My new software called "Experience Orlando" will give people to plan out the attractions they want to visit in Orlando by assessing the interests of the people in the group while also allowing customers to purchase all the tickets they need in one place. The drivers that my software will have will be a the website data, the interests assessment, transportation, and the ticket purchases.
The first item will be the website data. The benefit of this item will be access to a wealth of information in one place that can give new visitors to Orlando all the information they need about the attractions. The tangible will be the actual part of the website that people can log onto and search for any attraction that they would like to. This item could be re-innovated so that people would have to pay a subscription fee to access all the data. It could also be designed in a way that people could create accounts and save the information for attractions they are interested in on their own profile page. This information could also be linked to social media sites so that people could plan with their friends over the internet.
The second item would be the "Interests Assessment". The benefit of this item will be that people could plan their vacations by knowing how much time to spend in attractions and which attractions to focus on solely on the interests of the people in the families or groups. The tangible level of this item would be the actual interests quiz. It would be a set of questions that can determine what type of attractions people would have a strong interest in. The augmented level is that the quiz can compare you interest results to what attractions have to offer, thus allowing users to make informed decisions. This item can be innovated by designing different quizzes for different members of a family. For example, the quiz for a little girl could be made easier to understand than a quiz for the father of a family which could be more detailed and comprehensive. A second innovation could be a specific version of the quiz designed for the bigger theme parks. For example, Walt Disney World could have their own version of the quiz so that people could figure out what they should do in each of the parks.
The third item would be transportation. The benefit would be that users would have access to different bus system routes and services instead of having to pay for and use a rental car for the duration of the trip. The tangible level of the item would be a map of routes and a list of the different companies that could be used by any of the users at any time. The augmented level of this item would be for the ability to purchase tickets for the transportation through the app. Innovations could include the ability to contact taxi services through the application and the ability to link the app to the schedules of the bus systems so that you know what time to be ready to be picked up by.
The fourth item would be ticket purchases. The benefit would be the ability to purchase all the tickets you need for attractions on one website before you even arrive in Orlando. The tangible level of this item would be an actual page on the website that you could order tickets from and use your credit card or PayPal to pay for tickets. The augmented level could be the ability insure the tickets so that the users money could be refunded if the user must cancel the visit to the attractions. Innovations could include the ability to package tickets for different attractions together in bundles. A second innovation could be the ability to send tickets to someone as a gift automatically.
Saturday, June 4, 2016
Elevator Pitch No. 1
My solution to the problem with planning trips to Orlando is called "Experience Orlando". Unlike Expedia or Travelocity which focuses on how to get people to a location through flights and hotels, my application and website will allow people to plan what attractions they will go to Orlando based on the interests of themselves and their families. The program will tell them what attractions to go to and how much time they can spend there. It will also give people a single place to purchase all of their tickets before they even leave for Orlando with only a convenience fee added to every purchase.
The link to YouTube below contains my First Elevator Pitch.
https://youtu.be/v3SWeaq_GUg
The link to YouTube below contains my First Elevator Pitch.
https://youtu.be/v3SWeaq_GUg
Saturday, May 28, 2016
My Solution
The problem that I have encountered in my previous posts is that visitors to the city of Orlando do not have an efficient, easy way of planning out the daily itineraries and attractions for the day. They must rely on using information from several hundred different websites. I am proposing to create an application that allows guests to discover everything Orlando has to offer, order tickets, find out how much time to spend in each attraction, and to assess what attractions are worth visiting based on the interests and personalities of the people in your family. This would be on program that is capable of completing all of these services in an easy to use interface.
