Assignment 9A: Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

·        WHO:

o   I would say that the group that would fall outside of my market boundary would be people who do not have food allergies or sensitivities or a family history of food allergies. I interviewed three people of this nature and they felt as though it was a good idea for people who were beginning to display symptoms. The three believed that since they did not have a history of this issue that they would not be affected in the future and there would not need to take a food allergy test.

o   Interviewee number four was a father of two younger children, aged 3 and 7. He mentioned that maybe children under the age of 5 should not take these tests. In his opinion, they are still too young and developing at a rapid rate and their sensitivities could be all over the place. He thinks it should be an option for older children maybe starting in second or third grade.

o   Another person I interviewed, age 40, mentioned that she would probably cap the age around 30. She felt as though 30 was young enough and that after that age any dietary changes might be rare. (She has no medical background, though)

·        WHAT:

o   Interviewee number four did bring up a good point by saying that our bodies change as we age and that can impact our stomachs. Although this solution can provide insight and a means to become prepared, it will not stop the body from growing and developing.

§  For example, when my mom was in grade school she was very allergic to chocolate and she could eat as many mangos as she wanted. Suddenly, things changed in high school and she became very allergic to mangos and now she can eat chocolate. Over the past few years her allergy to mangos has worsened and cannot even touch them.

o   Who is to say that this will not happen to someone and their sensitivities/allergies bounce around all over the place. It would be hard to make them take a food allergy test every time they developed a new allergy.

·        WHY:

o   I do not think that outsider’s need is different; I think it just depends on whether the person is interested in the topic of food sensitivities or not. By saying this I mean that this would be similar a flu shot. It would be used for preventative measures; however, some people do not get a flu shot because they have never gotten the flu before or because they do not think that the shot will protect them. The same could said for the outsiders of this product. They could think because they are too old, do not have any symptoms or a history that the product would not be beneficial to them. They may have a need in the future if their assumptions prove wrong.

	Inside the Boundary	Outside the Boundary
Who	Ages 6-30  People with allergy/sensitivity  People who take health seriosuly  People with food allergy family history	Children under age 5  Adults over age 30  People w/o allergy/sensitivity (maybe)
What	To make it easier to adapt to dietary restrictions  To make people/families more knowledgeable on the subject  To make it easier to find a gastroenterologist	Stop/contain/resolve food allergies or sensitivities
Why	Sometimes it is hard to pin point symptoms as symptoms of food allergy  Allergies/sensitivities are becoming more common  Digestive system/properties can change during body growth and development	Seen as more of an "option" and not necessary if one does not have an allergy/symptoms

Assignment 8A: Solving the Problem

Basic Food Allergy/Sensitivity Tests During Doctor’s Appointments

• I believe that there is an opportunity to help people become more aware of food sensitivities and allergies. These issues are becoming more common in children and young adults and can affect them in diverse ways. Some reactions can be serious and life-threatening, such as anaphylaxis, and others are non-life threatening, but can become annoying or uncomfortable.
• The issue that I have with this topic is that most people, like myself, find out that they have an allergy or sensitivity after they experience the symptoms. I feel as though there could be a better way for parents and children to find out or prepare for a food allergy. Just think how scary it would be if you found out you were allergic to peanuts because you tried one and immediately went into anaphylactic shock. Also, many people mistake the symptoms for another issue. For example, my brother went to 12 different hospitals and doctors before someone thought that his constant stomach pain and nausea was the result of lactose intolerance.
• ·       My idea is a combination of a product and a service.

o   The product itself would be a basic food allergy/sensitivity test. This would test for the most common food allergens, like shellfish, peanuts, gluten, etc.

o   The service aspect would be that this test would be offered during doctor or pediatrician appointments.

• I feel as though having doctors offering to give this test is easier than using the ‘buy at the store and take-home tests’. Doctors are a wealth of knowledge and can refer their patients to gastroenterologists that they trust. They also have a medical background and will be able to interpret the results more accurately and efficiently than let’s say a worried parent.
• This, as I mentioned in Assignment 4A, would also be beneficial for students heading off to college. They would be able to have an idea if food sensitivities may become an issue for them and will be able to react accordingly. This can lessen the student's stress level because they would not have to worry about going to multiple doctors to find out what is wrong with them, especially if they are in a new city or state.

