Activity:

Identify a Problem Worth Solving - II

Instructions:

In the previous session, you were asked to go out of the building (GOOTB) and observe people around you. Based
on your observations, you were asked to identify the top 3 problems faced by these people that you consider are
worth solving, i.e. have a good business potential.

Now that you have attended the entrepreneur session and heard the real-life account of how the entrepreneur
went about identifying the problem that he/she is solving today, you will do as below:

1. Discuss within your teams the top 3 problems that you have identified and select any one as the problem that
your practice venture will focus on resolving.
2. Next, answer the questionnaire provided below.
3. If you need more clarity on how to answer these questions, refer to the SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE given on Page
3 of this handout.
4. You will get another 30 minutes to complete this part of the activity.

Use the following questions to record your observations:

Backdrop: Jason is a person that we met that faces the difficulty of most people with visual impairment, which is
going through places with a partner. Whenever his partner is not available to guide him at the moment, it poses
danger when he go out on his own.

1. Go out, look around you, and identify a problem that you can spot. Explain the context as well.

Jason is a 12 year old teenager with visual impairment; he lost his sight at a very young age. Though he was able to
cope up with his academics by enrolling in school for the blind at Manila, most of the time there is always a need for
accompany whenever he was to venture outside their house, the difficulty from which most of the people with visual
impairment faces.

Problem identified- The difficulty of people with visual impairment to travel on their own or navigate through places.

2. What opportunity can you perceive from the above problem?

If we can invent a device that helps the blind people to navigate on their own through location with their other
senses.

3. Who is the Customer?

People with visual impairment or disability (Blind people).

4. What according to the customer are the main problems?

The need for accompany whenever a blind person needs to venture outside their homes or to get through their
location; the danger of going outside for those with visual impairment.

Opportunity Discovery
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Activity:
Identify a Problem Worth Solving - II
5. What is the job to be done?

With prior knowledge to electronics, we can invent a technological cane that is equipped with GPS and gimbal
motion sensor. The customer can attach an earphone to hear the navigation guide equipped in the cane, the
navigation guide is comparable to waze but assists a particular person through walking. The gimbal motion sensor
facing forward can help them identify the proximity of the object or person that surrounds them, the motion sensor
will be equipped with a device like gimbal to help it maintain its upright position and so it will only activate when the
person or object is in front or near the device. It will be equipped with vibration that helps them identify the distance
through the intensity of the vibration.

6. What job is currently getting done?

The blind people uses a mobility crane that only guides them through touching the area around them or the places
they are going into, they have a partner that helps them know the direction they should go.

7. How is the customer getting the job done today OR how is the customer addressing this problem today?

The blind people have their trusted person guide them when navigating outside their home, though most
of the time their partner is not available when needed.

8. Estimate the market size. Your assumption will do.

The people with visual disability, which comprises greater than 80% in western, eastern and central sub-
Saharan Africa, while comparative rates in high-income regions of North America, Australasia, Western
Europe, and of Asia-Pacific are reported to be lower than 10%.

9. Does this seem to be a problem worth solving? Explain

Yes, because it provides the convenience not only to the customer but also to the person who always
accompany him/her whenever he/she ventures outside. This will serve as the “eye” for the blind people, the
device from which they can trust if they are to navigate through places. This allows them to further utilize their
other senses and walk in places as if they are a capable person.

Note: If you think that this is not a problem worth solving, then you should look for another problem that you
can solve.

Opportunity Discovery
© Wadhwani Foundation Page 2 of 4
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V01