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of 
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Prepared 
by: 
70263132, 
27722107 
34856096, 
71130132, 
7141513 
University 
of 
British 
Columbia 
Sauder 
School 
of 
Business 
March 
27, 
2014
Executive 
Summary 
Microwaves 
have 
been 
around 
for 
quite 
some 
time 
yet 
there 
has 
been 
very 
little 
innovation 
in 
past 
years 
both 
in 
terms 
of 
the 
microwave 
itself 
and 
complementary 
products. 
Food 
heating 
is 
sometimes 
a 
messy 
operation 
and 
the 
fact 
is 
most 
users 
do 
not 
know 
what 
the 
most 
efficient 
way 
of 
cleaning 
their 
microwaves 
is. 
Current 
products 
do 
not 
meet 
their 
needs 
and 
there 
is 
no 
formal 
solution 
available, 
which 
explains 
why 
some 
consumers 
have 
reverted 
to 
homemade 
solutions. 
With 
this 
in 
mind, 
we 
have 
developed 
the 
microwave 
pod: 
a 
safe, 
convenient 
and 
easy-­‐to-­‐use 
solution 
for 
microwave 
cleaning. 
This 
product 
is 
highly 
innovative 
and 
does 
not 
resemble 
any 
product 
currently 
available 
in 
the 
market. 
It 
applies 
pod 
technology, 
which 
consumers 
are 
already 
familiar, 
to 
the 
kitchen 
appliance 
cleaning 
segment 
therefore 
reducing 
behavioural 
barriers 
to 
product 
adoption. 
The 
Product: 
The 
microwave 
pod 
can 
be 
described 
as 
a 
plastic 
container 
filled 
with 
an 
all-­‐natural 
liquid 
or 
gelatine 
containing 
vinegar, 
lemon 
juice, 
or 
citrus 
oil. 
The 
user 
will 
just 
have 
to 
place 
the 
pod 
inside 
the 
microwave 
and 
remove 
the 
plastic 
cover 
before 
turning 
the 
heating 
on 
for 
three 
minutes, 
allowing 
the 
liquid/gelatine 
to 
vaporize 
through 
the 
small 
punctured 
holes 
under 
the 
cover 
and 
fix 
itself 
on 
the 
inside 
of 
the 
microwave. 
After 
that, 
the 
user 
just 
has 
to 
let 
the 
pod 
cool 
off 
two 
minutes 
before 
removing 
it 
and 
wiping 
off 
the 
vaporized 
liquid. 
This 
constitutes 
a 
much 
safer 
alternative 
to 
the 
consumer 
practice 
of 
boiling 
water 
or 
vinegar 
in 
a 
bowl 
to 
clean 
their 
microwaves. 
The 
pod 
will 
have 
a 
distinctive 
lemon 
shape 
serving 
a 
twofold 
purpose: 
first, 
it 
will 
enhance 
brand 
recognition 
and 
secondly, 
it 
will 
convince 
consumers 
that 
the 
microwave 
pod 
contains 
100% 
natural 
products 
therefore 
eliminating 
the 
risk 
of 
toxic 
chemicals 
getting 
into 
their 
food. 
Total 
Market: 
Microwaves 
are 
found 
in 
over 
95% 
of 
homes 
in 
the 
United 
States 
and 
Canada, 
and 
have 
significant 
growth 
potential 
in 
developing 
countries 
(Euromonitor, 
2013). 
This 
high 
penetration 
rate 
makes 
the 
development 
of 
a 
complementary 
product 
highly 
appealing, 
as 
opposed 
to 
developing 
a 
new 
type 
of 
microwave. 
Furthermore, 
the 
Canadian 
microwave 
industry 
is 
an 
attractive 
market 
to 
enter 
because 
of 
its 
huge 
size, 
low 
investment 
costs 
and 
recent 
consumer 
trends: 
In 
2012, 
1.7 
million 
units 
were 
sold 
in 
Canada 
and 
lifestyle 
trends 
indicated 
a 
shift 
towards 
convenience 
and 
subsequently 
microwaveable 
meals 
(Euromonitor, 
2013). 
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Target 
market: 
There 
are 
two 
different 
target 
markets 
according 
to 
where 
the 
microwave 
is 
used: 
in-­‐home 
users 
and 
out 
of 
home 
users. 
In 
our 
new 
product 
proposal, 
we 
decided 
to 
focus 
on 
the 
in-­‐home 
segment 
as 
consumers 
in 
this 
segment 
display 
a 
behaviour 
that 
matches 
our 
solution 
(they 
are 
the 
owners 
of 
the 
microwave 
and 
are 
therefore 
more 
inclined 
to 
take 
care 
of 
it, 
clean 
it 
etc.). 
This 
includes 
landlords, 
students, 
families, 
bachelors 
and 
professionals. 
Part 
1: 
Trade-­‐Off 
Decisions 
& 
Final 
Concept 
Formulation 
a) 
Trade-­‐Off 
Matrix 
Alterations 
made 
to 
different 
need 
areas 
will 
often 
have 
various 
effects 
on 
one 
another. 
An 
in-­‐ 
depth 
analysis 
of 
possible 
trade-­‐offs 
was 
conducted 
in 
order 
to 
determine 
the 
impact 
of 
changing 
different 
microwave 
need 
areas. 
While 
many 
of 
these 
need 
areas 
seem 
to 
exist 
independently, 
positive 
and 
negative 
relationships 
are 
apparent 
(see 
Appendix 
A). 
b) 
Primary 
Research 
and 
Opportunity 
Scores 
The 
goal 
of 
this 
research 
was 
to 
identify 
which 
consumer 
needs 
were 
not 
being 
met 
based 
on 
the 
importance 
and 
satisfaction 
ratings 
of 
each 
need 
area. 
Other 
basic 
questions 
were 
asked 
in 
order 
to 
obtain 
further 
insights 
into 
consumer 
behaviour 
and 
microwave 
usage. 
We 
conducted 
a 
survey 
and 
obtained 
responses 
from 
a 
sample 
size 
of 
47 
in-­‐home 
users 
who 
varied 
in 
terms 
of 
demographics 
and 
user 
segments 
therefore 
giving 
us 
a 
reliable 
overall 
image 
of 
consumer 
needs/desires. 
Respondents 
included 
parents, 
seniors, 
students, 
young 
professionals, 
and 
single 
bachelors 
(See 
Appendix 
D). 
Opportunity 
scores 
derived 
from 
survey 
data 
were 
calculated 
for 
all 
potential 
need 
areas 
(Appendix 
B). 
The 
highest 
opportunity 
scores 
are 
stated 
below: 
Importance+ 
Score 
Ease3of3Use343easy3and3quick3to3choose3cooking3time 
Ease3of3Use343easy3to3open3the3door 
Cleanliness343ability3to3take3out3and3clean3turntable 
Safety343risk3of3radiation 
Safety343risk3of3fire3from3heating3of3metallic3objects 
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Satisfaction+ 
Score 
Opportunity+ 
Score 
8.49 8.43 8.55 
8.49 8.36 8.62 
8 7.24 8.76 
8.29 7.76 8.82 
8.27 7.6 8.94 
8.08 7.1 9.06 
8.51 7.95 9.07 
8.41 7.71 9.11 
8.1 6.88 9.32 
8.92 7.52 10.32 
USER+NEED 
Cleanliness343ability3to3clean3newly3spilled3food 
Ease3of3Use343easy3to3navigate3the3menu3options 
Performance343high3speed3cooking/reheating 
Cleanliness343ability3to3clean3stuck3on3food 
Performance343even3cooking/reheating 
Importance+Scale:+10+1+Very+Important,+1+1+Very+Unimportant 
Satisfaction+Scale:+10+1+Very+Satisfied,+1+1+Very+Unsatisfied
c) 
Trade-­‐Off 
Matrix 
and 
Primary 
Research 
Implications 
We 
discovered 
from 
our 
survey 
that 
people 
do 
not 
have 
particularly 
strong 
feelings/concerns 
(positive 
or 
negative) 
towards 
the 
various 
microwave 
need 
areas. 
All 
features 
listed 
had 
similar 
importance 
ratings 
on 
average 
with 
a 
standard 
deviation 
of 
only 
0.89. 
The 
same 
was 
true 
for 
satisfaction 
ratings, 
for 
which 
the 
average 
standard 
deviation 
between 
respondents 
was 
only 
0.60. 
There 
was 
slightly 
more 
variability 
in 
terms 
of 
the 
ratings 
of 
each 
individual 
need 
area: 
the 
average 
standard 
deviation 
amongst 
all 
features 
based 
on 
importance 
and 
on 
satisfaction 
were 
2.30 
and 
2.20 
respectively. 
The 
main 
outlier 
in 
terms 
of 
variability 
lied 
within 
the 
importance 
ratings 
of 
pre-­‐set 
cooking 
times. 
That 
being 
said, 
conclusions 
can 
be 
drawn 
regarding 
what 
respondents 
consider 
important 
and 
what 
they 
are 
currently 
not 
satisfied 
with. 
Based 
on 
the 
importance 
rating, 
respondents 
indicated 
that 
they 
consider 
the 
following 
need 
areas 
most 
important 
in 
microwaves: 
·∙ 
Performance 
-­‐ 
high 
speed 
cooking/reheating 
·∙ 
Ease 
of 
Use 
-­‐ 
easy 
and 
quick 
to 
choose 
cooking 
time 
·∙ 
Ease 
of 
Use 
-­‐ 
easy 
to 
open 
the 
door 
·∙ 
Ease 
of 
Use 
-­‐ 
easy 
to 
navigate 
the 
menu 
options 
·∙ 
Performance 
-­‐ 
even 
cooking/reheating 
Based 
on 
the 
satisfaction 
ratings, 
respondents 
indicated 
that 
they 
are 
most 
unsatisfied 
with 
the 
following 
need 
areas: 
·∙ 
Feature 
-­‐ 
adjustable 
noise/tone 
volume 
·∙ 
Microwave 
Noise 
-­‐ 
the 
noise 
level 
·∙ 
Cleanliness 
-­‐ 
ability 
to 
clean 
stuck-­‐on 
food 
·∙ 
Feature 
-­‐ 
food 
specific, 
pre-­‐set 
cooking 
times 
·∙ 
Performance 
-­‐ 
ability 
to 
prevent 
food 
odour 
·∙ 
Cleanliness 
-­‐ 
ability 
to 
clean 
newly 
spilled 
food 
·∙ 
Cleanliness 
-­‐ 
ability 
to 
take 
out 
and 
clean 
turntable 
The 
features 
considered 
most 
important 
did 
not 
come 
as 
a 
surprise 
since 
many 
were 
linked 
with 
the 
primary 
functions 
of 
the 
microwave. 
However, 
It 
was 
surprising 
to 
learn 
that 
microwave 
aesthetics 
and 
the 
ability 
to 
use 
food-­‐specific 
pre-­‐set 
times 
were 
rated 
as 
relatively 
unimportant: 
secondary 
research 
from 
a 
Euromonitor 
International 
report 
on 
Microwaves 
in 
Canada 
had 
indicated 
these 
as 
two 
prevailing 
trends 
(Euromonitor 
International, 
2013). 
It 
was 
also 
surprising 
to 
discover 
that 
people 
were 
unsatisfied 
with 
the 
noise 
level 
of 
microwaves 
(we 
were 
unaware 
of 
this 
problem 
as 
cooking 
times 
are 
relatively 
short). 
Finally, 
it 
was 
surprising 
to 
learn 
that 
people 
were 
satisfied 
with 
the 
amount 
of 
space 
the 
microwave 
takes 
up 
as 
this 
was 
expressed 
as 
an 
area 
of 
concern 
in 
our 
initial 
primary 
research 
(see 
interviews 
in 
Idea 
Generation 
report). 
On 
the 
other 
hand, 
it 
was 
not 
surprising 
to 
learn 
that 
people 
were 
least 
satisfied 
with 
the 
microwave 
cleaning 
process 
as 
there 
is 
no 
formal 
solution 
available 
in 
the 
marketplace 
or 
that 
people 
were 
satisfied 
with 
clocks/timers, 
which 
are 
commonly 
used 
in 
the 
kitchen. 
