Evaluation
Description
Market Survey
After paring down the many ideas created during the idea generation stage, these were the final 10:
Despite coming a very long way, I can only choose the very best FAK idea to pursue, which means conducting some more research and surveys. While all of these ideas score well in an NVF test, that doesn’t necessarily mean customers will be interested in them. So what better way to determine customer interest than a customer survey?
The survey I created was fairly simple. It displayed drawings of the kit ideas paired with a brief description of each, then asked three questions:
“Would you personally buy this product?”
“Why or why not?”
“How much would you pay for this product?”
Simple but effective. I made sure to send this survey to the three people I interviewed previously, along with a wide range of potential customers. Here were the results (sample size: 10 people).
Overall, I would say that the survey felt validating to me. For the most part, the responses I got from potential customers were the responses I was expecting, which tells me that I have been doing a good job paying attention to public opinion and trend throughout this project. There were a few surprises, however, such as the general distaste for the Conscious Kit and Waterproof Kit. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that those kits would do better in locations outside of the Twin Cities.
Here’s a summary of the top 5 options:
- The Max Pak was by far the most universally pleasing kit. What it lacks in novelty, it makes up for in its value and feasibility. I feel like the Max Pak is a good example of positive incremental innovation.
- The Bold North FAK was the second most popular item. Perhaps the best combination of Novel, Valuable, and Feasible of my prototypes, many people said they would be interested in this kit. Some people did express concerns, however, about the bulky shape and inability to store it in another bag.
- The Wall Mount Kit intrigued many customers, but brought up questions about the situation it would be appropriate in.
- The Binder Kit made sense in corporate settings, but seemed bulky for the home.
- The First Period FAK was polarizing due to its specific use. Some people thought it was an excellent idea (mostly women, but not all). Others felt that it was not necessary to store menstrual products and first aid products in the same place.
Benchmarking
So I have 5 final products that consumers are interested in… but why? What needs in this market are they addressing, and — yikes — do they already exist? It’s time to compare these final first aid kits to those already on the market.
Seemingly, the MAX Pak and the Bold North FAK fulfill similar needs in that they both stand out in terms of portability and number of conditions addressed. Technically, the Bold North FAK addresses even more situations than the MAX Pak, such as extreme temperatures, sore throat, and even last-minute fishing. However, it should be noted that this 2x2 doesn’t address the lack of universality of the Bold North FAK… the MAX Pak may be more appropriate for many living in warmer climates.
The Binder FAK stands out in terms of portability and organization.
The Wall Mount Kit was really made to target the common problem of needing to access first aid materials with only one functioning hand. It blows many competitors out of the water in this way, even more because of it’s roll-up portability.
Alright, let’s talk. Out of all of the first aid kits I benchmarked, why is it that none of them have any menstrual products in them? Like actually, I can’t express how many times I’ve been somewhere and a woman has asked me if I had a tampon/pad/liner. People forget them, or run out of them, and if they were in most first aid kits? That would be incredible. Forgot one at school? Check the first aid kit on the wall. Got your period when you weren’t expecting it at home? Check your home kit. I suspect that the average menstruating individual forgets a sanitary product more often than they injure themselves on a yearly basis. I know I do. So, the lesson here is: even if I don’t choose the First Period Kit, whichever kit I do have will have menstrual supplies in it.
Patent Search
The closest competitor to the Max Pak is this patent for a very standard first aid design. In reality, I pored over patents and struggled to find any remotely like the Max Pak, so I decided the most similar was the patent that most closely resembled the best selling first aid kits on the market today. The patent was first filed in 1924, and as of Nov. 20th 2019, the patent has expired.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US1644830?oq=wall+first+aid+kit
The closest competitor to the Binder Kit would be this accordion-style kit. The patent was first filed in 1998, and as of Nov. 20th 2019, the patent has expired.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US6460702?oq=first+aid+kit
Surprisingly, there were very few first aid kit patents that addressed extreme temperatures, but there was one that had a very similar shape to what I envision the Bold North FAK to be. The patent was first filed in 1942, and as of Nov. 20th 2019, the patent has expired.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US2324194?oq=wall+first+aid+kit
The closest to the Wall Mount Kit that I could find was the
Concerns
THE MAX PAK: My main concern for the Max Pak is that it will not stand out from other flexible First Aid Kits. The main idea behind the Max Pak is paying close attention to creating the easiest access possible to the materials while providing portability. It will be incredibly functional, but if I choose this route, I would need to think thoroughly about marketing strategy and aesthetics to convince customers of its merit.
BOLD NORTH FAK: So far, the main complaint about the Bold North FAK is its dimensions/bulky nature. I think if I were to move forward with this idea, I would have to reassess the shape of the kit that I’ve drawn. I may also have to keep an eye on the cost of production. I want it to feel well-made, but it needs to land at about $40 store price.
WALL MOUNT FAK: My main question about the Wall Mount FAK is exactly who the customer would be. I think it would be very functional, but not everyone wants to have their first aid supplies on display at all times. It is more likely that this would be helpful in a business setting — perhaps a warehouse. I’m also concerned about the potential contamination/shelf life of materials kept out in the open with potential air flow.
BINDER FAK: How will it be easily transported? Binders are nice because they are fairly small, fit into bags, and organized, but portability in the time of a crisis may not be ideal. Additionally, if the customer adds lots of their own materials, I’m concerned that the binder will not close easily if it gets too full.
FIRST PERIOD FAK: I have very few worries about this idea. I think removing the label of being for your “first” period will help, and it could just be a FAK with menstrual products, painkillers, and bandages. I’m fairly sure this would work, as it is something many women create for themselves anyway, it would just involve bringing it into the marketplace.
Pugh Chart
After some deliberation, I decided that the best option for the “standard” pack was the Max Pak. It was time for the Pugh chart.
At this point, I have ruled out the Wall Mount Kit and the Binder Kit. They have underperformed in nearly every aspect of evaluation thus far. Here’s where it gets difficult for me — the Pugh chart describes the best two choices as being the First Period and Bold North FAKs. While these are both good ideas, I feel like I understood the comments I received previously about how people may not want to carry much more than their menstrual products on them — they may not want to combine it with a first aid kit. This really stuck with me, and when it comes this close, that uncertainty is the final straw for the First Period Kit.
That leaves me with the Max Pak and the Bold North FAK. I really, really see the value in both. The Max Pak was significantly more popular in the survey, but the Bold North FAK performs better on the Pugh Chart. Ultimately, feeling that I couldn’t go wrong, I finally considered my own feelings on the topic. Since this is ultimately a teaching project that will expand my portfolio, it feels fair to choose the one that brings me more joy — which, I must say, is the Max Pak. The Bold North Kit, while novel, valuable, and feasible, was also a strange shape and a little too specific. I feel the most excited to work to create a universally helpful first aid kit based on easy access and portability. And, after all, the user can feel free to add materials to the Max Pak to combat extreme temperatures and colds.
Sketch Model
Above are some photos of the first rough prototype I created. It is slightly smaller than I would like, but is still valuable, because playing with it has already shown me multiple things I would like to change.
I wanted to show it to Max, but he was too busy to meet. Instead, I showed it to Alissa, someone who lives in my building. She though it was very interesting; “I’ve never seen a first aid kit that looks like this.” That made me think I should work hard in the future to make sure it’s easily identifiable. She also felt that there was a lot of wasted space on the back of the flap (second image above). Maybe instructions could go there, or another pocket. “Just make sure there aren’t too many places to put things, or someone using it might not be able to find what they want.” I think a color coded system of some sort could improve the Max Pak, or at the very least, some system of describing what goes where.