Assignment 7A: Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

 Food Allergies/Sensitivities 

o   Millions of children and young adults unexpectedly develop food sensitivities or allergies that can have serious impacts on their health and lifestyle.

§  Who: Children and young adults

§  What: They are susceptible to threatening/nonlife-threatening reactions and impacts on their lifestyle

§  Why: They are still growing and their bodies are still developing

·       Testing:

o   The Who: The main focus of who has this need are children and young adults because they are still growing. However, adults may have this need, too. Sometimes different events, stressors, foods, etc. can trigger reactions at any time or age. Adults may not have an overwhelming need for food sensitivity tests, but it still can be an option for them.

o   The What: Not all food reactions are serious, which is what people tend to think of when people have food sensitivities or allergies. If the reaction is not serious, this can impact how people choose to deal with the problem. Although not as common, food allergies and sensitivities can also be linked to behavioral issues.

o   The Why: Children and young adults are at the stage where they bodies are continuing to grow and develop. Sometimes this creates changes in the body’s digestive system and causes food or the proteins, chemicals, etc. in foods to become toxic to the body or hard to digest. Also, everyone is different so it would be incredibly hard to pin point which foods affect which people and how severe the reaction will be. I think that this opportunity will aid in the knowledge and, maybe even, prevention of serious and non-serious food reactions.

·       Interviews:

o   Interview 1: For the first interview, I wanted to talk with a person who has a serious food allergy and ask how they found out. The female student that I talked to said she discovered that she was allergic to pineapple out of blue when she was on vacation in Hawaii. The full reaction of the allergy, anaphylaxis, came out of nowhere and it was weird for her because pineapple was her favorite fruit and she ate it all the time. However, she said looking back now she should have asked questions when her tongue started becoming numb and her throat was getting itchy after eating pineapple. She said that she thought everyone experienced that and thought it was normal. She said that if her doctor offered her a basic food test that she probably would have used it or would have taken her symptoms more seriously.

o   Interview 2: This interviewee was a mom who has three younger children with different food allergies. She wholeheartedly agreed with my idea that that having a simple food allergy/sensitivity test at the doctor’s office would be useful. She said kids are always in and out of the doctor’s office so it would be fairly easy to do. She also mentioned that for one of her children, who has a diary allergy, that it was very expensive to figure out what was wrong with her son. She bounced from doctor to doctor. However, having a severe stomach ache is very general and not everyone automatically thinks food allergy.

o   Interview 3: This interview was done with a male seventh-grade school student (my cousin). Although he did not have food allergies, I asked about some of his peers. He said that there are a few kids with severe peanut allergies. They were so severe that the other students were not able to bring anything with peanuts as an ingredient into the class. He did say that now he was curious if he had any serious food allergies.

o   Interview 4: The next interview was with a female college student studying APK. She said that she personally did not have any food allergies, but my idea was interesting and could be useful. She understands that the body goes through different changes during growth and these changes can impact the digestive system. She also brought up the fact that there are take home food allergy/sensitivity tests, but she liked the fact that my idea included having them done at a doctor’s office. She said it would be easier for a doctor to interpret the information and come up with a plan if an allergy/sensitivity is detected.

o   Interview 5: For the last interview, I wanted to speak with someone who has a food sensitivity. The person I interviewed, a young college male, may be lactose intolerant, however he chooses not to do anything about it. He said does get stomach aches when he east dairy product, but he feels as though that is the only problem. To combat this, he simply stays away from milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. He said that right now he is too busy with school work and that visiting a gastroenterologist would be too expensive. He said that if his symptoms became more severe he would probably want to take a food sensitivity test, but for right now avoiding the cause of the issue (dairy) is enough right now.