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The 
opportunity 
scores 
calculated 
also 
demonstrated 
limited 
variability, 
the 
standard 
deviation 
across 
all 
need 
areas 
being 
only 
1.5. 
We 
still 
managed 
to 
identify 
a 
few 
need 
areas 
that 
looked 
more 
promising 
than 
others 
and 
offered 
room 
for 
improvement. 
The 
features 
with 
the 
highest 
opportunity 
scores 
were 
the 
following: 
·∙ 
Cleanliness 
-­‐ 
ability 
to 
take 
out 
and 
clean 
turntable 
·∙ 
Safety 
-­‐ 
risk 
of 
radiation 
·∙ 
Safety 
-­‐ 
risk 
of 
fire 
from 
heating 
of 
metallic 
objects 
·∙ 
Cleanliness 
-­‐ 
ability 
to 
clean 
newly 
spilled 
food 
·∙ 
Ease 
of 
Use 
-­‐ 
easy 
to 
navigate 
the 
menu 
options 
·∙ 
Performance 
-­‐ 
high 
speed 
cooking/reheating 
·∙ 
Cleanliness 
-­‐ 
ability 
to 
clean 
stuck 
on 
food 
·∙ 
Performance 
-­‐ 
even 
cooking/reheating 
Based 
on 
these 
insights, 
we 
were 
able 
to 
compare 
the 
need 
areas 
presenting 
the 
highest 
opportunity 
costs 
with 
other 
need 
areas 
in 
our 
trade-­‐off 
matrix. 
This 
helped 
us 
to 
decide 
on 
which 
need 
areas 
to 
focus 
on. 
The 
following 
trade-­‐offs 
were 
of 
particular 
importance: 
Cleanliness 
– 
Ability 
to 
clean 
newly 
spilled 
food 
vs. 
cooking 
chamber 
size: 
This 
trade-­‐off 
can 
be 
perceived 
in 
two 
ways: 
a 
decrease 
in 
the 
size 
of 
the 
cooking 
chamber 
could 
be 
positive 
as 
there 
is 
less 
surface 
to 
clean 
or 
it 
could 
negative 
because 
the 
remaining 
surface 
is 
more 
difficult 
to 
clean. 
Similarly, 
as 
the 
cooking 
chamber 
gets 
bigger, 
this 
can 
translate 
into 
a 
bigger 
area 
to 
clean 
(negative) 
or 
it 
can 
make 
the 
surface 
easier 
to 
clean 
due 
to 
increased 
space 
(positive). 
Taking 
a 
cautionary 
approach, 
we 
decided 
to 
consider 
it 
as 
a 
negative 
relationship. 
Cleanliness 
– 
Ability 
to 
clean 
stuck 
on 
food 
vs. 
cooking 
chamber 
size: 
Similar 
to 
the 
trade-­‐off 
discussed 
above, 
cleaning 
can 
get 
easier 
when 
the 
chamber 
size 
increases 
because 
the 
space 
is 
less 
confined, 
or 
it 
can 
become 
harder 
as 
there 
is 
more 
surface 
area 
to 
clean. 
The 
opposite 
is 
true 
is 
the 
chamber 
size 
decreased. 
Taking 
a 
cautionary 
approach, 
we 
decided 
to 
consider 
it 
as 
a 
negative 
relationship. 
Cleanliness 
– 
Ability 
to 
Clean 
Newly 
spilled 
food 
vs. 
ability 
to 
take 
out 
turntable: 
If 
you 
are 
able 
to 
take 
out 
the 
turntable 
easily, 
it 
will 
make 
the 
cleaning 
of 
newly 
spilled 
food 
easier. 
Hence, 
these 
two 
need 
areas 
are 
positively 
related. 
Cleanliness 
– 
Ability 
to 
clean 
newly 
spilled 
food 
vs. 
ability 
to 
clean 
stuck 
on 
food: 
Being 
able 
to 
clean 
up 
newly 
spilled 
food 
makes 
it 
easier 
to 
prevent/clean 
later 
stuck-­‐on 
food. 
Similarly, 
if 
the 
cleaning 
of 
newly 
spilled 
food 
is 
not 
effective, 
the 
cleaning 
of 
later 
stuck-­‐on 
food 
is 
more 
likely 
to 
occur. 
Therefore, 
these 
two 
need 
areas 
are 
positively 
related. 
Ease 
of 
Use 
– 
ease 
to 
open 
the 
door 
vs. 
cooking 
chamber 
size: 
This 
trade-­‐off 
is 
very 
dependent 
on 
the 
design, 
but 
if 
we 
assume 
that 
a 
large 
door 
is 
easier 
to 
open, 
then 
there 
is 
a 
positive 
relationship 
between 
the 
ease 
of 
opening 
the 
door 
and 
the 
cooking 
chamber 
size. 
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Cleanliness 
– 
Ability 
to 
clean 
newly 
spilled 
food 
vs. 
ease 
of 
use 
– 
ease 
to 
open 
the 
door: 
The 
easier 
it 
is 
to 
open 
the 
microwave 
door, 
the 
easier 
it 
will 
be 
to 
clean 
the 
microwave. 
Hence, 
there 
is 
a 
positive 
relationship 
between 
these 
need 
areas. 
Ease 
of 
use 
– 
easy 
and 
quick 
to 
choose 
cooking 
time 
vs. 
feature 
– 
food 
specific, 
pre-­‐set 
cooking 
times: 
The 
presence 
of 
efficient 
pre-­‐set 
cooking 
times 
on 
a 
microwave 
simplifies 
the 
choice 
of 
a 
cooking 
time: 
these 
two 
need 
areas 
are 
positively 
related. 
Ease 
of 
use 
– 
easy 
to 
navigate 
vs. 
feature 
– 
food 
specific, 
pre-­‐set 
cooking 
times: 
If 
a 
microwave 
is 
difficult 
to 
navigate, 
pre-­‐set 
times 
are 
less 
likely 
to 
be 
used. 
As 
the 
microwave 
becomes 
easier 
to 
navigate, 
consumers 
are 
more 
likely 
to 
take 
advantage 
of 
pre-­‐set 
cooking 
times 
(positive 
relationship). 
Cleanliness 
– 
ability 
to 
clean 
stuck 
on 
food 
vs. 
ability 
to 
take 
out 
and 
clean 
turntable: 
Improving 
the 
ability 
to 
take 
out 
and 
clean 
the 
turntable 
will 
facilitate 
the 
cleaning 
of 
stuck 
on 
food 
inside 
the 
microwave 
chamber 
(positive 
relationship). 
Feature 
– 
presence 
of 
clock 
vs. 
ease 
of 
use 
– 
easy 
and 
quick 
to 
choose 
cooking 
time: 
Improvements 
to 
the 
microwave 
clock 
will 
make 
the 
choice 
of 
a 
cooking 
time 
more 
practical 
due 
to 
increased 
visibility 
(the 
time 
selected 
will 
be 
more 
apparent). 
If 
the 
ability 
to 
choose 
cooking 
time 
improves, 
the 
clock 
is 
more 
likely 
to 
be 
clear, 
visible, 
and 
fool 
proof 
(positive 
relationship) 
Feature 
– 
presence 
of 
clock 
vs. 
feature 
– 
presence 
of 
a 
timer: 
The 
clock 
and 
timer 
are 
typically 
integrated 
into 
the 
same 
system. 
Hence, 
making 
improvements 
(e.g. 
increase 
in 
size 
or 
readability) 
to 
one 
will 
likely 
yield 
improvements 
to 
the 
other 
(positive 
relationship). 
Ease 
of 
Use 
– 
easy 
and 
quick 
to 
choose 
cooking 
time 
vs. 
ease 
of 
use 
– 
easy 
to 
navigate 
menu 
options: 
The 
ease 
of 
use 
of 
navigation 
options 
will 
impact 
how 
easy 
it 
is 
to 
select 
the 
cooking 
time. 
As 
a 
result, 
improvements 
to 
the 
navigation 
system 
will 
facilitate 
the 
choice 
of 
the 
cooking 
time; 
the 
relationship 
between 
these 
two 
need 
areas 
is 
positive. 
Ease 
of 
Use 
– 
easy 
and 
quick 
to 
choose 
cooking 
time 
vs. 
Performance 
– 
high-­‐speed 
cooking/ 
reheating: 
The 
performance 
and 
usability 
of 
the 
high-­‐speed 
cooking/reheating 
feature 
implies 
that 
it 
is 
simple 
to 
choose 
the 
cooking 
time 
of 
the 
microwave 
(if 
consumers 
are 
satisfied 
with 
the 
performance 
of 
their 
microwave, 
they 
probably 
know 
how 
to 
use 
the 
cooking 
time 
feature). 
Hence, 
a 
positive 
relationship 
is 
apparent. 
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30
Ease 
of 
Use 
– 
easy 
to 
navigate 
the 
menu 
options 
vs. 
Performance 
– 
high-­‐speed 
cooking/ 
reheating: 
Improving 
the 
ability 
to 
navigate 
around 
the 
microwave 
means 
that 
finding 
the 
high-­‐speed 
feature 
will 
be 
easier. 
Similarly, 
the 
high-­‐speed 
feature 
must 
be 
easy 
to 
find 
and 
use 
for 
navigation 
to 
be 
considered 
simple. 
Consequently, 
these 
two 
need 
areas 
present 
a 
positive 
relationship. 
Performance 
– 
even 
cooking/reheating 
vs. 
Performance 
– 
high-­‐speed 
cooking/ 
reheating: 
Increasing 
the 
speed 
of 
cooking 
increases 
the 
chances 
of 
cooking 
food 
on 
the 
outside 
more 
quickly. 
Hence, 
increasing 
the 
speed 
of 
cooking 
can 
potentially 
jeopardize 
the 
degree 
to 
which 
food 
is 
cooked 
evenly 
(negative 
relationship). 
Performance 
– 
high-­‐speed 
cooking/ 
reheating 
vs. 
Noise 
Level: 
Increasing 
the 
speed 
of 
cooking 
will 
most 
likely 
require 
more 
power, 
which 
in 
turn 
may 
produce 
a 
higher 
noise 
level. 
Therefore, 
there 
is 
a 
trade-­‐off 
to 
be 
made 
between 
the 
extra 
power 
required 
for 
faster 
cooking 
and 
the 
noise 
level 
of 
the 
microwave 
(negative 
relationship). 
Performance 
– 
Energy 
Efficiency 
vs. 
Performance 
– 
high-­‐speed 
cooking/ 
reheating: 
The 
faster 
a 
microwave 
cooks 
using 
current 
technology, 
the 
more 
energy 
it 
consumes 
(negative 
relationship). 
Cleanliness 
– 
ability 
to 
clean 
stuck 
on 
food 
vs. 
Performance 
– 
Ability 
to 
Prevent 
Food 
odour: 
We 
assume 
that 
an 
increase 
in 
the 
ability 
to 
clean 
stuck 
on 
food 
results 
from 
a 
more 
frequent 
cleaning 
of 
the 
microwave 
therefore 
minimizing 
food 
odour 
(positive 
relationship). 
Cleanliness 
– 
ability 
to 
clean 
newly 
spilled 
food 
vs. 
Performance 
– 
Ability 
to 
Prevent 
Food 
odour: 
Being 
able 
to 
clean 
newly 
spilled 
food 
will 
increase 
the 
ability 
to 
remove 
odours 
from 
the 
microwave. 
Hence, 
a 
positive 
relationship 
is 
evident. 
Cleanliness 
– 
Ability 
to 
Take 
Out 
and 
Clean 
Turntable 
vs. 
Performance 
– 
Ability 
to 
Prevent 
Food 
odour: 
Similar 
to 
the 
trade-­‐off 
stated 
above, 
having 
a 
clean 
turntable 
will 
likely 
decrease 
the 
odours 
in 
the 
microwave 
as 
well 
as 
their 
diffusion 
when 
cooking/reheating 
food. 
The 
ability 
to 
remove 
and 
clean 
the 
turntable 
easily 
and 
the 
ability 
to 
prevent 
food 
odour 
are 
therefore 
positively 
correlated. 