Looking for Opportunity
Opportunity #1: http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21699436-guarding-against-rogue-drones-could-be-legal-nightmare-hacked
This article is about the regulation of small consumer drones and was found at "economist.com". The problem that exists is that there is no way to currently regulate or control drones that may be used for illegal reasons. One recent example was a drone that actually delivered drugs and cell phones to an inmate in prison. This problem has begun to exist with the emergence of drones because of the impossible nature of tracking small aircraft and legal regulations that forbid the interference of any aircraft in the sky. I believe this presents an opportunity for the creation of a system that could use legal procedures and equipment to protect the people who could be targeted by these drones. This presents a problem specifically to people and/or agencies that require privacy and isolation. This opportunity may be difficult to exploit because of the laws and policies that protect the aircraft from any interference or hacking. I personally believe that this opportunity exists because I have a working knowledge of how drones work and have read about the regulations that continue to be created by the FAA. Using computer programming designed by either the targets or by the drone manufacturers, there must be some way to legally preserve the privacy of people.
Opportunity #2: http://www.wsj.com/articles/oil-prices-poised-to-hit-sweet-spot-for-global-economy-1464286482
This article is about oil prices, which for the first time in the past decade are about to hit a price point that is cheap enough for consumers to want to spend the money and also expensive enough that producers are able continue business. The problem lies in that oil companies are still planning on cutting back on investments and hiring because they are not making enough money for growth. An opportunity exists because oil companies want to keep oil at the current price point but need more people to start purchasing oil again. Because oil is so cheap, it would be beneficial for carmakers to make cheaper cars that run on gas, instead of trying to move all of their manufacturing to more expensive cars that rely on solely electricity or hybrid engines. This would bring more people to the gas pump and could potentially bring oil producers to a point where they can start to invest again while continuing to charge at the current price point. This may be difficult to exploit because consumers only want prices to go lower and producers only want to grow. I believe this opportunity exists because I know that oil is still the most heavily used source of energy and while I know it is important to save our resources, I think it is also important to maintain a lower cost of living. This can only happen if costs are kept constant instead of entering into a rising trend.
Opportunity #3: http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2016/04/13/the-economy-grew-last-year-but-poor-americans-needed-more-charity/
This article from the New York Times is about the recent growth in both the economy and the amount of charity needed my Americans across the nation. I believe there is an opportunity here because people have an unmet need for assistance. The upper class continues to grow in wealth, but the lower and middle class continue to rely more and more on assistance. This creates an opportunity for a business that could pay people to do services for those needing help around them. Although this may not be an extremely profitable venture, it could make a difference for everyone involved and could even allow the middle and lower classes to grow as well. This opportunity would be difficult to exploit because it would require quite a high amount of investment and a low expectation for much profit at all. I believe this opportunity exists because I have passion for helping people and would love to be in a situation where I could create an actual business that did just that by providing jobs as well as cheap services for those in need,
Opportunity #4: http://www.ibtimes.com/tsa-airport-wait-times-one-big-reason-why-lines-are-getting-longer-security-2374070
This article from the International Business Times talks about how security lines at TSA checkpoints in America have become disastrous in the last year. The problem is that there has been a rise in passengers but no rise in TSA security officers. I believe this provides an opportunity for more efficient and technologically advanced screening equipment that could be developed. The typical customer in this situation would be agencies such as TSA who must invest in better equipment. This is probably an easier opportunity to exploit because there hasn't very many advancements in recent years although technology continues to become exponentially powerful. I can personally see how this opportunity exists because I love to travel and find myself stuck in these checkpoints on average five times a year. It is an unmeet need that I know applies to myself and millions of other people across the nation who are flying through major airports.