·       New Knowledge:

o   When I first thought of this opportunity in Assignment 4, I mainly focused at young adults/college students because that is when I developed my food sensitivity. However, after speaking with the mother of three young children who all have food allergies, I decided include children in the age range of my “who”.

o   When I talked to my cousin about his classmates with peanut allergies, I started thinking about maybe introducing this tests to schools. When I was in grade school, my classmates and I were given optional hearing and vision tests. Schools could offer an optional food sensitivity test to spread knowledge about how common food allergies are and that children are the ones most affected by them.

o   After speaking with my interviewees, I feel as though my idea is useful and can spread awareness of food allergies/sensitivities. Although, not everyone will use this, as in the case of interview 5, it at least gets the word out there. The mom I interviewed said that food allergy was the last thing she thought of when visiting the numerous doctors to find out what was wrong with her son. So even just mentioning a food allergy/sensitivity test can at least help narrow down trips to the doctors or possible ailments.  

Assignment 6A: Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

Economic Trends

Article 1: Could your state land 50,000 Amazon jobs? Headquarters contest kicks off

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/09/07/could-your-state-land-50-000-amazon-jobs-headquarters-contest-kicks-off/641276001/#

Opportunity Exists: There is a huge opportunity for the state who gains a new Amazon headquarters. Amazon is a dominant company and building another headquarters would bring the winning city prestige and jobs. 50,000 jobs are quite the number especially since many people want to see more jobs in America rather than outsourcing.

Prototypical Customer: Job seekers in the United States and graduating college students would be the prototypical customers. There will probably be many recruiters coming to college campuses to recruit students and many people will apply regardless.

Exploiting the Opportunity: This opportunity will be easy to exploit. Amazon is very successful and there are already numerous cities throwing their hats into the ring to compete for this opportunity. Landing the headquarters would boost the economy of the city Amazon chooses.

Seeing the Opportunity: I think I saw this opportunity because Amazon is a great company and they would be creating many jobs. I know in the past few years there has been a great demand for more American jobs and this would be a significant help.

Article 2: Campbell’s expects sales drop as people shun packaged food

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/08/31/campbell-expects-sales-drop-people-shun-packaged-food/620651001/#

Opportunity Exists: I believe that there is an opportunity for packaged food industries, like Campbell’s, to change the way people view packaged food. The trend lately has been for people to skip the packaged food and select fresher foods. However, this would give Campbell’s time to focus more on its slowly increasing (but increasing nonetheless) fresh foods unit (which includes carrots and salad dressings); maybe expanding its product line. They may also choose to create a campaign that launches their packaged food in a positive light (i.e. creating recipes that combine fresh foods and their canned soup).

Prototypical Customer: The prototypical customer would be consumers of packaged and fresh foods. Campbell’s would ideally want to keep their packaged consumers, but expand into the fresh foods category.

Exploiting the Opportunity: This opportunity would be harder to exploit because Campbell’s is pretty much known for its packaged foods like canned soup and cookies. However, as mentioned above they do have a fresh food unit that is slowly rising, so there is a possibility of competing with fresher foods.  

Seeing the Opportunity: This opportunity may be hard for some people to see, especially since it is coming from a negative situation. Fresh foods, in my opinion, are better, however, there is still a convenience that packaged food holds. I believe that now would be the time for Campbell’s and other packaged food companies to start changing how these foods are packaged, start developing their fresh foods unit, or repositioning themselves in the market.

Regulatory Trends

Article 1: Equifax Hack Exposes Regulatory Gaps, Leaving Consumers Vulnerable

            Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/08/business/equifax.html

Opportunity Exists: The opportunity that arises from the Equifax hack is that credit bureaus, like Equifax, may soon fall under stricter guidelines. Millions of people were left vulnerable due to this hack and all credit bureaus, not just Equifax, will have to strengthen their security.

Prototypical Customer: The prototypical customers of this opportunity would be the credit bureaus themselves. They would need to have stricter regulations put in place to make sure this does not happen again.

Exploiting the Opportunity: I believe that this would be easier to accomplish and benefit from now that a negative event has taken place. Many articles have expressed the gaps in credit bureau regulation and unfortunately now, due to a hack and bad press, they must adapt.

Seeing the Opportunity: I saw this opportunity because security is very important to me (and most other people). Many people could be open to identity theft and for me that is unacceptable, especially since there were many reports of Equifax making mistakes and lax oversight.