Price: 
Price 
was 
considered 
to 
be 
a 
trade-­‐off 
in 
comparison 
to 
all 
other 
need 
areas: 
as 
new 
features 
are 
added 
or 
existing 
features 
improved, 
they 
increase 
the 
value 
of 
the 
microwave, 
which 
in 
some 
cases 
justifies 
a 
price 
premium. 
A 
higher 
price 
means 
that 
price-­‐sensitive 
consumers 
are 
less 
likely 
to 
buy 
the 
product. 
Hence, 
price 
has 
a 
negative 
relationship 
with 
most 
other 
need 
areas. 
7 
of 
30
In 
the 
end, 
the 
product 
we 
chose 
to 
develop 
is 
not 
part 
of 
the 
microwave 
itself, 
it 
is 
complementary 
and 
therefore 
doesn’t 
have 
a 
direct 
impact 
on 
other 
need 
areas: 
it 
does 
not 
require 
trade-­‐offs 
between 
performance, 
cleanliness 
or 
basic 
microwave 
features, 
which 
can 
be 
considered 
an 
advantage. 
It 
allows 
us 
to 
focus 
on 
the 
quality 
of 
the 
product 
without 
compromising 
on 
the 
quality 
of 
microwaves. 
Choice 
of 
Need: 
The 
need 
we 
have 
chosen 
to 
focus 
on 
concerns 
the 
ability 
to 
clean 
newly 
spilled 
and 
the 
ability 
to 
clean 
stuck-­‐on 
food. 
This 
need 
area 
has 
the 
advantage 
of 
presenting 
mostly 
positive 
relationships 
with 
other 
need 
areas 
(i.e. 
ability 
to 
clean 
and 
take 
out 
turntable, 
ability 
to 
prevent 
food 
odour 
etc.). 
However, 
our 
trade-­‐off 
matrix 
does 
show 
a 
possible 
negative 
relationship 
between 
these 
need 
areas 
and 
the 
chamber 
size 
of 
the 
microwave 
but 
this 
relationship 
is 
not 
relevant 
as 
we 
intend 
to 
keep 
the 
chamber 
size 
of 
the 
microwave 
constant. 
The 
ability 
to 
clean 
stuck-­‐on 
food 
had 
the 
second 
highest 
opportunity 
score 
and 
the 
ability 
to 
clean 
newly 
spilled 
food 
scored 
slightly 
less. 
These 
scores 
indicated 
a 
gap 
between 
their 
importance 
and 
current 
consumer 
satisfaction, 
which 
can 
be 
capitalized 
on. 
Furthermore, 
both 
needs 
can 
be 
met 
with 
a 
technically 
feasible 
solution 
that 
is 
relatively 
easy 
to 
communicate 
to 
consumers: 
people 
are 
used 
to 
struggling 
while 
cleaning 
their 
microwaves 
and 
there 
is 
no 
formal 
solution 
available 
on 
the 
market, 
which 
is 
why 
we 
believe 
microwave 
users 
would 
be 
very 
receptive 
to 
a 
new 
product 
meeting 
their 
needs. 
The 
survey 
we 
administered 
is 
what 
ultimately 
helped 
us 
to 
decide 
on 
a 
particular 
need 
area: 
while 
86% 
of 
respondents 
said 
that 
they 
do 
take 
measures 
to 
prevent 
spills 
in 
the 
microwave, 
90% 
indicated 
that 
they 
cleaned 
their 
microwaves 
regularly 
meaning 
spills 
and 
splashes 
still 
occurred. 
Survey 
respondents 
also 
showed 
a 
tendency 
of 
not 
using 
cleaning 
products 
for 
the 
microwave 
because 
they 
wished 
to 
minimize 
mixing/contact 
between 
their 
food 
and 
chemicals 
contained 
in 
these 
products. 
The 
most 
prominent 
cleaning 
method 
administered 
was 
simply 
using 
a 
rag 
and 
water 
(64% 
of 
respondents). 
Those 
who 
employed 
cleaning 
agents 
to 
assist 
the 
process 
often 
used 
vinegar 
and 
several 
additional 
people 
stated 
that 
they 
microwaved 
water 
with 
lemon 
to 
loosen 
stuck 
on 
food 
and 
leave 
their 
microwave 
smelling 
fresh. 
Focusing 
on 
this 
need 
area 
was 
also 
compatible 
with 
existing 
consumer 
behaviour: 
cleaning 
microwaves 
is 
a 
process 
consumers 
are 
familiar 
with; 
it 
simply 
needs 
to 
be 
improved. 
Furthermore, 
as 
stated 
above, 
some 
consumers 
are 
already 
familiar 
with 
cleaning 
methods 
such 
as 
using 
lemon 
juice 
to 
loosen 
stuck 
on 
food, 
which 
resonates 
with 
our 
product 
and 
reduces 
barriers 
to 
adoption. 
The 
other 
needs 
displaying 
high 
opportunity 
scores 
were 
not 
chosen 
due 
to 
a 
lack 
of 
technical 
feasibility, 
ease 
of 
communication, 
ability 
to 
differentiate, 
or 
simply 
because 
the 
trade-­‐offs 
required 
with 
other 
features 
were 
too 
restrictive. 
Improving 
even 
cooking/reheating 
abilities, 
8 
of 
30
for 
example, 
would 
be 
very 
difficult 
because 
this 
feature 
is 
directly 
related 
to 
the 
type 
of 
food 
being 
cooked/heated. 
Similarly, 
improving 
navigation 
was 
not 
chosen 
because 
it 
was 
viewed 
as 
an 
attribute 
that 
would 
be 
difficult 
to 
communicate 
(navigational 
ease 
can 
mean 
different 
things 
to 
different 
people). 
The 
ability 
to 
offer 
high-­‐speed 
cooking 
also 
proved 
challenging 
due 
to 
its 
potential 
impact 
on 
energy 
efficiency, 
and 
the 
subsequent 
increase 
in 
microwave 
noise 
level, 
which 
may 
have 
resulted 
in 
less 
overall 
user 
satisfaction. 
Finally, 
a 
solution 
to 
safety 
risks 
such 
as 
radiation, 
fire 
from 
heating 
metal 
objects 
etc. 
was 
technically 
more 
difficult 
to 
execute. 
d) 
Final 
Concept: 
Microwave 
Pods 
The 
final 
concept 
was 
inspired 
by 
survey 
respondents’ 
answers 
in 
terms 
of 
how 
they 
cleaned 
their 
microwave: 
quite 
a 
few 
microwaved 
a 
bowl 
of 
water 
with 
vinegar/lemon/lime, 
a 
method 
which 
used 
steam 
to 
disinfect 
the 
interior 
of 
the 
microwave 
and 
make 
stuck 
on 
food 
easier 
to 
remove. 
These 
respondents 
used 
vinegar/lemon/lime 
in 
their 
water 
instead 
of 
using 
cleaning 
agents 
directly 
to 
ensure 
that 
chemicals 
never 
made 
their 
way 
into 
their 
food. 
However, 
microwaving 
water 
can 
be 
very 
dangerous: 
the 
United 
States 
Department 
of 
Agriculture 
Food 
Safety 
and 
Inspection 
Service, 
the 
US 
Food 
and 
Drug 
association, 
and 
the 
Government 
of 
Canada 
have 
warned 
microwave 
users 
of 
eruptions 
that 
typically 
occur 
from 
microwaving 
liquids. 
Eruptions 
arise 
when 
a 
liquid 
(usually 
water) 
heated 
in 
a 
microwave 
becomes 
hotter 
than 
its 
conventional 
boiling 
temperature 
(100°C). 
The 
liquid 
then 
reacts 
due 
to 
a 
disruption 
in 
its 
molecular 
structure 
(i.e. 
the 
water 
is 
in 
motion), 
making 
it 
a 
“superheated 
liquid”. 
This 
phenomenon 
usually 
happens 
when 
the 
liquid 
is 
being 
heated 
in 
a 
clean 
vessel 
(FSIS, 
2011) 
(Government 
of 
Canada, 
2011) 
(FDA, 
2012). 
Even 
when 
the 
liquid 
is 
left 
for 
several 
minutes 
to 
cool 
off 
after 
the 
heating 
has 
ended, 
the 
risk 
of 
an 
eruption 
lingers. 
Consumers 
have 
developed 
their 
own 
solution 
to 
microwave 
cleaning 
however 
these 
solutions 
are 
not 
safe 
and 
provoke 
potentially 
dangerous 
chemical 
reactions. 
Hence, 
there 
is 
an 
opportunity 
in 
the 
market 
to 
fulfil 
this 
need 
with 
a 
safer 
solution. 
As 
measures 
of 
safety 
were 
considered 
very 
important 
to 
microwave 
users 
(see 
Appendix 
B), 
we 
believe 
our 
product 
would 
be 
highly 
appealing. 
Our 
final 
concept 
is 
a 
“Microwave 
Pod” 
in 
the 
shape 
of 
a 
half 
lemon 
(See 
Appendix 
C 
for 
pictures 
of 
product 
design). 
This 
microwave 
pod 
comes 
as 
a 
plastic 
container 
filled 
with 
150ml 
of 
all-­‐natural 
liquid 
or 
gelatine 
containing 
vinegar, 
lemon 
juice, 
or 
citrus 
oils. 
Additionally, 
there 
are 
small 
holes 
on 
top 
of 
the 
plastic 
container. 
When 
the 
pod 
is 
microwaved, 
steamed 
liquid 
escapes 
from 
the 
holes 
to 
loosen 
stuck 
on 
food, 
disinfect, 
and 
remove 
odours. 
The 
aim 
of 
the 
small 
holes 
is 
to 
reduce 
the 
risk 
of 
water 
erupting 
and 
potentially 
harming 
the 
consumer. 
The 
pod 
would 
have 
to 
be 
microwaved 
for 
three 
minutes, 
left 
to 
cool 
off 
for 
two 
minutes, 
and 
then 
the 
user 
would 
be 
able 
to 
easily 
wipe 
off 
the 
condensed 
steam 
inside 
the 
microwave. 
9 
of 
30
The 
plastic 
used 
for 
the 
pod 
will 
be 
a 
Food 
Grade 
Plastic 
(grade 
5). 
This 
plastic 
is 
known 
as 
polypropylene 
(PP). 
It 
is 
a 
thermoplastic 
polymer 
that 
is 
strong, 
tough, 
has 
a 
high 
resistance 
to 
heat 
and 
also 
acts 
as 
a 
barrier 
to 
moisture. 
This 
material 
will 
maintain 
its 
shape 
in 
high 
temperatures 
and 
will 
not 
transfer 
any 
chemicals 
or 
toxins 
to 
the 
contents 
it 
is 
holding 
(Baby 
Green 
Thumb, 
2011). 
In 
order 
keep 
the 
liquid 
contents 
from 
spilling 
or 
leaking 
on 
store 
shelves 
before 
the 
user 
is 
ready 
to 
use 
it, 
a 
thin 
plastic 
film 
will 
be 
applied 
over 
the 
holes. 
The 
user 
is 
supposed 
to 
remove 
the 
plastic 
film 
just 
before 
placing 
the 
product 
inside 
the 
microwave. 
The 
microwave 
pod 
aligns 
with 
recent 
trends 
of 
cleaning 
convenience 
that 
have 
led 
cleaning 
products 
to 
take 
the 
form 
of 
pods, 
capsules, 
and 
wipes 
(Smithers 
Apex) 
(Dupont 
Industrial 
Biosciences, 
2012). 
These 
products 
are 
intended 
to 
make 
the 
process 
of 
cleaning 
as 
effortless 
as 
possible. 
The 
packaging 
of 
the 
product 
will 
be 
recognizable 
on 
supermarket 
shelves 
as 
a 
result 
of 
its 
unique 
shape 
and 
colour. 
Due 
to 
the 
novelty 
of 
the 
product, 
consumers 
need 
to 
be 
able 
to 
recognize 
it 
easily. 