This article is about the regulation of small consumer drones and was found at "economist.com". The problem that exists is that there is no way to currently regulate or control drones that may be used for illegal reasons. One recent example was a drone that actually delivered drugs and cell phones to an inmate in prison. This problem has begun to exist with the emergence of drones because of the impossible nature of tracking small aircraft and legal regulations that forbid the interference of any aircraft in the sky. I believe this presents an opportunity for the creation of a system that could use legal procedures and equipment to protect the people who could be targeted by these drones. This presents a problem specifically to people and/or agencies that require privacy and isolation. This opportunity may be difficult to exploit because of the laws and policies that protect the aircraft from any interference or hacking. I personally believe that this opportunity exists because I have a working knowledge of how drones work and have read about the regulations that continue to be created by the FAA. Using computer programming designed by either the targets or by the drone manufacturers, there must be some way to legally preserve the privacy of people.Opportunity #2: http://www.wsj.com/articles/oil-prices-poised-to-hit-sweet-spot-for-global-economy-1464286482
This article is about oil prices, which for the first time in the past decade are about to hit a price point that is cheap enough for consumers to want to spend the money and also expensive enough that producers are able continue business. The problem lies in that oil companies are still planning on cutting back on investments and hiring because they are not making enough money for growth. An opportunity exists because oil companies want to keep oil at the current price point but need more people to start purchasing oil again. Because oil is so cheap, it would be beneficial for carmakers to make cheaper cars that run on gas, instead of trying to move all of their manufacturing to more expensive cars that rely on solely electricity or hybrid engines. This would bring more people to the gas pump and could potentially bring oil producers to a point where they can start to invest again while continuing to charge at the current price point. This may be difficult to exploit because consumers only want prices to go lower and producers only want to grow. I believe this opportunity exists because I know that oil is still the most heavily used source of energy and while I know it is important to save our resources, I think it is also important to maintain a lower cost of living. This can only happen if costs are kept constant instead of entering into a rising trend.
Opportunity #3: http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2016/04/13/the-economy-grew-last-year-but-poor-americans-needed-more-charity/
This article from the New York Times is about the recent growth in both the economy and the amount of charity needed my Americans across the nation. I believe there is an opportunity here because people have an unmet need for assistance. The upper class continues to grow in wealth, but the lower and middle class continue to rely more and more on assistance. This creates an opportunity for a business that could pay people to do services for those needing help around them. Although this may not be an extremely profitable venture, it could make a difference for everyone involved and could even allow the middle and lower classes to grow as well. This opportunity would be difficult to exploit because it would require quite a high amount of investment and a low expectation for much profit at all. I believe this opportunity exists because I have passion for helping people and would love to be in a situation where I could create an actual business that did just that by providing jobs as well as cheap services for those in need,
Opportunity #4: http://www.ibtimes.com/tsa-airport-wait-times-one-big-reason-why-lines-are-getting-longer-security-2374070
This article from the International Business Times talks about how security lines at TSA checkpoints in America have become disastrous in the last year. The problem is that there has been a rise in passengers but no rise in TSA security officers. I believe this provides an opportunity for more efficient and technologically advanced screening equipment that could be developed. The typical customer in this situation would be agencies such as TSA who must invest in better equipment. This is probably an easier opportunity to exploit because there hasn't very many advancements in recent years although technology continues to become exponentially powerful. I can personally see how this opportunity exists because I love to travel and find myself stuck in these checkpoints on average five times a year. It is an unmeet need that I know applies to myself and millions of other people across the nation who are flying through major airports.
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Forming an Opportunity Belief
MY BELIEF: I believe that there is an unmet need in Orlando when it comes to planning what attractions tourists will go to while they are in town. This need specifically matches the typical tourist who comes to Orlando without the knowledge of what there is to do. This need has always existed but has grown exponentially in recent years with more and more attractions being opened across town and even outside of Orlando's city limits. I would think that there is a 70% chance this need exists
REFLECT: Both interviews 1 and 2 gave the impression that the unmet need did in fact exist to people who have rarely come to Orlando. There is a need to for knowledge on attractions and transportation between the attractions. Interview 3, however, gave me the impression that there was no need for anyone who has any knowledge of Orlando. The biggest surprise to me was that there are people out there who have no interest in finding out about new attractions that they have never been to before.
