theadvocatehorseman-blog

[theadvocatehorseman-blog]

REJECTION AND BLOG ACTIVITIES

WEEK 1 (FEBRUARY 21- FEBRUARY 25, 2023)

*PLANNING OF POSSIBLE PRODUCTS & VALIDATION OF 7 POTENTIAL COSTUMERS*

Starting this activity was both exciting and difficult for our group. We didn't do the tasks assigned to each of us right away because we thought they were easier than the rest of the activities and plates assigned to us by other major subjects. We had a lot on our plates, so in this subject and task, we (individually) just chose to list the possible (yet basic) existing problems that the students are facing these days and think of a possible solution or product that can solve the said problem as well. When we decided to meet in person, we talked about everything and somehow panicked thinking about the deadline. 

Realizing this made me think that we might have been able to generate more ideas if we had worked on and discussed the assigned task right away. I can't deny that I underestimated the complexity of dealing with other people, as well as identifying and solving potential real-world problems. Nonetheless, we decided to go with something related to an environmental issue, specifically, something that can aid in the elimination of plastic waste. Even though we have three tentative ideas for potential products, we are still looking for new ways to improve our current ones.

 WEEK 2 (FEBRUARY 28- MARCH 3, 2023)

*ASKING STRANGERS & REJECTION*

I was so scared to begin this task as soon as it was assigned to us because I am a huge introverted type of person which, in this case, makes this task a huge challenge for me. Fast forward to doing this activity; due to time constraints, a large plate load assigned to us by each of our subjects, and so on, we decided to narrow our participants, which resulted us to ask a group of arki students from Ketkai only. It's amusing to think that we asked strangers if they know how to sketch and then asked them if they could do an impromptu portrait sketch of us that time.

With that entertaining yet bizarre activity, we were able to approach (four) arki strangers and received only one rejection out of four. Just thinking about it, conducting interviews with an infinite number of participants would be a lot more thrilling and I believe that the ratio of our rejection rate would be much higher than the previous one if so. Days after, our instructor told us that we should continue with that task. So, my partner and I decided that we should have no restrictions on our participants this time around. 

WHO’S ON THE CAMERA:

1&2- Ian Equipilag

3&4- Lorenn Dumalag

attached is the link to the footage of us interviewing strangers:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SIIrzMCvRiuVHm2YXA3sdDsvpCrsNnfe/view?usp=sharing

LESSONS LEARNED:

 I've learned that you can't grow if you're always comfortable. The clash of ideas came next, which allowed me to think clearly and weigh my opinions and ideas wisely. The same is true for the "rejection" type of task; It enabled me to humble myself and accept a decision immediately after being rejected. Lastly, the most important thing that I’ve learned is to always "do now".

WEEK 3 (MARCH 7, 2023- MARCH 10, 2023)

When we were tasked as a group to create a product, I was excited about the opportunity to collaborate with my teammates and create something innovative. We have 3 prospect products, and it took us quite a while to decide what product to pursue. As part of the development process, we engaged in group brainstorming sessions to generate ideas, conducted interviews to gather feedback from potential users, and worked together to make sense of the information we had gathered.

One of the biggest struggles we encountered was the challenge of trying to understand and cope with the answers of our interviewees. Sometimes their responses were difficult to decipher, or they provided conflicting information that was hard to reconcile. We also experienced some difficulties in transcribing their answers accurately, which made it harder to analyze the data and draw meaningful conclusions.

However, through perseverance and collaboration, we were able to overcome these challenges and develop a better understanding of our target users. We learned the importance of being patient and persistent when conducting interviews, and how to ask effective questions that elicited useful insights. We also developed skills in transcription and data analysis, which helped us make sense of the information we had gathered.

Another key learning from this experience was the importance of effective collaboration and communication within the team. We needed to work together to synthesize the information we had gathered, and to identify key insights and trends that would inform our product development. We also needed to communicate effectively with each other to ensure that everyone was on the same page and that we were all working towards the same goals.

In conclusion, the process of developing a product as a group can be challenging, but it can also be a valuable learning experience. Through effective collaboration, perseverance, and effective communication, we were able to overcome the struggles and challenges we encountered and develop a deeper understanding of our target users.

WEEK 4 (MARCH 14, 2023- MARCH 17, 2023)

When we were tasked as a group to create a product, I was excited about the challenge and eager to contribute my skills and expertise to the team. However, as the project progressed, it became clear that we were not hitting some important points, and the value of our product was not present. We realized that we needed to pivot our plans and create a new plan altogether.

One of the biggest struggles we encountered was dealing with the disappointment of the failure. It was challenging to accept that our original plan was not working and that we needed to start from scratch. Additionally, there were some disagreements among team members about the best way to move forward, which led to some tension within the group.

However, through open communication and a willingness to listen to each other's perspectives, we were able to overcome these challenges and started to develop a new plan. We reassessed our goals and objectives, conducted further research, and brainstormed new ideas.

One of the most significant learnings from this experience was the importance of being adaptable and flexible. We had to be willing to let go of our original plan and embrace a new direction, which required a lot of creativity and collaboration. We also learned the value of effective communication, both within the team and the people that we were interviewing, to ensure that everyone was on the same page about the changes we were making.

In the end, although our initial product was a failure, we were able to regroup and create something that we were all proud of. We learned that failure is not the end of the road, but rather an opportunity to learn and grow as a team.

WEEK 5 (MARCH 21, 2023- MARCH 24, 2023)

When we were still on the process of finding new ideas and creating new sets of interviews from scratch, I felt a bit confused and overwhelmed. We had already conducted some interviews, but we realized that we needed to go back to the drawing board and come up with some new ideas. This required us to conduct additional research and brainstorming sessions, which took up a lot of time and energy.

Furthermore, we also encountered some difficulties in conducting interviews due to our busy class schedules. We often found ourselves bombarded with class loads and other academic commitments, which made it challenging to find time for interviews. As a result, we had to coordinate our schedules carefully and be flexible in our approach to scheduling interviews.

Despite these challenges, we learned a lot from the process of finding new ideas and conducting additional interviews. We learned the importance of being persistent and adaptable in our approach to problem-solving, and the value of taking the time to conduct thorough research and analysis. We also learned how to effectively coordinate schedules and communicate with each other to ensure that everyone was on the same page and that we were all working towards the same goals.

Additionally, we learned the importance of time management and prioritization, especially when balancing academic commitments with group project work. We realized that it was important to carve out dedicated time for the project and to be disciplined in our approach to working on it, even when we had other pressing obligations.

Overall, the process of finding new ideas and conducting additional interviews was challenging, but it provided us with valuable learning opportunities. We learned the importance of persistence, adaptability, effective communication, and time management, which will serve us well in future group projects and other endeavors.