Using 
the 
shape 
of 
a 
lemon 
for 
the 
product 
is 
intended 
to 
convince 
consumers 
that 
it 
is 
an 
all-­‐natural 
product 
preventing 
toxic 
chemicals 
from 
getting 
into 
their 
food. 
The 
microwave 
pod 
will 
be 
distributed 
in 
grocery 
stores 
and 
supermarkets 
where 
it 
will 
be 
placed 
in 
the 
household 
cleaning 
section 
near 
the 
dish 
soap 
and 
other 
kitchen 
cleaning 
products. 
It 
will 
be 
marketed 
through 
point 
of 
sale 
displays 
and 
free 
sample 
distributions 
in 
grocery 
stores 
and 
supermarkets. 
We 
also 
plan 
on 
partnering 
with 
microwave 
retailers 
to 
give 
product 
samples 
in 
bundle 
packages 
for 
people 
purchasing 
new 
microwaves. 
Increasing 
product 
awareness 
and 
the 
consumer’s 
ability 
to 
try 
out 
the 
product 
will 
be 
the 
primary 
objective 
of 
the 
marketing 
effort. 
The 
microwave 
pod 
will 
be 
sold 
in 
packages 
of 
three 
pods 
as 
the 
product 
is 
to 
be 
used 
semi-­‐ 
regularly 
(2-­‐3 
times 
per 
month). 
The 
package 
of 
three 
will 
sell 
for 
$10.99 
($3.66 
each). 
This 
pricing 
is 
based 
on 
the 
value 
added 
to 
the 
cleaning 
experience 
of 
microwave 
users 
as 
well 
as 
the 
prices 
of 
other 
appliance 
cleaners 
for 
similar 
cleaning 
products 
(see 
table 
below). 
Product 
Price 
# 
of 
Units 
per 
Package 
Price 
per 
Unit 
Whirpool 
Washer 
Cleaners 
(pod) 
$8.99 
3 
$2.99 
Plink 
Garbage 
Disposal 
Pods 
$4.99 
10 
$0.49 
Easy-­‐Off 
Oven 
Cleaner 
(bottle) 
$10.99 
7 
(estimated) 
$3.66 
Weiman 
Cooktop 
Scrubbing 
Pads 
$10.81 
3 
$3.60 
*All 
prices 
based 
on 
www.amazon.ca 
listings 
10 
of 
30
11 
of 
30 
Part 
2: 
The 
Pitch 
“A 
product 
for 
family, 
in-­‐home 
microwave 
users 
who 
need 
a 
safe, 
convenient, 
fast 
and 
cost 
effective 
means 
of 
cleaning 
their 
microwaves. 
Our 
non-­‐toxic 
microwave 
cleaning 
pods 
safely 
loosen 
stuck-­‐on 
and 
newly 
spilled 
food, 
making 
cleaning 
quick 
and 
easy. 
Unlike 
harsh 
cleaning 
agents 
such 
as 
Clorox, 
our 
pods 
use 
the 
cleaning 
power 
of 
steam 
and 
natural 
ingredients 
to 
provide 
fresh, 
naturally 
scented 
cleaning 
results”. 
a) 
RWW 
Approach: 
1) 
Is 
it 
Real? 
According 
to 
the 
data 
gathered 
from 
the 
idea 
generation 
report, 
the 
cleanliness 
of 
microwave 
was 
identified 
as 
a 
concern 
of 
high 
importance, 
amplified 
by 
the 
fact 
that 
most 
people 
do 
not 
cover 
their 
food 
while 
heating 
it, 
which 
leads 
to 
higher 
amounts 
of 
spillage 
and 
stuck-­‐on 
food. 
This 
highlight 
was 
further 
confirmed 
by 
the 
user 
survey, 
as 
the 
“ability 
to 
clean 
newly 
spilled 
food 
and 
ability 
to 
clean 
stuck 
on 
food” 
were 
both 
ranked 
in 
the 
Top 
5 
of 
Opportunity 
Scores. 
It 
is 
therefore 
clear 
that 
consumers 
view 
the 
cleanliness 
of 
their 
microwaves 
as 
essential 
and 
look 
for 
cleaning 
products 
providing 
solutions. 
Furthermore, 
the 
market 
potential 
and 
sheer 
number 
of 
potential 
buyers 
is 
huge, 
as 
a 
result 
of 
the 
very 
high 
rate 
of 
microwave 
penetration 
in 
North 
America 
(see 
market 
size 
below).
12 
of 
30 
Market 
Size: 
Total 
Potential 
Market: 
out 
of 
the 
124.3 
million 
households 
in 
North 
America, 
microwave 
ovens 
have 
an 
approximate 
95% 
market 
rate 
penetration. 
It 
has 
been 
determined 
that 
US 
households 
spend 
an 
average 
of 
$4 
per 
year 
on 
comparable 
home 
care 
products, 
namely 
toilet 
care 
products 
(Euromonitor, 2102). 
If 
microwave 
care 
products 
are 
able 
to 
achieve 
a 
household 
average 
spend 
rate 
of 
$3.66, 
our 
target 
retail 
price, 
the 
total 
market 
has 
an 
approximate 
value 
of 
$432 
million. 
Serviceable 
Addressable 
Market: 
The 
selected 
distribution 
channels 
(Hypermarkets 
and 
Supermarket 
distributing 
home 
care 
products) 
represent 
58% 
of 
total 
home 
care 
product 
sales 
(Euromonitor, 2102). 
Assuming 
the 
top 
10 
home 
care 
companies 
maintain 
proportional 
market 
share, 
only 
17% 
of 
the 
microwave 
care 
market 
will 
remain 
therefore 
resulting 
in 
an 
estimated 
retail 
market 
value 
of 
$43.7 
million. 
Target 
Market: 
Households 
with 
1 
or 
more 
children 
and 
households 
with 
only 
one 
occupant 
represent 
60.5% 
of 
North 
American 
households 
which 
results 
in 
a 
target 
market 
worth 
$26.5 
million 
(see 
Appendix 
E) 
Primary 
Target 
Market: 
Parents 
who 
care 
about 
providing 
a 
clean, 
natural, 
and 
safe 
environment 
for 
their 
families. 
They 
clean 
more 
often 
than 
other 
consumer 
segments 
and 
value 
cleanliness, 
safety 
and 
health 
conscious 
products. 
Secondary 
Target 
Market: 
Students 
and 
bachelors 
whom 
typically 
clean 
their 
microwave 
less 
often 
and 
are 
not 
very 
familiar 
with 
the 
use 
of 
cleaning 
products. 
The 
microwave-­‐cleaning 
pod 
helps 
this 
segment 
tackle 
the 
cleaning 
problem 
in 
a 
simpler, 
more 
manageable 
manner
requiring 
less 
time 
and 
effort. 
2) 
Can 
we 
win? 
In 
the 
current 
marketplace, 
there 
are 
no 
specific 
products 
designed 
to 
help 
consumers 
clean 
their 
microwaves: 
alternatives 
include 
multi-­‐function 
wipes 
or 
aggressive 
detergent 
liquids, 
which 
are 
effortful 
to 
use. 
Furthermore, 
these 
alternatives 
leave 
potentially 
toxic 
remains 
after 
cleaning 
and 
are 
not 
viewed 
as 
particularly 
effective. 
Hence, 
we 
can 
assume 
that 
consumers 
would 
be 
willing 
to 
switch 
to 
a 
superior 
product. 
As 
opposed 
to 
available 
market 
solutions, 
our 
product 
provides 
a 
safe, 
convenient, 
and 
cost 
effective 
means 
for 
cleaning 
microwaves. 
Our 
pods 
safely 
loosen 
newly 
spilled 
and 
stuck-­‐on 
food 
therefore 
making 
cleaning 
quick 
and 
easy. 
They 
also 
use 
natural 
ingredients 
and 
provide 
fresh, 
naturally 
scented 
cleaning 
results 
as 
opposed 
to 
harsh 
cleaning 
agents 
such 
as 
Clorox. 
This 
product 
is 
highly 
differentiated 
and 
has 
no 
direct 
competition 
from 
established 
players 
in 
the 
home 
care/surface 
cleaning 
industry, 
which 
is 
why 
we 
believe 
it 
has 
tremendous 
potential 
for 
success. 
Competitor 
Analysis: 
As 
previously 
stated, 
our 
product 
has 
no 
direct 
competitors: 
using 
pod 
technology 
to 
clean 
microwaves 
is 
highly 
innovative 
and 
has 
not 
been 
seen 
before. 
However, 
commercial 
microwave 
cleaning 
products 
do 
exist 
and 
come 
in 
a 
variety 
of 
sprays 
and 
foams 
(e.g. 
spray-­‐and-­‐wipe 
cleaners, 
scrub-­‐free 
foams 
etc.) 
Indirect 
competition 
comes 
from 
well-­‐established 
players 
in 
the 
home 
care 
industry 
such 
as 
Procter 
& 
Gamble 
and 
Clorox, 
which 
have 
a 
diversified 
cleaning 
product 
line 
and 
important 
advertising 
budgets. 
The 
biggest 
threat 
from 
these 
competitors 
comes 
from 
their 
ability 
to 
develop 
a 
similar 
product, 
which 
would 
undermine 
our 
profit 
margins 
and 
crowd 
the 
marketplace. 
There 
is 
also 
competition 
from 
smaller 
brands 
such 
as 
Carbona 
or 
Citrusafe, 
which 
have 
developed 
wipes/sprays 
specifically 
designed 
to 
clean 
microwaves. 
This 
type 
of 
competitive 
threat 
is 
limited 
due 
to 
the 
points 
of 
difference 
of 
our 
microwave 
pods. 
Finally, 
consumers 
have 
the 
choice 
to 
substitute 
microwave-­‐cleaning 
products 
for 
homemade 
washing 
solutions. 
This 
includes 
using 
lemon 
juice 
(placing 
lemon 
wedges 
in 
a 
microwaveable 
bowl 
and 
adding 
cups 
of 
water 
before 
heating 
it 
for 
several 
minutes) 
or 
vinegar 
(same 
principle) 
to 
create 
steam 
before 
wiping 
the 
inside 
of 
the 
microwave. 
These 
homemade 
solutions 
have 
the 
advantage 
of 
reducing 
costs 
for 
consumers 
however 
they 
are 
relatively 
complex 
and 
therefore 
rarely 
implemented. 
Our 
product 
works 
in 
a 
similar 
fashion 
as 
it 
uses 
steam 
and 
contains 
natural 
citrus 
elements. 
3) 
Is 
it 
worth 
pursuing? 
The 
innovativeness 
of 
our 
product 
makes 
it 
difficult 
to 
estimate 
its 
financial 
horizon. 
13 
of 
30
Nevertheless, 
we 
can 
estimate 
the 
proportions 
of 
expenses 
relative 
to 
revenue 
using 
information 
from 
a 
similar 
industry: 
the 
soap 
and 
cleaning 
agent 
industry 
(Ibis 
World, 
2014). 
Here 
is 
an 
estimate 
of 
such 
figures: 
Purchases 
(VC) 
-­‐ 
42% 
of 
revenue 
(this 
includes 
raw 
materials 
such 
as 
solvents, 
surfactants, 
phosphates, 
slats, 
perfumes 
etc.) 
Wages 
– 
11 
% 
of 
revenue 
Rent 
and 
Utilities 
– 
5.7% 
of 
revenue 
Maintenance 
(Depreciation) 
– 
1.8% 
of 
revenue 
Marketing 
– 
24% 
of 
revenue 
Other 
– 
15.5% 
(this 
includes 
R&D, 
restructuring 
costs 
etc.) 
Using 
a 
base 
of 
1000 
units 
sold, 
the 
following 
income 
statement 
gives 
an 
idea 
of 
how 
successful 
our 
product 
would 
be 
in 
a 
financial 
sense: 
As 
demonstrated 
by 
the 
income 
statement 
forecast, 
an 
important 
portion 
of 
revenue 
would 
be 
allocated 
to 
marketing 
expenses 
due 
to 
the 
necessity 
of 
making 
our 
product 
visible 
and 
known 
in 
the 
marketplace. 
