9A – Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2
After finding that there was an opportunity for better fitting people into jackets, I went out to find who exactly this would help and who would need another fix.
Interview #1: Jessica, Student
- Had trouble with correct sizes, but more for pants
- She said that she most likely wouldn't need this because she likes the look of jackets that are a little too big for her, and would just go up a size
- She liked the idea of using it as an accessory for an already functional jacket
Interview #2: Bailey, Student
- Had sizing problems, but mainly for the shoulders and sleeves in shirts and jackets
- Saw value, but not needed for her shape
- Liked the idea of a thin triangular version for the backs of dresses that zip up (thanks, Chris Barfield)
- Brought up the need for influencers or a promotional plan to make people aware of the product
Interview #3: Nathan, Student
- Had experienced sizing issues for pants, and we had a good minute or two trying to come up with similar ideas for pants
- Saw this as a good opportunity to sell something and help people
Interview #4: Ken, Student
- Like everyone he's seen the problem mostly in pants
- Liked the idea for dresses and asked about a possibility for shoes
- Saw this as a good opportunity and especially if it stays as an affordable solution for people
Interview #5: Chris, Student
- Had trouble with shirts and pants because of being tall (6'5")
- Thought I was going to try and talk to him about religion when first approached
- His height means that clothes usually need more length, not the width solved by my idea
- Saw value and encouraged the project
After talking to this second set of people and figuring out why they didn't need my extension what most stuck out to me is that while everyone seems to have problems finding clothes that fit, each person could have difficulty with many different clothing items for any number of reasons. We, humans, are not made to fit into the same clothes but seem to only make the same few sizes.
I think the primary target for my product will still be the heavier group, and probably in the smaller sizes if my friend Jeff's experience is still taken into account. Most people don't struggle with the waistline of jackets, but most people were receptive to using the Zip Strip purely for style.
Inside Boundary:
Who: People who have torsos too large for standard sizes, or who want to accessorize a jacket
Need: Extra option to customize the size and style of a jacket
Why: Clothes are made in only a few sizes and often similar designs
Outside Boundary:
Who: Most people. Anyone happy with standard jacket sizes
Need: Zip Strip doesn't help the size of any part of the jacket except width, so other people might need length, shoulder size, sleeve length, or anything else that the Zip Strip can't change.
Hi Paul,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your post on this opportunity. It captures a very important aspect of inclusivity and diversity in the clothing world. With the rise of inclusivity in clothing stores and representation of all body types, it is apparent that there has been plenty of progress over the years. However, your product can solve a problem for people that may not have the most “perfect fitting” clothes.
Hello Paul, I think you did a great job at identifying the who, what and why. I do think you should have interviewed people with different backgrounds to make your interviews a bit more diverse. But regardless you got the feedback you needed to make an accurate conclusion. This assignment allows us to see what people don’t like of our opportunity and i think you did a great job on the assignment.
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