Article 2: Poor design, construction blamed in damage to California dam

Source: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/nationworld/sns-bc-us--damaged-dam-20170905-story.html

Opportunity Exists: I believe there is now an opportunity to update how dams and old infrastructure are monitored. The Oroville Dam did have notable flaws in its original design and those were overlooked until the damage occurred. Inspections of these structures or even changing how these structures are built and designed could be something to be changed in the future.

Prototypical Customer: The prototypical customers will be groups, such as U.S. Society on Dams, who monitor the structures and the construction companies who create the dams and other structures.

Exploiting the Opportunity: I think this will relatively easy to exploit. Monitoring of dams occurs once every five years currently; this timeline in the initial stages can be changed to occur more frequently. Also, the technology and knowledge we have of building things is more advanced than in years past, so it would be easier to create more efficient ways to create sturdier and safer dams or repair old ones.

Seeing the Opportunity: I saw this opportunity because there have been many events in the news that revolve around flaws, whether that be building flaws (as the case for this article) or other shortcomings. We live in a more advanced society, why not use some of this technology and knowledge to check some of the older things and improve them for the future.   

Assignment 5A: Identifying Local Opportunities

Article 1 – Forecasters say be prepared as Irma grows, to strengthen

            By: Ryan Gillespie and Christal Hayes

            http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/166B47AAA213FBD8?p=WORLDNEWS

            Summary: This article, from Monday September 4, 2017, focuses on the potential problem that is Hurricane Irma. Irma, a now a strong category 3, is barreling toward many of the Caribbean islands, however, at the moment we do not know how the hurricane will impact Florida. The article stresses caution and preparedness as more information is gathered in the next few days.

            Problem: The effect that Hurricane Irma will have on the state of Florida. The storm could gain strength and become a category 4 with devastating power. We also do not know the path Irma could so the impact may or may not be direct. It will be hard for the people of Florida to accurately prepare their homes, business, and themselves for the hurricane until more information is given.

            People: Floridians and tourists. Travel and staying in the state can be dangerous, especially if the hurricane makes landfall in Florida.

Article 2 – Expand the bus services in northwest Gainesville

            By: Corinna Gaster

            http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/166AAA7B87276008?p=WORLDNEWS

                    Summary: This article is an opinion article that addresses an issue with weekend buses in northwest Gainesville. Gaster describes the lack of buses and the inconvenience and possible dangers that this causes. She even provides some suggestions to alleviate this problem, such as imposing a 25-cent increase on tickets after 6 pm and on weekends.

            Problem: The lack of buses that run through northwest Gainesville. This lack of buses in turn causes more problems as well. For example, evening shift workers at the hospitals. They have no way to get home after 10 p.m. when the buses go offline. Now they either walk, Uber, taxi, or have a friend pick them up. People walking home at night can even prove to be dangerous. Businesses and places of worship can also suffer from the lack of buses on the weekends as people may not be willing to go out if the buses only come in two-hour intervals.

            People: Northwest Gainesville: people living there, working there, people who do not have access to cars, businesses, places of worship, Santa Fe students.

Article 3 – RTS sees drop in ridership

            By: Jessica Giles

            http://www.alligator.org/news/article_452e16ac-8c5e-11e7-9e50-7bcc61444f2e.html

                    Summary: This article is about the declining ridership rates of RTS and other transit agencies. The writer, Jessica Giles, interviewed two students at the UF campus about their opinions of the busing system. Both girls agreed that the transit systems face competition from cars, scooters, and walking.

            Problem: The increase in the number of scooters and cars that students own. It is more convenient to own a car or a scooter on campus, especially when gas prices are down. Also, more and more apartment complexes are built closer to campus. This makes walking easier for students and they do not have to rely on a bus to get to campus.

            People: Students, faculty, staff, and people outside of the UF campus who rely on buses.

Article 4 – New approach needed for animal hoarding

            By: unknown

            http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/166BF4286ADDEC38?p=WORLDNEWS

                    Summary: This article talks about animal hoarding issues and briefly describes local cases. Animal hoarding hurts the animals, themselves, but it also can affect public resources. The article also describes the need for a way to make animal hoarding easier to handle. A new proposal seeks to provide treatment rather than only punishment.