Furthermore, 
although 
profit 
margins 
are 
low, 
as 
it 
is 
typically 
the 
case 
for 
soap 
and 
cleaning 
products, 
we 
expect 
high 
volume 
sales 
to 
compensate 
for 
such 
margins 
due 
to 
the 
huge 
size 
of 
the 
market 
and 
the 
important 
penetration 
rate 
of 
microwaves 
in 
North 
America. 
14 
of 
30
Competitive 
Advantage: 
Microwaves 
and 
the 
food 
reheating 
industry 
in 
general 
have 
experienced 
very 
little 
innovation 
in 
past 
decades. 
Additionally, 
the 
need 
for 
a 
cleaning 
method 
that 
is 
effective 
in 
eliminating 
food 
build-­‐up 
and 
residue 
within 
the 
microwave 
has 
yet 
to 
be 
fully 
addressed. 
In 
our 
research, 
cleanliness 
and 
safety 
emerged 
as 
the 
top 
concerns, 
which 
according 
to 
surveyed 
microwave 
users, 
were 
unmet. 
We 
believe 
that 
our 
product 
offers 
a 
solution 
catering 
to 
these 
needs: 
it 
provides 
users 
with 
a 
safe 
and 
effective 
way 
of 
cleaning 
their 
microwaves 
relative 
to 
current 
chemical 
home 
care 
products. 
Furthermore, 
it 
stands 
in 
stark 
contrast 
with 
dangerous 
in-­‐home 
cleaning 
methods 
(mixing 
water 
with 
agents 
such 
as 
lemon 
and 
vinegar) 
inadvertently 
resulting 
in 
the 
superheating 
of 
liquid, 
which 
poses 
a 
serious 
risk 
of 
burns 
and 
injury). 
Thus, 
our 
product 
design 
has 
been 
optimized 
to 
addresses 
cleanliness 
as 
well 
as 
safety 
needs, 
both 
highly 
valued 
by 
customers 
Sustaining 
Competitive 
Advantage 
-­‐ 
an 
aggressive 
intellectual 
property 
portfolio 
under 
development: 
Utility 
Patent: 
this 
pending 
patent 
will 
protect 
the 
utilitarian 
functions 
of 
the 
citrus 
shaped 
pod 
container, 
which 
contains 
the 
cleaning 
agent 
while 
simultaneously 
providing 
optimal 
steam 
distribution 
and 
protection 
against 
burns/explosions. 
Industrial 
Design 
Patent: 
a 
design 
patent 
is 
pending 
and 
will 
protect 
the 
unique 
features 
of 
the 
pod 
shape, 
configuration 
and 
pattern. 
Trademark 
Brand: 
unique 
word 
marks 
have 
been 
registered 
to 
develop 
strong 
brand 
recognition 
and 
association 
with 
microwave 
cleaning. 
Trademark 
Shape: 
the 
citrus 
shape 
will 
be 
protected 
in 
order 
to 
further 
reinforce 
brand 
recognition 
and 
association 
with 
microwave 
cleaning. 
Trade 
Secret 
Formula: 
the 
cleaning 
solution 
formula 
is 
to 
remain 
protected 
by 
trade 
secret 
by 
means 
of 
stringent 
trade-­‐secret 
policy 
and 
procedures 
with 
which 
current 
R&D 
is 
in 
compliance. 
15 
of 
30
16 
of 
30 
b) 
Conquering 
Barriers 
to 
Adoption 
Relative 
Advantage: 
8 
Microwave 
usage 
without 
regular 
cleaning 
inevitably 
leads 
to 
food 
residue 
over 
time, 
often 
adhering 
to 
microwave 
walls. 
Cleanliness 
and 
hygiene 
are 
a 
strong 
concern 
for 
both 
in-­‐home 
and 
out 
of 
home 
users 
due 
to 
the 
role 
microwaves 
play 
in 
food 
handling 
and 
preparation. 
Our 
pod 
proposes 
an 
improved 
solution 
compared 
to 
current 
cleaning 
methods: 
it 
uses 
non-­‐toxic 
and 
all-­‐natural 
ingredients 
as 
well 
as 
the 
power 
of 
steam 
to 
soften 
dirt 
and 
residues 
therefore 
addressing 
such 
concerns. 
In 
addition, 
it 
is 
based 
on 
a 
familiar 
process, 
which 
people 
currently 
use 
but 
has 
the 
benefit 
of 
enhancing 
safety 
by 
avoiding 
the 
risk 
of 
burns 
due 
to 
superheated 
liquid 
(see 
packaging 
design). 
Ultimately, 
it 
saves 
an 
important 
amount 
of 
time 
compared 
to 
relentlessly 
scrubbing 
food 
residues 
that 
are 
difficult 
to 
remove. 
Compatibility: 
8 
Our 
research 
shows 
that 
there 
is 
no 
conventional 
method 
of 
cleaning 
microwaves, 
with 
users 
employing 
a 
wide 
array 
of 
cleaning 
tool, 
agents 
and 
homemade 
solutions. 
This 
ranges 
from 
the 
use 
of 
commercial 
all-­‐purpose 
cleaners 
to 
family 
inspired 
techniques 
such 
as 
heating 
a 
solution 
of 
water 
and 
vinegar. 
Our 
product 
takes 
the 
form 
of 
a 
typical 
pod 
cleaner 
similar 
to 
those 
used 
in 
washing 
machines 
and 
dishwashers. 
Furthermore, 
our 
liquid 
solution 
is 
composed 
of 
familiar 
elements 
that 
users 
have 
already 
employed 
in 
the 
past 
(lemon, 
vinegar, 
water 
etc.). 
Hence, 
there 
is 
little 
change 
in 
cleaning 
behaviour 
as 
the 
agents 
used 
in 
our 
product 
as 
well 
as 
the 
cleaning 
method 
and 
pod 
technology 
is 
already 
familiar 
to 
users. 
Complexity: 
4 
The 
challenge 
we 
face 
concerns 
the 
novelty 
of 
the 
microwave 
pod 
as 
a 
product 
category 
in 
the 
microwave-­‐cleaning 
segment, 
which 
makes 
recognition 
and 
ability 
to 
infer 
its 
use 
a 
potential 
barrier 
to 
adoption. 
On 
the 
other 
hand, 
due 
to 
the 
adoption 
of 
current 
cleaning 
pods 
in 
other 
categories 
(washing 
machines, 
dishwashers 
etc.), 
we 
believe 
there 
is 
little 
complexity 
in 
using 
our 
product. 
Users 
simply 
have 
to 
tear 
the 
adhesive 
and 
leave 
the 
product 
in 
the 
microwave, 
enabling 
the 
content 
to 
steam 
out 
and 
soften 
food 
residue 
therefore 
allowing 
easier 
wiping 
with 
a 
cloth 
or 
sponge. 
Our 
main 
concern 
lies 
within 
the 
marketing 
of 
the 
product 
i.e. 
how 
we 
would 
help 
our 
customers 
to 
understand 
the 
benefits 
and 
general 
concept 
of 
the 
microwave 
pod. 
In 
order 
to 
address 
this, 
our 
packaging 
will 
contain 
photographic 
instructions 
on 
how 
to 
use 
the 
product. 
Our 
marketing 
strategy 
will 
equally 
focus 
on 
product 
placements 
in 
TV 
shows 
or 
infomercials, 
which 
could 
help 
consumers 
understand 
the 
microwave 
pod 
through 
product 
demonstrations. 
Trialability: 
7 
In 
order 
to 
increase 
trialability, 
we 
plan 
to 
implement 
a 
strong 
pull 
marketing 
strategy 
by 
giving 
away 
free 
samples 
through 
grocery 
stores 
and 
other 
small 
independent 
distributors. 
Also, 
we 
plan 
on 
bundling 
the 
product 
for 
free 
with 
new 
microwave 
purchases. 
In 
doing 
so, 
we 
will 
be 
able 
to 
address 
the 
information 
asymmetry 
issue 
and 
have 
users 
test 
the 
product 
and 
witness 
first-­‐hand 
how 
it 
works. 
We 
equally 
plan 
on 
taking 
advantage 
of 
home 
and 
kitchen 
trade 
shows
to 
demonstrate 
the 
product 
and 
allow 
early 
adopters 
to 
experience 
it. 
Furthermore, 
our 
product 
is 
relatively 
inexpensive 
which 
encourages 
consumers 
to 
try 
it 
out 
(the 
financial 
downside 
is 
low 
in 
the 
case 
they 
don’t 
enjoy 
the 
product). 
Observability: 
17 
of 
30 
5 
Typically, 
microwave 
usage 
in-­‐home 
or 
out 
of 
home 
is 
an 
individual 
experience, 
especially 
with 
regards 
to 
the 
cleaning. 
Hence, 
it 
is 
difficult 
for 
other 
people 
to 
observe 
the 
cleaning 
process 
during 
the 
use 
of 
the 
microwave 
pod. 
We 
plan 
to 
address 
this 
issue 
by 
choosing 
effective 
marketing 
channels 
to 
reach 
our 
customers. 
Food 
and 
Kitchen 
TV 
programs, 
for 
example, 
can 
serve 
as 
an 
effective 
marketing 
channel 
helping 
users 
to 
understand 
the 
product 
and 
its 
benefits. 
Furthermore, 
we 
will 
use 
print 
advertisements 
in 
cooking 
and 
kitchen 
publications 
to 
gain 
visibility 
and 
traction. 
Distribution 
equally 
appears 
as 
a 
significant 
barrier 
to 
product 
adoption 
and 
observability. 
Since 
commercialized 
microwave 
cleaning 
pods 
are 
a 
new 
idea, 
it 
will 
be 
difficult 
to 
convince 
retailers 
to 
offer 
a 
spot 
on 
their 
limited 
shelf 
space, 
which 
are 
crucial 
in 
order 
to 
have 
as 
many 
consumers 
as 
possible 
try 
the 
product. 
Overall 
barriers 
to 
adoption: 
low 
Overall 
we 
consider 
barriers 
to 
adoption 
to 
be 
relatively 
low 
with 
minimal 
consumer 
behaviour 
issues. 
Our 
product 
provides 
superior 
relative 
advantage 
as 
well 
as 
compatibility 
with 
existing 
cleaning 
practices. 
Major 
concerns 
include 
enabling 
microwave 
users 
to 
understand 
the 
benefits 
of 
the 
product 
as 
well 
as 
visibility 
within 
this 
new 
cleaning 
category, 
which 
can 
be 
addressed 
through 
strong 
and 
creative 
marketing 
campaigns. 
Access 
to 
adequate 
distribution 
networks 
and 
financial 
resources 
is 
also 
a 
source 
of 
concern. 
c) 
Capital 
Returns 
Benefits: 
● Calm 
Waters 
market 
-­‐ 
We 
believe 
that 
the 
environment 
is 
favourable 
to 
the 
creation 
and 
establishment 
of 
a 
first 
move 
advantage. 
There 
is 
no 
dominant 
commercial 
cleaning 
agent 
specifically 
designed 
for 
microwaves 
in 
the 
market. 
Hence, 
there 
are 
important 
potential 
financial 
rewards 
for 
entering 
the 
market 
first 
and 
establishing 
strong 
brand 
visibility 
and 
awareness 
in 
this 
particular 
cleaning 
category. 
● Strong 
relative 
advantage: 
Our 
microwave 
pod 
provides 
superior 
value 
compared 
to 
existing 
methods, 
as 
it 
is 
a 
safe, 
natural 
and 
non-­‐toxic 
cleaning 
agent 
capitalizing 
on 
the 
power 
of 
steam 
to 
effectively 
clean 
microwaves 
from 
germs 
and 
food 
residue. 
Our 
trademark 
packaging 
and 
design 
minimizes 
the 
risk 
of 
burns 
from 
superheated 
liquid. 
Hence, 
we 
offer 
attributes 
that 
our 
target 
customers 
value. 
● High 
penetration 
rate 
and 
huge 
market 
potential 
-­‐ 
In 
Canada 
alone, 
there 
is 
a 
95% 
household 
penetration 
for 
microwaves 
suggesting 
a 
huge 
upside 
potential. 