SUMMARIZE: I believe my original opportunity belief still exists and that the need exists mainly to new visitors of Orlando. I believe that my belief is just as accurate, but that the prototypical user has changed to someone who has no knowledge of Orlando. I strongly believe that entrepreneurs should adapt their beliefs to fit feedback received because it is ultimately the customers that will decide whether or not they will use the service or good to meet their needs.
Interview 1: https://soundcloud.com/user-443175550/interview-1-final
Interview 2: https://soundcloud.com/user-443175550/interview-2-final
Interview 3: https://soundcloud.com/user-443175550/interview-3-final
REFLECT: Both interviews 1 and 2 gave the impression that the unmet need did in fact exist to people who have rarely come to Orlando. There is a need to for knowledge on attractions and transportation between the attractions. Interview 3, however, gave me the impression that there was no need for anyone who has any knowledge of Orlando. The biggest surprise to me was that there are people out there who have no interest in finding out about new attractions that they have never been to before.
SUMMARIZE: I believe my original opportunity belief still exists and that the need exists mainly to new visitors of Orlando. I believe that my belief is just as accurate, but that the prototypical user has changed to someone who has no knowledge of Orlando. I strongly believe that entrepreneurs should adapt their beliefs to fit feedback received because it is ultimately the customers that will decide whether or not they will use the service or good to meet their needs.
Interview 1: https://soundcloud.com/user-443175550/interview-1-final
Interview 2: https://soundcloud.com/user-443175550/interview-2-final
Interview 3: https://soundcloud.com/user-443175550/interview-3-final
Identifying Local Opportunities
Project paved with good intentions - But uneven C.R. 426 shoulder work needs overhaul, residents say
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A3A1BFA75B2A30?p=AWNB
County Road 426 in Brevard County has had an increase in bicyclists in the recent years. Specifically on the weekends, hundreds of bicycle riders are found in the traffic lanes along with motorists. This creates an unsafe situation for both parties. The bicyclists are asking the county to build shoulders along the entire route, but because of federal grant money, the county can only partially build a shoulder. According to the county, the road was built only for motorists and there was never the intention of building bike lanes that went along the entire road. This problem is specific to both bicyclists, who want a bike lane, and motorists who do not want to see bicyclists clogging up the traffic lanes.
With tougher school exams, more than 40% could fail
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A3A1BF9F5DE840?p=AWNB
The State Board of Education in Florida recently voted to make Florida school exams, such as the FCAT, tougher for students. With this new policy, 40% of students could find themselves failing and having to repeat coursework. The problem is that the State Board feels as though students in the Florida Public School System are not graduating from high school with the skills needed to go to college or to good-paying jobs. This problem specifically challenges students across Florida who either face moving on prepared or having to repeat coursework and delaying their high school graduation.
Smoking law costs Orlando big business
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15B41D515CD73978?p=AWNB
The American Heart Association recently created a new policy that stated that they would not conduct business in any cities that allow for in-door smoking. In Florida, any bar can apply for a permit that would allow for people to be able to smoke inside.The problem now exists that the American Heart Association will no longer use the Orlando Convention Center to host their annual conventions until Orlando makes any kind of in-door smoking illegal. This creates a problem to the convention industry in Orlando because they are now losing one of their biggest clients. This hurts the convention center, the surrounding hotels, and can even have an effect on local tourist attractions.
U.S. Ambulance to move main office out of area
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15B3CB521C775E68?p=AWNB
One of the biggest manufacturing operations in Orlando, Florida belongs to U.S. ambulance. They currently employ over 700 people and are growing to become the world's biggest manufacturer of emergency vehicles. The problem lies in that the company has recently decided to move their headquarters from Winter Garden to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While this does not mean that they are not currently moving their manufacturing plants, it does mean that they are finding it cheaper to do business in Wisconsin. Reports have recently been released that say that Milwaukee is working with U.S. ambulance in order to attempt to move more manufacturing jobs into Milwaukee. This provides a problem for over 700 Orlando employees who are now questioning whether or not they will still have a job in the next couple of years.