            Problem: Hoarding can be expensive and it also requires a new approach to help those affected. The articles states that it can cost a lot of money to clean up and house the pets. Also, the main issue appears to be that punishment alone is not helping combat the problem. Senator Dorothy Hukill believes that punishment alone does not help those affected by hoarding understand the disregard for animal life.

            People: people in the community of the hoarder, animal services, animal hoarders

Article 5 – Beware Scam Artists in Disaster’s Wake

            By: Beth Buczynski

            http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/166B01BD3903BBD0?p=WORLDNEWS

                    Summary: The article details 9 scammers that can emerge in the wake of disaster. These shady characters can take many forms, such as fake contractors and government agents. The writer, Beth Buczynski, also mentions tips and tricks on how to avoid these problems, such as using calling your own insurance agents or hanging up the phone.

            Problem: Although this article was written following Hurricane Harvey, it still pertains the Florida as Irma makes its way toward the state. The problem is how to stop these scammers from finding victims after natural disasters. People just want to help others who were affected or they want to piece their life back together. Right on the only protection that is available is to be informed and always ask questions if something does not feel right.

            People: victims and communities impacted by natural diasters

Assignment 4A: Forming an Opportunity Belief: A Twist on Opportunity Identification

Back Story:

            When I was in high school I found out that I was lactose intolerant. After learning this, I attributed every stomach ache and discomfort I had to my lactose intolerance. This changed, however, during the spring semester of my freshman year of college when I become very sick after eating almost anything. I always thought, maybe the food had lactose in it and I just did not know, or maybe I needed to take two lactase pills instead of one. One day after having a Cinnamon Dolce Latte and Blueberry Oatmeal from Starbucks I began incredibly sick. I could not get out of bed because I was so tired and nauseous, I ate nothing for about 36 hours, but I also could not stop vomiting. It took many doctors trips and finally a trip to the Gastroenterologist to find out that I had many food sensitivities and allergies to foods such as gluten, oats, cinnamon, walnuts and funnel. The months before consulting a gastroenterologist were miserable and I wish I had done something sooner about it.

Opportunity: Having a simple food sensitivity/allergy test (food panel test) given to young adults before they start college

            I believe there is an unmet need regarding food allergy/sensitivity knowledge. Food sensitivities are very common and can span over a variety of foods, with gluten and dairy being the most common. However, some people do not act on them until they become an actual problem. As I mentioned in the backstory above, food sensitivities really affected me and my semester was very rough because of it. I had never had problems with gluten before so I was very surprised when my GI said I should stay away from it. This has also greatly impacted two of my nephews because around 6 years ago one discovered he had Celiac disease and the other discovered that red food dyes were causing me to have behavioral issues.

            Everyone’s bodies are constantly changing as they grow and this change can impact the digestive system. However, I think it is important to be aware of these changes early. That is why I believe a simple food sensitivity/ allergy test is important for young adults before they begin college. Typically, a person of this nature would still be close to home and it would be before college starts (when things can get hectic and one can be states away from their doctor). This test would be able to test for the most common food allergens and would be, in my opinion, easier to administer because it is around the age that one starts getting their blood drawn for testing. There are take home kits for allergy testing but I think would be better if done by a professional who then could recommend a specialist if further action needs to be taken.

            Food sensitivities/allergies, as common as they are, may not be as prevalent on one’s radar. I would say that there is a 50% chance that this opportunity exists, but I feel as though it would be more helpful than other alternatives.

Interviews: 

            1). 17-year old male, older brother and sister have food allergies

·       Have you ever eaten something (i.e. bread, ice cream) multiple times and experienced stomach discomfort? A couple of times. Usually it is when I eat ice cream or frozen yogurt I get a small stomach ache.

·       Have you ever not felt yourself (sluggish, tired, nauseous) after eating/drinking something? I would say I feel a little nauseous after having something with ice cream; nothing too severe though.

·       How do you typically deal with these symptoms? I typically try to ride it out, you know sit on the couch or my bed and relax.

·       Have you ever considered that you may have a food allergy/sensitivity? Maybe, my siblings have quite a few food allergies like lactose intolerance and allergies to eggs.