Furthermore, 
there 
is 
renewed 
demand 
for 
healthy 
and 
“green” 
cleaning 
products. 
According 
to 
an 
IBIS 
report, 
cleaning 
agent 
revenues 
are 
bolstered 
by 
the 
sell 
of 
organic 
and 
environmentally 
friendly 
products. 
In 
Canada 
alone, 
85% 
of 
households 
purchased 
green 
cleaning 
products 
in 
2011. 
Our 
product 
therefore 
presents 
a 
good 
point 
of
differentiation 
as 
it 
follows 
the 
sustainability 
trend 
consumers 
adhere 
to. 
● Fragmented 
Industry 
-­‐ 
There 
is 
currently 
no 
strong 
brand 
name 
when 
it 
comes 
to 
microwave 
cleaners. 
There 
are 
multiple 
in-­‐home 
cleaning 
methods 
but 
no 
commercial 
product 
is 
strongly 
recognized 
by 
consumers. 
In 
early 
2000, 
Easy 
off 
created 
a 
microwaveable 
wipe 
but 
was 
immediately 
discontinued 
and 
failed 
to 
launch 
due 
to 
chemical 
health 
hazards 
(US 
Department 
of 
Health 
and 
Human 
Services, 
2009). 
This 
further 
strengthens 
the 
benefit 
of 
being 
a 
first-­‐mover 
in 
the 
industry. 
● Mature 
Industry 
-­‐There 
is 
a 
high 
probability 
of 
acquisition 
from 
established 
brands 
if 
the 
product 
proves 
to 
be 
successful, 
which 
could 
constitute 
a 
viable 
exit 
strategy. 
At 
this 
stage, 
company 
consolidation 
is 
common 
due 
to 
the 
mature 
stage 
of 
the 
industry 
life 
cycle. 
Finally, 
new 
product 
development 
like 
our 
pod 
can 
stimulate 
and 
revive 
interest 
to 
maintain 
sales 
growth 
(Turk, 
2014). 
18 
of 
30 
Risks: 
● High 
Supplier 
power: 
Given 
that 
commercialized 
microwave 
cleaning 
products 
are 
relatively 
rare 
and 
unknown 
to 
both 
consumers 
and 
retailers, 
we 
expect 
to 
face 
stiff 
competition 
in 
the 
limited 
shelf 
space 
of 
retailers. 
This 
is 
a 
new 
concept 
and 
retailers 
are 
reluctant 
to 
take 
on 
merchandise 
that 
does 
not 
have 
a 
strong 
sales 
track 
record. 
● Threat 
from 
established 
players 
in 
the 
home 
cleaning 
industry: 
Due 
to 
strong 
branding 
and 
economies 
of 
scale 
of 
existing 
home 
cleaning 
agents, 
strong 
consumer 
goods 
brands 
such 
as 
Proctor 
and 
Gamble, 
Green 
Works, 
Unilever 
can 
enter 
the 
microwave 
cleaning 
category 
with 
ease. 
These 
brands 
have 
a 
diversified 
product 
line 
with 
strong 
sales 
track 
records 
and 
tremendous 
financial 
capabilities, 
therefore 
making 
it 
difficult 
for 
us 
to 
compete 
and 
potentially 
driving 
our 
product 
out 
of 
the 
market. 
● Barriers 
to 
Adoption: 
Microwave 
cleaning 
is 
a 
relatively 
new 
product 
category 
and 
the 
average 
consumer 
is 
not 
familiar 
with 
the 
idea/concept 
of 
a 
microwave 
pod 
aiding 
in 
the 
cleaning 
process 
as 
it 
is 
outside 
of 
their 
frame 
of 
reference. 
Addressing 
this 
requires 
sizeable 
advertising 
and 
marketing 
budgets. 
● Threat 
of 
Substitutes: 
There 
are 
multiple 
alternative 
methods 
available 
to 
clean 
microwaves, 
which 
range 
from 
generic 
cleaning 
agents 
to 
homemade 
solutions. 
Hence, 
there 
is 
a 
switching 
cost 
incurred 
for 
consumers 
who 
purchase 
our 
microwave 
pods. 
● Low 
Product 
Observability: 
Cleaning 
is 
a 
personal 
and 
private 
experience, 
which 
makes 
it 
difficult 
for 
people 
to 
observe 
and 
try 
new 
cleaning 
products. 
Communicating 
the 
key 
benefits 
effectively 
and 
letting 
end-­‐users 
experience 
them 
will 
be 
a 
significant 
challenge. 
This 
will 
cause 
us 
to 
incur 
large 
marketing 
costs 
to 
create 
product 
category 
and 
brand 
awareness.
Part 
3: 
Key 
Points 
Summary 
The 
following 
outlines 
the 
main 
insights 
our 
team 
gained 
from 
the 
product 
development 
process. 
Key 
Takeaways: 
Our 
Team 
discovered 
while 
conducting 
the 
survey 
that 
you 
cannot 
take 
anything 
for 
granted. 
Some 
of 
the 
need 
areas 
we 
thought 
were 
essential 
due 
to 
the 
findings 
from 
our 
previous 
report 
ended 
up 
being 
quite 
inconsequential 
in 
the 
eyes 
of 
those 
who 
answered 
the 
survey. 
This 
helped 
us 
understand 
the 
importance 
of 
taking 
time 
to 
evaluate 
and 
dissect 
the 
raw 
data 
before 
making 
assumptions 
and 
thinking 
of 
potential 
solutions. 
Moreover, 
we 
were 
surprised 
by 
the 
discipline 
and 
time 
commitment 
required 
for 
the 
overall 
new 
product 
development 
exercise. 
Conducting 
market 
research 
and 
analysing 
the 
subsequent 
data 
to 
come 
up 
with 
solutions 
follows 
a 
structured, 
systematic 
and 
focused 
approach 
that 
cannot 
be 
tampered 
with. 
Challenges 
Encountered: 
When 
we 
first 
conducted 
our 
concept 
engineering 
interviews, 
consumers 
seemed 
quite 
dissatisfied 
with 
microwaves 
in 
general 
in 
terms 
of 
how 
current 
products 
were 
meeting 
their 
needs 
(cleaning, 
even 
cooking, 
menu 
navigation 
etc.). 
However, 
after 
careful 
analysis 
of 
our 
survey 
results 
(sample 
size 
of 
approximately 
60 
people), 
we 
discovered 
that 
people 
were 
more 
satisfied 
than 
we 
had 
initially 
assumed, 
which 
had 
the 
effect 
of 
confusing 
us 
and 
made 
it 
difficult 
to 
identify 
a 
particular 
need 
area 
to 
focus 
on. 
Due 
to 
the 
fact 
that 
we 
did 
not 
have 
a 
clear 
idea 
of 
the 
direction 
our 
product 
was 
following, 
there 
were 
many 
need 
areas 
associated 
with 
microwaves 
in 
our 
survey 
which 
made 
it 
quite 
long 
as 
we 
attempted 
to 
get 
all 
the 
information 
required 
to 
move 
forward. 
Hence, 
getting 
respondents 
to 
complete 
the 
survey 
was 
difficult 
and 
some 
even 
abandoned 
mid-­‐way! 
Planned 
Improvements: 
In 
the 
future, 
we 
would 
like 
to 
plan 
our 
time 
more 
effectively 
and 
base 
our 
research 
on 
a 
bigger 
sample 
of 
respondents/interviewees 
in 
order 
to 
conduct 
a 
more 
informed 
product 
development 
process 
where 
we 
could 
actually 
explore 
different 
need 
areas 
in-­‐depth. 
In 
the 
case 
of 
this 
product 
proposal, 
we 
chose 
to 
focus 
on 
a 
product 
complimentary 
to 
microwaves 
instead 
of 
the 
microwave 
itself 
but 
given 
more 
time, 
it 
would 
have 
been 
interesting 
to 
try 
and 
develop 
a 
solution 
for 
other 
identified 
problems 
specific 
to 
the 
microwave 
(e.g. 
performance 
and 
safety 
features). 
19 
of 
30
out*and*clean*turntable 
Feature*/*defrost*frozen*food 
Feature*/*food*specific,*preset* 
menu*buttons 
Ease*of*Use*/*easy*to*open*the* 
door 
to*choose*cooking*time 
Ease*of*Use*/*easy*to*navigate* 
the*menu*options 
Feature*/*presence*of*clock 
Feature*/*presence*of*a*timer 
Feature*/*adjustable* 
20 
of 
30 
Appendix 
A 
– 
Trade-­‐off 
Matrix: 
BENEFIT'/'NEED'AREA 
room*it*takes*up 
Cooking*Chamber*Size*/*what* 
you*can*fit*inside 
Microwave*Asthetics*/*(Look,* 
Style,*Color,*etc.) 
Microwave*Size*/*how*much* 
Microwave*Noise*/*the*noise* 
level 
Cleanliness*/*ability*to*clean* 
newly*spilled*food 
Cleanliness*/*ability*to*clean* 
stuck*on*food 
Cleanliness*/*ability*to*take* 
cooking*times 
Ease*of*Use*/*easy*and*quick* 
noise/tone*volume 
Ease*of*use*/*easy*to*press* 
cooking/reheating 
Performance*/*high*speed* 
cooking/reheating 
Performance*/*even* 
efficiency 
Performance*/*ability*to* 
Safety*/*reduced*risk*of* 
burning*the*skin*upon*touch 
prevent*food*odour 
Safety*/*risk*of*radiation 
Safety*/*risk*of*fire*from* 
Performance*/*energy* 
heating*of*metallic*objects 
Microwave*Asthetics*/*(Look,*Style,*Color,*etc.) 
Microwave*Size*/*how*much*room*it*takes*up 0 
Cooking*Chamber*Size*/*what*you*can*fit*inside 0 / 
Microwave*Noise*/*the*noise*level 0 0 0 
Cleanliness*/*ability*to*clean*newly*spilled*food 0 0 / 0 
Cleanliness*/*ability*to*clean*stuck*on*food 0 0 / 0 + 
Cleanliness*/*ability*to*take*out*and*clean*turntable 0 0 0 0 + + 
Feature*/*defrost*frozen*food 0 0 + 0 0 0 0 
Feature*/*food*specific,*preset*cooking*times 0 0 / 0 0 0 0 0 
Feature*/*presence*of*clock 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
Feature*/*presence*of*a*timer 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 + 
Feature*/*adjustable*noise/tone*volume 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
Ease*of*Use*/*easy*and*quick*to*choose*cooking*time 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 + + + 0 
Ease*of*Use*/*easy*to*navigate*the*menu*options 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 + 0 0 0 + 
Ease*of*use*/*easy*to*press*menu*buttons 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 + + 
Ease*of*Use*/*easy*to*open*the*door 0 0 + 0 + 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
Performance*/*even*cooking/reheating 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
Performance*/*high*speed*cooking/reheating 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 + 0 + 0 0 0 / 
Performance*/*energy*efficiency 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 / / 
Performance*/*ability*to*prevent*food*odour 0 0 / 0 + + + 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
Safety*/*risk*of*radiation 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
Safety*/*risk*of*fire*from*heating*of*metallic*objects 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
Safety*/*reduced*risk*of*burning*the*skin*upon*touch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
Price / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / 
Posit+ive*Impact*Relationship 
Nega/tive*Impact*Relationship 
Tradeoff*Relationship*that*Has*a*Worthwhile*Opportunity*Score
Appendix 
B 
– 
Importance, 
Satisfaction 
and 
Opportunity 
Scores: 
FROM%IDEA%GENERATION%REPORT FROM%%USER%SURVEY 
21 
of 
30 
USER%NEED Estimated% 
Importance 
Ability%to% 
Differe. 
Ease%of% 
Commun. 
