Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

The university online students are unable to easily find and create study groups within their courses because there are challenges to find where, when, and how to create study groups within their courses.

•    Testing the who: Online Students

o  Not every student shares this need. Some students prefer to work alone and on their own. However, there are people who share this need. Theses are the ones who have attempted to create study groups within online courses.

o  If provided by the University, would you use a study group app, where all students taking the class could build a study group within the application? If so, why or why not?

•    Testing the what: The application. I am curious to see how online students view online courses.

o  How do you like Online Courses?

o  What are the benefits and disadvantages of online courses?

o  What do you find most challenging of online courses?

o  Would you recommend other student to pursue their degree online?

o  What would you change about online courses?

•    Testing the why: Would this application be beneficial for online students.

o  Why try and set up a study group?

o  How do you perceive study groups? Beneficial or not?

o  How do you go about finding a study group online? Are you even able to?

·    The interviews:

o  https://soundcloud.com/user-926561703/interview-1

o  https://soundcloud.com/user-926561703/interview2-1

o  https://soundcloud.com/user-926561703/interview-3

o  https://soundcloud.com/user-926561703/interview-4

o  https://soundcloud.com/user-926561703/untitled-5

My Solution

As a UF Online student I miss out on a lot of on campus opportunities. A big opportunity I miss out on is the ability to mingle with classmates and create study groups. The solution to this is creating an application for UF students to use study groups for their respective classes. Here I would be able to communicate with other classmates on subject matters, share notes, and ideas for class work.

Looking for Opportunity

Economic Trends

1. Unemployment Rate: Create Job searching and résumé building.

http://useconomy.about.com/od/economicindicators/p/unemploy_rate.htm

·    The unemployment rate has the potential to decline in the near future. This means more people will be entering the workforce and could use help to build résumés and find work.

·    The target customer would be the individuals’ entering the workforce.

·    The opportunity presenting itself is easy. The ability to help individuals into the workforce would included training on résumé building and job searching.

·    As a former sailor in the United States Navy I have had a difficult time transitioning into the civilian world. However, I have gained knowledge of how to write résumés and interesting job searching techniques.

2.  U.S. Manufacturing.

http://useconomy.about.com/od/Sectors/p/US-Manufacturing.htm

·    U.S. Manufacturing is important to the US economy. Therefore, the trend is that more manufacturing jobs are coming to the USA. Which creates an opportunity to train the workforce properly to be able to work at these facilities.

·    The target consumer is the individual looking to work in the manufacturing realm.

·    The opportunity is available, however difficult. To create a efficient and effective training environment to will requires the proper employees and facilities. In addition, the funds to create such an organization.

·    As a father and husband an income is an important aspect in my life. Being provided the information and opportunity to succeed in a career is essential.

Regulatory

1. Credit card fraud protection.

http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7671-regulatory-issues-changes.html

·    With the economy consistently moving towards the technology realm the opportunity to enhance credit and identity protection is at a all time high.

·    The target customer for credit card protection is anyone eligible for credit cards.

·    The opportunity is rather difficult because innovation process to stay ahead of criminal is a feat itself. However, with the technology available now and the technology being engineered now I believe that this is a valuable opportunity.

·    As a consumer in the US I use credit card quite regularly. Therefore, I believe protecting my credit line is a must.

2. Retirement plans

http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7671-regulatory-issues-changes.html

·    The retirements that our grandparents have been able to enjoy are no longer available to our generations. Therefore, creating feasible retirement plans opportunities are a hot commodity.

·    The target customer is your average working individual.

·    The opportunity to create retirement plans is a difficult feat. Moreover, this challenge needs many resources and research to become available 

·    As a father and husband my future has become extremely important to my family. Therefore, securing my future not only provides for myself but also my family.

Forming An Opportunity Belief

1. What is the unmet need? UF Online students are missing a lot of aspects that an on campus student have the opportunity to do. One main aspect is being able to study with other students in their respective classes.  Therefore, my idea is an app that connects online students and allow for these students to create study groups easily.

2. Who has the need? UF Online Students

3. Where did the need come from (is it new, or has it always existed)? This need is rather new. UF is fairly new to the distant learning program.

4. What are people doing to meet this need now? As of now the students are left to create their own study groups. But, from my experience it is nearly impossible to create an online study group.

Interview questions:

Have you ever taken an online class?

How easy was it to study with other classmates?

Did you try to create a study group? Why?

Where you able to create a study group?

If not, do you think an app provided by the university would help?

https://soundcloud.com/user-926561703/interview1

https://soundcloud.com/user-926561703/interview2

https://soundcloud.com/user-926561703/interview3

I believe that the majority of online students do not attempt to study with their classmates because of the difficulty setting up study groups. Through my interviews it clarified my hypothesis. I believe that an entrepreneur must absorb the feedback in order to better understand their product.  

Identifying Local Opportunities

1. GOING, GOING, GRIDLOCK; Four big events on one day in downtown Tampa create epic traffic problems, prompting city officials to seek solutions

http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?sort=DA-SORT&docType=Article&tabID=T004&prodId=GPS&searchId=R1&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&contentSegment=&currentPosition=2&searchResultsType=SingleTab&inPS=true&userGroupName=gain40375&docId=GALE%7CA452295805&contentSet=GALE%7CA452295805

This article was about how bad traffic can get when there are many high attendance events. A weekend in Tampa Bay that offered four huge events created a traffic nightmare.

The problem was that the highways and streets were jammed packed with patrons waiting to get to their destination. The patrons trying to get to their events and general public on the roads were the ones dealing with the problem

2. CHANGES SHIFT MOOD AT MARINA; Parking fees and valet service are being tweaked

http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?sort=DA-SORT&docType=Article&tabID=T004&prodId=GPS&searchId=R1&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&contentSegment=&currentPosition=24&searchResultsType=SingleTab&inPS=true&userGroupName=gain40375&docId=GALE%7CA452310405&contentSet=GALE%7CA452310405

This article explains the publics' reaction to the change in parking cost for their local marina.

The problem that exists is the constraint of parking within the marina and how the rise of prices has affected the consumers pockets.

The businesses on the marina and the locals that use the marina are affected by the decision to change parking prices.

3. 64 RIDERS LEFT UP IN THE AIR AS SHEIKRA GRINDS TO HALT

http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?sort=DA-SORT&docType=Brief+article&tabID=T004&prodId=GPS&searchId=R1&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&contentSegment=&currentPosition=60&searchResultsType=SingleTab&inPS=true&userGroupName=gain40375&docId=GALE%7CA452310441&contentSet=GALE%7CA452310441

This article discusses an electronic error on a roller coaster.

The problem that exists is that a functioning roller coaster ride with passengers came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the ride stranding them for hours.

The theme park, passengers and potential patrons are the ones affected by this outcome.

4. Palm tree disease ravaging bay area

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CEB2B568392268?p=AWNB

This article is about Palm trees dying throughout many Florida communities.

The problem is that a disease is killing the palm trees.

The problem exists for developers and communities causing thousands of dollars in damage.

5. After three decades, sale ends bay-area newspaper battle.

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CA8B374FD05318?p=AWNB

This article is about the Tampa Bay Times buying the Tampa Tribune.

The problem is with the purchase of the Tribune causes the lost of many jobs.

The problem exists for the employees of the Tribune as well as the loyal readers.