Choose your own invention

A bunch of lawmakers, scientists, academics, and people impacted by a medical condition of your choosing need your help. You’ll create a presentation (PowerPoint, poster, etc.) to help solve a problem for a specific group of your choosing that will convince them your solution can help.

Presentation Requirements summary:

• Choose a medical intervention (device, treatment, service, etc.)
• Show what’s already been done to innovate/address the problem
• Innovate a new solution by applying the design thinking process
• Present your process & prototype to the class in a 7-10 minute presentation
  • Answer the questions below in slides, a poster/description paper to hand out in class, or in your spoken presentation.
• You’ll be graded on:
  • Creativity of the presentation – you’ll do particularly well if you use visuals, models, multi-media, class involvement, etc.
  • Depth of content
  • Quality of demonstrated analysis of the problem & customer
  • Ability to communicate your application of the design thinking process
  • Creative confidence

PRESENTATION SPECIFICS:

Set the context for your audience by talking about the history of the problem/intervention:

1. Show an evolution of innovations that have been made to the medical intervention. What problem was each innovation trying to solve? Be sure to include the following information:
   • When did the condition begin to be addressed with medical interventions?
   • What is the treatment used for? Include key features including how it helps to diagnose, treat or manage disease/condition.
   • What innovations have been made over time in its design or function?
   • Write out pros and cons of the invention.
   • Include a list of CREDIBLE sources (in the last slide of your presentation).

Innovate – Sketch, model or build a prototype of your new invention using craft supplies.

• Indicate: is your prototype functional or aesthetic? Why did you choose that type of prototype?
• If you sketch the prototype, how would you create a high-fidelity prototype? What materials, processes, etc. would you need?

Tell us the whole story – It may be easiest to present some of this information on poster board. Draw explanatory boxes or bubbles around your sketch, or if you build a model or prototype, create a one-page document.

• Develop a profile of your target customer. Provide the context of the problem you’re solving in a problem statement format like the ones we used in class in September.
• Draw a customer journey map that shows how your innovation fits into the life of your target customer.
  • What is the problem your invention is addressing? How does your invention help? What are the moments that matter most to your customer?
• How is your device better than the existing product?
• List at least 10 ideas you came up with to solve this problem. What process did you use to help you pick the idea you chose to prototype?
• List at least THREE problems you came across with your innovations and how you solved or might solve them.
• What are some additional comparisons you can make between your invention and what is already on the market?
• How does this activity demonstrate how the innovation process works? What would the impact be if you skipped a step?
• How does your invention interact with or affect the environment? How about with a person’s physical well-being? If a product may be helpful but may harm other parts of the body or the ecosystem, you may have to think about whether or not the product is actually innovative.
  • Finally, what are the potential economic implications of your innovation? For example, think of the invention of the car or the computer and the innovations since then. How might your innovation impact jobs?