Technical% 
Feasibility 
Importance% 
Rating 
Satisfaction% 
Rating 
Importance% 
SD 
Satisfaction% 
SD 
Opportunity% 
Score 
6 6 7 10 5.12 6.29 2.63 2.68 3.95 
Feature121adjustable1noise/tone1volume 
Feature121food1specific,1preset1cooking1times 6 8 5 10 5.86 7.07 3.04 2.34 4.65 
Microwave1Asthetics121(Look,1Style,1Color,1etc.) 7 10 10 10 6.71 7.45 2.32 2.07 5.97 
Microwave1Size121how1much1room1it1takes1up 5 7 10 10 7.39 8.05 2.23 1.68 6.73 
10 1 10 10 7.67 8.31 2.52 2.2 7.03 
Feature121presence1of1clock 
Microwave1Noise121the1noise1level 
Cooking1Chamber1Size121what1you1can1fit1inside 7 7 10 10 7.57 8 2.21 1.94 7.14 
7 7 10 6 7.12 6.88 2.4 2 7.36 
7 7 8 4 7.43 7.4 2.4 2.18 7.46 
10 1 10 10 8.31 8.69 2.17 1.98 7.93 
5 5 7 10 7.51 7.07 2.7 2.56 7.95 
Performance121energy1efficiency 
Feature121presence1of1a1timer 
Feature121defrost1frozen1food 
Performance121ability1to1prevent1food1odour 8 8 8 8 7.61 7.1 2.33 2.23 8.12 
Safety121reduced1risk1of1burning1the1skin1upon1touch 6 3 4 6 7.92 7.48 2.6 2.33 8.36 
Ease1of1use121easy1to1press1menu1buttons 10 7 7 9 8.37 8.26 2.04 2.06 8.48 
Ease1of1Use121easy1and1quick1to1choose1cooking1time 10 1 7 10 8.49 8.43 2.12 1.81 8.55 
10 7 7 10 8.49 8.36 1.82 2.12 8.62 
Ease1of1Use121easy1to1open1the1door 
Cleanliness121ability1to1take1out1and1clean1turntable 10 2 9 10 8 7.24 2.21 2.3 8.76 
Safety121risk1of1radiation 10 8 4 6 8.29 7.76 2.52 2.41 8.82 
Safety121risk1of1fire1from1heating1of1metallic1objects 9 3 4 9 8.27 7.6 2.62 2.48 8.94 
Cleanliness121ability1to1clean1newly1spilled1food 10 3 9 10 8.08 7.1 2.01 2.3 9.06 
Ease1of1Use121easy1to1navigate1the1menu1options 10 6 8 10 8.51 7.95 2.06 2.04 9.07 
Performance121high1speed1cooking/reheating 6 8 7 7 8.41 7.71 2.14 2.26 9.11 
Cleanliness121ability1to1clean1stuck1on1food 8 10 7 7 8.1 6.88 2.04 2.29 9.32 
10 7 7 5 8.92 7.52 1.66 2.36 10.32 
Standard'Deviation 0.89 0.60 1.50 
Performance121even1cooking/reheating 
Top'5'Opportunity'Scores Average'Standard'Deviation 2.30 2.20 
Top'6'8'10'Opportunity'Scores 
Satandard'Deviation'Outlier
Appendix 
C 
– 
Product 
Concept 
and 
Design: 
22 
of 
30
23 
of 
30
1.#Do#1. 
Do 
you#you 
use#use 
a#microwave#a 
microwave 
to#to 
defrost,#defrost, 
cook#cook 
or 
or#reheat 
reheat#food/ 
food/snacks? 
snacks? 
24 
of 
30 
Appendix 
D 
– 
Survey 
Results: 
Answer Response % 
Yes 56 92% 
No 5 8% 
Total 61 100% 
37%$ 
2%$ 
61%$ 
70%$ 
60%$ 
50%$ 
40%$ 
30%$ 
20%$ 
10%$ 
0%$ 
In$Home$ Out$of$home$ Both$ 
22%$ 
39%$ 39%$ 
50%$ 
40%$ 
30%$ 
20%$ 
10%$ 
0%$ 
Yes,$o;en$ Yes,$some<mes$ No$ 
2. 
Why 
do 
you 
choose 
NOT 
to 
use 
microwave 
ovens? 
Ø Because 
I 
don't 
like 
cleaning 
them 
up 
after 
Ø Because 
electromagnetic 
waves 
are 
bad 
for 
the 
health 
Ø Cook 
food 
in 
other 
ways 
Ø Don't 
like 
the 
health 
concerns 
associated 
with 
microwaving 
food. 
Ø Kills 
nutrition 
3. 
Do 
you 
use 
a 
microwave 
in-­‐home 
or 
out 
of 
home? 
4. 
Do 
you 
bring 
microwavable 
food 
or 
snacks 
to 
work 
or 
school 
with 
you? 
7. 
Please 
select 
the 
alternative 
that 
best 
represents 
your 
view: 
5%# 
79%# 
17%# 
O(en,#my#food/plate# 
does#not#fit#into#the# 
microwave# 
The#microwave#is#a#good# 
match#for#the#size#of#my# 
food/plates# 
There#is#a#lot#of#wasted# 
space#inside#the# 
microwave#that#is#not# 
used# 
8. 
Do 
you 
agree 
with 
the 
following 
statement: 
Microwaves 
are 
too 
big 
and 
a 
waste 
of 
space. 
17%$ 
64%$ 
19%$ 
I$agree$ 
I$disagree$ 
Neither$
9. 
What 
measures 
do 
you 
take 
to 
prevent 
spills 
in 
the 
microwave? 
Answer % 
I"don't"take"any"measures"to"prevent"spills 14% 
I"use"a"food"or"dish"cover 76% 
I"use"a"microwave"specific"dish 17% 
Other"(please"specify) 2% 
64%# 
25 
of 
30 
10. 
How 
do 
you 
clean 
up 
microwave 
spills? 
5%# 
26%# 
70%# 
60%# 
50%# 
40%# 
30%# 
20%# 
10%# 
11. 
How 
do 
you 
clean 
up 
stuck 
on 
food 
inside 
the 
microwave? 
Others 
Specified: 
Ø Water 
and 
vinegar 
spray 
and 
a 
rag 
Ø Vinegar 
and 
water, 
no 
cleaning 
5%# 
0%# 
I#don't#clean#up# 
spills# 
Rag#or#paper#towel# 
with#a#cleaning# 
agent# 
Wet##(water#only)# 
rag#or#paper#towel# 
products 
Other#(please# 
specify)# 
10%$ 
38%$ 
45%$ 
Others 
Specified: 
Ø Microwave 
bowl 
of 
water 
Ø Microwave 
cup 
of 
vinegar 
water 
Ø Boil 
cup 
of 
water 
with 
lemon 
in 
microwave 
Ø Pot 
scrubber 
and 
water 
7%$ 
50%$ 
40%$ 
30%$ 
20%$ 
10%$ 
0%$ 
I$don't$clean$up$ 
stuck$on$food$ 
Rag$or$paper$towel$ 
with$a$cleaning$ 
agent$ 
Wet$$(water$only)$ 
rag$or$paper$towel$ 
Other$(please$ 
specify)$
12. 
How 
do 
you 
clean 
the 
turntable 
after 
you 
take 
it 
out 
of 
the 
microwave? 
Answer % 
I"do"not"take"the"turntable"out"for"cleaning 14% 
I"wash"it"by"hand"in"the"sink 69% 
I"wipe"it"down"with"a"wet"rag"or"paper"towel 5% 
I"put"it"in"the"dishwasher 10% 
Other"(please"specify) 2% 
Total 100% 
13. 
Is 
it 
troublesome 
to 
choose 
the 
correct 
cooking 
time 
when 
using 
the 
microwave? 
26 
of 
30 
26%$ 
12%$ 
62%$ 
No,$not$at$all$ 
No,$but$some2mes$I$ 
overcook$or$undercook$$ 
food/snacks$items$ 
Yes,$it$is$2me$consuming$ 
and$complicated$ 
14. 
Which 
of 
the 
following 
best 
describes 
the 
clock 
on 
your 
microwave? 
2%# 
5%# 
0%# 
93%# 
It#is#too#small# 
It#is#too#big# 
It#is#just#right# 
Other#(please#specify)# 
15. 
What 
gender 
are 
you: 
0%# 0%# 
17%# 
21%# 
14%# 
0%# 0%# 
5%# 
19%# 
17%# 
7%# 
0%# 0%# 
25%# 
20%# 
15%# 
10%# 
5%# 
0%# 
<#15# 15+19# 20+24# 25+29# 30+34# 35+39# 40+44# 45+49# 50+54# 55+59# 60+64# 64+69# >#70# 
40%$ 
60%$ 
60%$ 
50%$ 
40%$ 
30%$ 
20%$ 
10%$ 
0%$ 
Male$ Female$ 
15. 
Please 
select 
your 
age 
range:
15. 
Which 
of 
the 
following 
best 
describes 
yours 
status? 
27 
of 
30 
33%# 
0%# 
21%# 
19%# 
0%# 
26%# 
0%# Parent# 
Student#living#at#home# 
Student#living#out#of# 
home# 
Non;student#Bachellor# 
Non;student#Bachelore?e# 
Married#
28 
of 
30 
Appendix 
E 
– 
Market 
Sizing: 
Average 
Consumer 
Annual 
Spend $ 
3.66 
Total 
Market No. 
of 
Consumers Retail 
Sales 
Value 
2Total 
US 
Households 
114,991,725 
3Total 
Canadian 
Households 
9,389,700 
2US 
Households 
w/ 
Childern 32.3% 
3Canadian 
Households 
w/ 
Childern 39.2% 
2US 
Households 
w/ 
Single 
Occupant 27.7% 
3Canadian 
Households 
w/ 
Single 
Occupant 27.6% 
Total 
North 
American 
Households 
/w 
Childern 32.8% 
Total 
North 
American 
Households 
/w 
Childern 
or 
Single 
Occupants 60.5% 
Total 
North 
American 
Households 
124,381,425 
4North 
American 
Household 
Microwave 
Market 
Penetration: 95% 
Total 
North 
American 
Households 
with 
Microwaves 
118,162,354 $ 
432,474,215 
1Total 
2013 
US 
Retail 
Sales 
of 
Home 
Care 
Produts $ 
28,712,000,000 
1Total 
2013 
US 
Retail 
Sales 
of 
Toilet 
Care 
Produts $ 
668,600,000 
Home 
Care 
Market 
Share 
of 
US 
Households 100.0% 
Total 
North 
American 
Households 
with 
Microwaves 
That 
Purchase 
Home 
Care 
Products 
118,162,354 
Channel 
& 
Competition 
1Hypermarkets/Supermarket 
Home 
Care 
Channel 
Share 58% 
Hypermarkets/Supermarket 
Microwave 
Channel 
Size 
68,416,003 
1Competitor 
Channel 
Share 
(NA 
Top 
10 
Home 
Care 
Company 
Share) 83% 
Served 
Avaliable 
Market 
Share 
Estimated 
Microwave 
Care 
Market 
Size 
11,938,592 $ 
43,695,249 
Target 
Market 
-­‐ 
Households 
w/ 
Childern 
or 
Single 
Occupants 
& 
Microwaves 
Target 
Market 
Size 
7,228,210 $ 
26,455,247 
Target 
Market 
Size 
Excluding 
Single 
Occupant 
Households 
3,918,849 $ 
14,342,987 
1 
Euromonitor 
International, 
2013 
2Vespa 
J. 
et 
al., 
2013 
3 
Statistics 
Canada, 
2012 
4 
Euromonitor, 
2013
Reference 
List 
Baby 
Green 
Thumb. 
"Safe 
Plastic 
Numbers." 
Baby 
Green 
Thumb. 
(2011): 
n. 
page. 
Print. 
http://www.babygreenthumb.com/p-­‐122-­‐safe-­‐plastic-­‐numbers-­‐guide.asp&xgt; 
Accessed 
March 
2014. 
DeLima. 
“Health 
and 
Safety 
Information 
Easy-­‐off 
Heat 
Activated 
Microwave 
Wipes”. 
Houshold 
Products 
Database 
– 
Health 
and 
Safety 
Information 
of 
Household 
Products. 
U.S 
Department 
of 
Health 
and 
Human 
Services, 
12th 
March 
2009. 
Accessed 
25th 
March 
2014. 
Dupont 
Industrial 
Biosciences 
"Trends 
shaping 
the 
industry." 