SeaWorld's dolphin species last of a kind - Company doesn't plan to replace unusual Commerson's dolphins
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15AC33EE75908258?p=AWNB
Sea World has recently announced that it will not be replacing Commerson's dolphins in their habitats. These dolphins are an unusual species that actually look like killer whales when they swim around. This parallels a shift in company policy that SeaWorld recently announced where they are stopping the breeding of orca whales and halting some of their daily shows. This has lead to SeaWorld cutting back on experiences for the time-being. This presents a problem to some of the employees who are finding it harder to work at Sea World and also to the company itself which has seen a decrease in attendance in recent years.
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A3A1BFA75B2A30?p=AWNB
County Road 426 in Brevard County has had an increase in bicyclists in the recent years. Specifically on the weekends, hundreds of bicycle riders are found in the traffic lanes along with motorists. This creates an unsafe situation for both parties. The bicyclists are asking the county to build shoulders along the entire route, but because of federal grant money, the county can only partially build a shoulder. According to the county, the road was built only for motorists and there was never the intention of building bike lanes that went along the entire road. This problem is specific to both bicyclists, who want a bike lane, and motorists who do not want to see bicyclists clogging up the traffic lanes.
With tougher school exams, more than 40% could fail
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A3A1BF9F5DE840?p=AWNB
The State Board of Education in Florida recently voted to make Florida school exams, such as the FCAT, tougher for students. With this new policy, 40% of students could find themselves failing and having to repeat coursework. The problem is that the State Board feels as though students in the Florida Public School System are not graduating from high school with the skills needed to go to college or to good-paying jobs. This problem specifically challenges students across Florida who either face moving on prepared or having to repeat coursework and delaying their high school graduation.
Smoking law costs Orlando big business
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15B41D515CD73978?p=AWNB
The American Heart Association recently created a new policy that stated that they would not conduct business in any cities that allow for in-door smoking. In Florida, any bar can apply for a permit that would allow for people to be able to smoke inside.The problem now exists that the American Heart Association will no longer use the Orlando Convention Center to host their annual conventions until Orlando makes any kind of in-door smoking illegal. This creates a problem to the convention industry in Orlando because they are now losing one of their biggest clients. This hurts the convention center, the surrounding hotels, and can even have an effect on local tourist attractions.
U.S. Ambulance to move main office out of area
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15B3CB521C775E68?p=AWNB
One of the biggest manufacturing operations in Orlando, Florida belongs to U.S. ambulance. They currently employ over 700 people and are growing to become the world's biggest manufacturer of emergency vehicles. The problem lies in that the company has recently decided to move their headquarters from Winter Garden to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While this does not mean that they are not currently moving their manufacturing plants, it does mean that they are finding it cheaper to do business in Wisconsin. Reports have recently been released that say that Milwaukee is working with U.S. ambulance in order to attempt to move more manufacturing jobs into Milwaukee. This provides a problem for over 700 Orlando employees who are now questioning whether or not they will still have a job in the next couple of years.
SeaWorld's dolphin species last of a kind - Company doesn't plan to replace unusual Commerson's dolphins
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15AC33EE75908258?p=AWNB
Sea World has recently announced that it will not be replacing Commerson's dolphins in their habitats. These dolphins are an unusual species that actually look like killer whales when they swim around. This parallels a shift in company policy that SeaWorld recently announced where they are stopping the breeding of orca whales and halting some of their daily shows. This has lead to SeaWorld cutting back on experiences for the time-being. This presents a problem to some of the employees who are finding it harder to work at Sea World and also to the company itself which has seen a decrease in attendance in recent years.
Friday, May 13, 2016
My Bug List
1) The Bright House Cable Company in Orlando has the slowest internet company to the point where lecture videos do not even load.
