have. I have numerous friends who constantly complain of the lack of space and parking available to them and have to force their way into parking spot. As a result of this, a lot of my buddies have gotten tickets that bothered the heck out of them. I asked if he would consider my potential product and if he felt it could have a significant impact on campus. He said he felt it could have a legitimate impact here at UF, but he really thinks the difference would be in the downtown metropolitan area the most.
Interview 4 (Courtney):
I interviewed Courtney and asked her the same question as the others, if she had ever owned a car or scooter in her life as a college student. She said yes that she was the owner of a pink scooter and always drove it on her way to class. I then asked her how parking was on campus and answered with an abrupt "Horrible! Finding a parking spot on campus in the busy spots where everyone hangs out." It was a common response. I told her about my product and if she felt it could be a good idea and successful in the world and here at UF. She said that she did and thought that it would become relatively popular among students. She sees people fighting and racing for scooter parking spots everyday. She thinks it could be a success.
Interview 5 (Harrison):
My final interview was with my friend Harrison and his interview began the same as others with me asking "Have you ever owned a scooter or car?" He said that he has a car here on campus. I asked him how his parking experience has been throughout his years at UF and he answered so-so. He pays for a parking lot so he typically finds a spot quickly, but sometimes in the years past he has trouble finding a spot. I explained to him my idea of an app that could tell you about available spots and if he felt it could work here in Gainesville. He agreed resoundingly and thought it could help him in his situation perfectly and if it can help him then it can help numerous others.
Throughout my interviews I learned that many other students on campus and other alike on campuses around the country have the same feelings as I do when it comes to parking. The majority of people interviewed agreed that an app of this sort could help them everyday and make one part of their lives simple as ever. The app has the potential to gain popularity not only in Gainesville but all around the country.
Hi Mark,
ReplyDeleteIts funny that you bring this opportunity up since I worked with a group of guys who have a start-up on the basis of this opportunity. They created an app that instead of the idea of "ride-share," its a "parking-share" app where you can post your parking or find your own for a sporting event, busy city night out, etc.
However, doesn't mean you don't have an opportunity to create an even better solution. I don't know what that app is up to now, but I believe that its an idea that can flourish with the right attention!
Hey Mark,
ReplyDeleteI think all of your interviews emphasized the demand for more parking space or a more efficient way to get around campus. For this reason, I think your idea would be quite useful and appreciated here at UF, if it ever came to life. I’m surprised that this problem hasn’t already been solved by an idea like yours. Overall, good job!