·       Did you know that some food sensitivities can affect how you feel? For example, red food dyes are linked to hyperactivity. Not really, I just figured they made you feel sick for a little bit and then you get over it.

·       Would you ever consider taking a food panel test to check for these sensitivities? I think so. Like I said my siblings have taken these so I would be interested to know.

·       Do you think it would be easier to have a doctor request a simple food panel before college or would you just deal with it as you go along? Yeah.

·       Why? Well my sister was the first one to find out that she had these issues and it was probably around her junior year of high school. My mom had to take her to a bunch of appointments and see a bunch of specialists, which were very expensive. My brother went through the same process but his sensitivities were not as severe. The food panel tests themselves were over $1000 and half of the things they checked for he did not really need. It would be good to have a baseline knowledge in the beginning and if things get worse then you can go for the expensive stuff.

Reflection: Having a sibling or a family member with a food sensitivity or allergy, makes a prototypical customer more open to this idea. This person already possess knowledge of the subject and is aware of the expenses and, therefore, see its value and convenience.

            2). 18-year-old female (no food allergies)

·       Have you ever eaten something (i.e. bread, ice cream) multiple times and experienced stomach discomfort? No.

·       Have you ever not felt yourself (sluggish, tired, nauseous) after eating/drinking something? After eating a lot of food, I feel tired, but not really a specific food.

·       How do you typically deal with these symptoms? If I’m not feeling right I try to walk it off, take long walks.

·       Have you ever considered that you may have a food allergy/sensitivity? Yes, because I have had an issue for hives before. And I kind of just let them do their thing and go away.

·       Did you know that some food sensitivities can affect how you feel? For example, red food dyes are linked to hyperactivity. I did not know that.

·       Would you ever consider taking a food panel test to check for these sensitivities? Absolutely. I think that is so important.

·       Do you think it would be easier to have a doctor request a simple food panel before college or would you just deal with it as you go along? I would rather have a doctor request a simple one because in my opinion that is preventative care.

·       Why? I’ve seen bed reactions (anaphylaxis) in people before and had they been tested and been made aware of their condition, it may not have happened.

Reflection: Some people who do not have allergies or sensitivities to food, but have seen the symptoms associated with them are likely to be interested in this preventative action. Maybe the fear of going to into anaphylactic shock and not being able to be prepared adds to this interest.

            3). 17-year old male (no food allergies/sensitivities)

·       Have you ever eaten something (i.e. bread, ice cream) multiple times and experienced stomach discomfort? No.

·       Have you ever not felt yourself (sluggish, tired, nauseous) after eating/drinking something? Only when I overeat. It makes me tired.

·       How do you typically deal with these symptoms? I just sleep it off or deal with it.

·       Have you ever considered that you may have a food allergy/sensitivity? Nope. It never crossed my mind.

·       Did you know that some food sensitivities can affect how you feel? For example, red food dyes are linked to hyperactivity. No, but then again, I do not know much about food sensitivities/allergies.

·       Would you ever consider taking a food panel test to check for these sensitivities? No.

·       Do you think it would be easier to have a doctor request a simple food panel before college or would you just deal with it as you go along? I mean it sounds easy having your doctor do like a check-up, but I doubt I would personally do it.

·       Why? I have never really had an experience with these type of food issues. It would probably not be useful to me since my family and I do not have problems with food.

Reflection: People who are familiar with the topic of food allergens may not be as open to this idea. They would probably pass on having a doctor draw blood for a small food panel test because more information would be needed. Also, not having a family member experience a food allergy can cause some doubt as to the importance of the test.

Summary:

     I still believe that there is an opportunity for simpler food panel tests to be requested by doctors and given before college. Food allergies are very common and many people react only after they have experienced symptoms. I do believe my initial age range for the prototypical customer is a bit too small. Children can suffer from these allergies too and they may surface at an early age. Also, there are many home food panel kits that one can purchase, but I feel as though having a professional request and look them over will be easier to manage and learn from. As the last interview proved, there are also people who lack knowledge about food sensitivities and allergies and may not find the test useful. Therefore, there may not be as high an opportunity as I had originally thought. Providing more education about may help this opportunity grow in the future, but I think even a small test like this can help people live healthier lives.