- This because they use one cable to service the hundreds of houses in the neighborhood which decreases the available broadband.2) The Best Buy at Milennia Mall never has the items they say are in stock on the website.
-This is because they do not do a good job of keeping track of inventory and updating the website.
3) Apple Store never put their products on sale even when they have to clear items out for their new products.
-This is because Apple feels that their products are already so cheaply priced and that they don't want to decrease prices.
4) Every time I go to the Walgreens on John Young Pkwy, they always have to call my doctor to refill a prescription because the computer says I don't have any refills left when I actually do.
- This is because this Walgreens does not do a good job of keeping their computers updated with patient information.
5) My Surface computer needs to update it seems almost every single week right when I need to submit an assignment before a deadline.
- This is because Windows has an increased amount of security threats and must use updates to keep their users safe.
6) The home alarm system from ADT emits a loud beeping noise every morning when the system battery runs low at around 5 am.
- This is because the company uses batteries that are not reliable and must constantly be changed out.
7) American Airlines charges $25 for your first checked baggage no matter how big or heavy the bag is.
- This is because the airlines must keep up with costs of flights and is also trying to limit the amount of checked baggage.
8) The YouTube App now charges a monthly subscription fee to listen to videos while the app is in the background.
- This is because YouTube is trying to rinse more revenue at the expense of user enjoyment and productivity.
9) The Bank of America requires a safety deposit of at least $300 to get your first credit card.
- This is because first time credit users do not have enough credit history and the bank is taking a chance on the account holder.
10) The General Electric oven in my kitchen starts smoking when it reaches 300 degrees.
- This is because of faulty parts in the oven that have never worked correctly.
11) There is no good way of organizing a trip to Orlando with the hundreds of attractions available to tourists in such a short span of time.
- This is because companies such as Expedia only focus on flights, hotels, and rental cars instead of attractions.
12) The Bank of America on Central Florida Pkwy took out the drive through ATM which makes it unsafe to go the ATM at night when it's dark.
- This is maybe because the drive through ATM was constantly getting jammed thus frustrating customers.
13) The "Kresto" chocolate milk powder found in Puerto Rico is incredibly hard to find anywhere in Central Florida.
14) The Lynx bus system in Orlando is limited in bus stop locations and you must get to the bus stop an hour before so you don't miss the bus.
- This is because not enough people are using the bus system in Orlando which makes it difficult for Lynx to increase the amount of buses on specific routes.
15) The I-4 interstate system that runs through Florida is packed with traffic and has the worst rush hour times in Central Florida.
-This is because the highway was built to 1960s standards and not designed for the amount of traffic Orlando has today.
16) The stores and restaurants at Orlando International Airport are not open 24 hours which means when you have a 5 am flight you won't be able to find snacks or even coffee before your flight.
- This is because they are not enough people in the airport at all hours for companies to remain open and still make a profit.
17) The 408 highway and the Florida Turnpike have expensive tolls located up and down the entire length of the highway which adds up when you are commuting to school or work.- This is because the state is trying to make enough money to keep the highways maintained at the expense of commuters and other drivers.
18) The self-checkout at the Wal-Mart on Turkey Lake Rd always says that you did not bag your items when you did, which keeps you from quickly completing your checkout.
- This is because they weight underneath the bagging station is not sensitive enough to the various groceries.
19) There is no way to pay for items online at the Best Buy website with two or more different credit cards.
- This is because the website is not programmed to allow this, maybe for security reasons?
20) The Chick-Fil-A on Sand lake Rd uses cones and signs to split up the parking lot which confuses customers on how to get to the drive through.
- This is because the parking lot is badly designed and they try to use cones and signs to alleviate the problems.
Reflection:
I personally found it a little bit challenging to find enough bugs for this list. It was pretty easy at first but the more into the list I got, the harder it became to finish it out. Fortunately enough, it seems pretty easy to find bugs in a big city such as Orlando compared to a smaller city like Gainesville where it might be hard to find enough items.
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