This is an individual assignment. The customer is specific to you. The exercise prepares you to build your Final Group Project. The interviews and customer MUST differ from your Final Group Project.

There is an intense focus on the customer in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and eCommerce

Remember $-$ inventors try to understand the technology$/$product while innovators try to understand the people.

Whom do you want to help? To whom do you empathize? I am calling these people "customers". So you don't want to help someone $-$ who is going to hire you? Why are they going to hire you?

Who is your initial target customer$/$employer$?$

What are five characteristics of your customer$/$employer $($jobs$,$ pains$/$gains$,$ role, title$)$

Use LinkedIn $/$ Social media to filter five people who meet those criteria

Stay grounded, focused, and realistic about your current network. This assignment extends and applies both Assignment $1$ and Assignment $2.$ You need to have access to $5$ customers$/$employers $($End$-$user, Influencer, Recommender, Decision Maker, Buyer, or Sabbateur$).$

Seek to truly understand the pain points of your customer$/$employer $-$ DO NOT FOCUS ON SOLUTIONS OR PROBLEMS.

Interview $5$ of your customers$/$employers$.$

Provide the following information

Name and Role $($ecosystem$)$

What are the problems this customer$/$employer is facing? $-$ Emphasize you are seeking their insight and help

Ask them to tell a story about their pain point$/$challenge$/$problem $-$ hone into an anecdote related to the pain point

Ask open$-$ended questions about the pain point$/$challenge$/$problem

Get deeper into the pain point $-$ ask why, repeatedly.

Ask at least ten questions $-$ start wide, then narrow, ask about a story, as open$-$ended questions, drill down, ask why $-$ repeatedly.

Plan the interview with potential questions

Conduct the interview

Close the interview $-$ ask What else should I have asked about? Who else should I talk to$?$ Can I follow up with you later?

Example:

Customer $-$ BSU Graduate Students $($End$-$user$)$

Name $-$ Jane Doe, First semester MIS Graduate Student, Commuter

Problems $-$ Parking on this campus is tough

Story $-$ Recently, I arrived on campus and could not find a spot to park.

Question $-$ Where were you trying to park

Answer $-$ I have classes in the CBGS building and the spots are always full. I show up at $4$:$50$ for class at $5$ pm and I can not find a spot. I was late for class.

Question $-$ How did you get to class?

Answer $-$ I sometimes park in the MARC lot, but one time my friend was towed and I don't want that to happen. Last class, I parked by the gym.

Question $-$ What did you feel when you found a spot?

Answer $-$ I knew the spots were there, it wasn't about finding the spot. I didn't want to walk.

Question $-$ Why didn't want to walk?

Answer $-$ It's like a $5-$minute walk. I was dreading class. It was a long day.

Question $-$ Why do you dread class?

Answer $-$ I go into class, sit down, and leave. It's the same in every class $-$ PowerPoints, and go$.$

Question $-$ When have you parked far away, but not been as upset about the parking?

Answer $-$ Do you mean like concerts or other events $-$ Oh yeah, it's a longer walk, crazier parking, and wild

Question $-$ Why do you think the parking was not a bother?

Answer $-$ I guess I was excited about the event, being with friends, and the atmosphere.

Question $-$ Can I follow up with you later?

Answer $-$ Sure!

This is an anecdote that I use with students. When we discuss parking on campus, the issue is masked by a larger issue with students $-$ a lack of engagement and excitement. If we came in thinking we knew the solution $-$ fixing parking $-$ that's the ego, when we lead with empathy, we can see the real issue is engagement.

Rubric:

Customer Identification Overview $(4$ pts$)$

Who are your customers$/$employer$?(2$ pts$)-$ Be specific and detailed

What are their characteristics?

What are their role$($s$)?(1$ pt$)$

What is their customer type? $(1$ pt$)$

Develop a hypothesis before your interview $(3$ pts$)$

Use the Describe a User Problem As a Job Template

Provide a transcript $*$consider using teams or Zoom's transcript feature$*$ of your five interviews

Develop a revised hypothesis after your interviews

Complete the attached value prop mad lib

Ask another student to write a revised hypothesis based on your transcript and recording