Dupont 
Industrial 
Biosciences. 
2012: 
n. 
page. 
Print. 
http://fhc.biosciences.dupont.com/news/trends-­‐shaping-­‐the-­‐industry/. 
FDA, 
“Radiation 
-­‐ 
Emitting 
Products: 
Risk 
of 
Burns 
from 
Eruptions 
of 
Hot 
Water 
Overheated 
in 
Microwave 
Ovens." 
US 
Food 
and 
Drug 
Administration. 
US 
Department 
of 
Health 
and 
Human 
Services, 
25 
Apr 
2012. 
Web. 
22 
Mar 
2014. 
http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-­‐ 
EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/HomeBusinessandEntertainment/ 
ucm142506.htm 
FSIS, 
“Microwave 
-­‐ 
Ovens 
and 
Food 
Safety." 
Food 
Safety 
and 
Inspection 
Services. 
United 
States 
Department 
of 
Agriculture. 
Web. 
Accessed 
22nd 
March 
2014. 
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/Microwave_Ovens_and_Food_Safety.pdf 
Government 
of 
Canada, 
“Microwave 
Oven 
Food 
Safety 
Tips." 
Healthy 
Canadians. 
Government 
of 
Canada, 
19th 
January 
2011. 
Web. 
Accessed 
24th 
March 
2014 
http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/kids-­‐enfants/food-­‐aliment/microwave-­‐micro_ondes-­‐ 
eng.php 
Smithers 
Apex. 
Insight: 
Do 
you 
know 
the 
Five 
Most 
Important 
Trends 
in 
the 
Cleaning 
Products 
Market? 
Smithers 
Apex. 
27th 
November 
2013. 
Print. 
https://www.smithersapex.com/market-­‐ 
reports/insight-­‐do-­‐you-­‐know-­‐the-­‐five-­‐most-­‐important-­‐trends-­‐in-­‐the-­‐cleaning-­‐products-­‐ 
market.asp&xgt;. 
Turk, 
Sarah. 
Soap 
& 
Cleaning 
Compound 
Manufacturing 
in 
Canada. 
Rep. 
no. 
32561CA. 
2014. 
IBIS 
Web. 
Accessed 
20th 
March 
2014. 
http://clients1.ibisworld.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/reports/ca/industry/default.aspx?entid=49 
5. 
Euromonitor 
International 
2013. 
Microwaves 
in 
Canada. 
Retrieved 
from 
Passport 
GMID 
database. 
http://www.portal.euromonitor.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/Portal/Pages/Search/Sea 
rchResultsList.aspx 
29 
of 
30
Vespa 
J. 
America’s 
Families 
and 
Living 
Arrangements: 
2012 
U.S. 
Department 
of 
Commerce 
-­‐ 
Population 
Characteristics. 
Economics 
and 
Statistics 
Administration 
U.S. 
CENSUS 
BUREAU. 
2013 
Statistics 
Canada. 
Census 
in 
Brief 
-­‐ 
Fifty 
years 
of 
families 
in 
Canada: 
1961 
to 
2011. 
Minister 
of 
Industry, 
2012 
Agriculture 
and 
Agri-­‐Food 
Canada. 
The 
Canadian 
Consumer. 
Behaviours, 
Attitudes 
and 
perceptions 
towards 
food 
products. 
http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/statistics/food/canada_consumer_report_en.pdf 
Statistics 
Canada. 
Portrait 
of 
Families 
and 
Living 
Arrangements 
in 
Canada. 
2011 
Census 
of 
Population. 
Minister 
of 
Industry, 
2012. 
Euromonitor 
International. 
Toilet 
Care 
Moving 
to 
Tipping 
Point. 
2013, 
Accessed 
March 
2014. 
http://0www.portal.euromonitor.com.pugwash.lib.warwick.ac.uk/Portal/Handlers/accessPDF.a 
shx/Toilet_Care_Moving_to_Tipping_Point.pdf. 
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from 
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2014. 
30 
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30

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New Product Development - Microwave Pod

  • 1. 1 of 30 Prepared by: 70263132, 27722107 34856096, 71130132, 7141513 University of British Columbia Sauder School of Business March 27, 2014
  • 2. Executive Summary Microwaves have been around for quite some time yet there has been very little innovation in past years both in terms of the microwave itself and complementary products. Food heating is sometimes a messy operation and the fact is most users do not know what the most efficient way of cleaning their microwaves is. Current products do not meet their needs and there is no formal solution available, which explains why some consumers have reverted to homemade solutions. With this in mind, we have developed the microwave pod: a safe, convenient and easy-­‐to-­‐use solution for microwave cleaning. This product is highly innovative and does not resemble any product currently available in the market. It applies pod technology, which consumers are already familiar, to the kitchen appliance cleaning segment therefore reducing behavioural barriers to product adoption. The Product: The microwave pod can be described as a plastic container filled with an all-­‐natural liquid or gelatine containing vinegar, lemon juice, or citrus oil. The user will just have to place the pod inside the microwave and remove the plastic cover before turning the heating on for three minutes, allowing the liquid/gelatine to vaporize through the small punctured holes under the cover and fix itself on the inside of the microwave. After that, the user just has to let the pod cool off two minutes before removing it and wiping off the vaporized liquid. This constitutes a much safer alternative to the consumer practice of boiling water or vinegar in a bowl to clean their microwaves. The pod will have a distinctive lemon shape serving a twofold purpose: first, it will enhance brand recognition and secondly, it will convince consumers that the microwave pod contains 100% natural products therefore eliminating the risk of toxic chemicals getting into their food. Total Market: Microwaves are found in over 95% of homes in the United States and Canada, and have significant growth potential in developing countries (Euromonitor, 2013). This high penetration rate makes the development of a complementary product highly appealing, as opposed to developing a new type of microwave. Furthermore, the Canadian microwave industry is an attractive market to enter because of its huge size, low investment costs and recent consumer trends: In 2012, 1.7 million units were sold in Canada and lifestyle trends indicated a shift towards convenience and subsequently microwaveable meals (Euromonitor, 2013). 2 of 30
  • 3. Target market: There are two different target markets according to where the microwave is used: in-­‐home users and out of home users. In our new product proposal, we decided to focus on the in-­‐home segment as consumers in this segment display a behaviour that matches our solution (they are the owners of the microwave and are therefore more inclined to take care of it, clean it etc.). This includes landlords, students, families, bachelors and professionals. Part 1: Trade-­‐Off Decisions & Final Concept Formulation a) Trade-­‐Off Matrix Alterations made to different need areas will often have various effects on one another. An in-­‐ depth analysis of possible trade-­‐offs was conducted in order to determine the impact of changing different microwave need areas. While many of these need areas seem to exist independently, positive and negative relationships are apparent (see Appendix A). b) Primary Research and Opportunity Scores The goal of this research was to identify which consumer needs were not being met based on the importance and satisfaction ratings of each need area. Other basic questions were asked in order to obtain further insights into consumer behaviour and microwave usage. We conducted a survey and obtained responses from a sample size of 47 in-­‐home users who varied in terms of demographics and user segments therefore giving us a reliable overall image of consumer needs/desires. Respondents included parents, seniors, students, young professionals, and single bachelors (See Appendix D). Opportunity scores derived from survey data were calculated for all potential need areas (Appendix B). The highest opportunity scores are stated below: Importance+ Score Ease3of3Use343easy3and3quick3to3choose3cooking3time Ease3of3Use343easy3to3open3the3door Cleanliness343ability3to3take3out3and3clean3turntable Safety343risk3of3radiation Safety343risk3of3fire3from3heating3of3metallic3objects 3 of 30 Satisfaction+ Score Opportunity+ Score 8.49 8.43 8.55 8.49 8.36 8.62 8 7.24 8.76 8.29 7.76 8.82 8.27 7.6 8.94 8.08 7.1 9.06 8.51 7.95 9.07 8.41 7.71 9.11 8.1 6.88 9.32 8.92 7.52 10.32 USER+NEED Cleanliness343ability3to3clean3newly3spilled3food Ease3of3Use343easy3to3navigate3the3menu3options Performance343high3speed3cooking/reheating Cleanliness343ability3to3clean3stuck3on3food Performance343even3cooking/reheating Importance+Scale:+10+1+Very+Important,+1+1+Very+Unimportant Satisfaction+Scale:+10+1+Very+Satisfied,+1+1+Very+Unsatisfied
  • 4. c) Trade-­‐Off Matrix and Primary Research Implications We discovered from our survey that people do not have particularly strong feelings/concerns (positive or negative) towards the various microwave need areas. All features listed had similar importance ratings on average with a standard deviation of only 0.89. The same was true for satisfaction ratings, for which the average standard deviation between respondents was only 0.60. There was slightly more variability in terms of the ratings of each individual need area: the average standard deviation amongst all features based on importance and on satisfaction were 2.30 and 2.20 respectively. The main outlier in terms of variability lied within the importance ratings of pre-­‐set cooking times. That being said, conclusions can be drawn regarding what respondents consider important and what they are currently not satisfied with. Based on the importance rating, respondents indicated that they consider the following need areas most important in microwaves: ·∙ Performance -­‐ high speed cooking/reheating ·∙ Ease of Use -­‐ easy and quick to choose cooking time ·∙ Ease of Use -­‐ easy to open the door ·∙ Ease of Use -­‐ easy to navigate the menu options ·∙ Performance -­‐ even cooking/reheating Based on the satisfaction ratings, respondents indicated that they are most unsatisfied with the following need areas: ·∙ Feature -­‐ adjustable noise/tone volume ·∙ Microwave Noise -­‐ the noise level ·∙ Cleanliness -­‐ ability to clean stuck-­‐on food ·∙ Feature -­‐ food specific, pre-­‐set cooking times ·∙ Performance -­‐ ability to prevent food odour ·∙ Cleanliness -­‐ ability to clean newly spilled food ·∙ Cleanliness -­‐ ability to take out and clean turntable The features considered most important did not come as a surprise since many were linked with the primary functions of the microwave. However, It was surprising to learn that microwave aesthetics and the ability to use food-­‐specific pre-­‐set times were rated as relatively unimportant: secondary research from a Euromonitor International report on Microwaves in Canada had indicated these as two prevailing trends (Euromonitor International, 2013). It was also surprising to discover that people were unsatisfied with the noise level of microwaves (we were unaware of this problem as cooking times are relatively short). Finally, it was surprising to learn that people were satisfied with the amount of space the microwave takes up as this was expressed as an area of concern in our initial primary research (see interviews in Idea Generation report). On the other hand, it was not surprising to learn that people were least satisfied with the microwave cleaning process as there is no formal solution available in the marketplace or that people were satisfied with clocks/timers, which are commonly used in the kitchen. 4 of 30
  • 5. The opportunity scores calculated also demonstrated limited variability, the standard deviation across all need areas being only 1.5. We still managed to identify a few need areas that looked more promising than others and offered room for improvement. The features with the highest opportunity scores were the following: ·∙ Cleanliness -­‐ ability to take out and clean turntable ·∙ Safety -­‐ risk of radiation ·∙ Safety -­‐ risk of fire from heating of metallic objects ·∙ Cleanliness -­‐ ability to clean newly spilled food ·∙ Ease of Use -­‐ easy to navigate the menu options ·∙ Performance -­‐ high speed cooking/reheating ·∙ Cleanliness -­‐ ability to clean stuck on food ·∙ Performance -­‐ even cooking/reheating Based on these insights, we were able to compare the need areas presenting the highest opportunity costs with other need areas in our trade-­‐off matrix. This helped us to decide on which need areas to focus on. The following trade-­‐offs were of particular importance: Cleanliness – Ability to clean newly spilled food vs. cooking chamber size: This trade-­‐off can be perceived in two ways: a decrease in the size of the cooking chamber could be positive as there is less surface to clean or it could negative because the remaining surface is more difficult to clean. Similarly, as the cooking chamber gets bigger, this can translate into a bigger area to clean (negative) or it can make the surface easier to clean due to increased space (positive). Taking a cautionary approach, we decided to consider it as a negative relationship. Cleanliness – Ability to clean stuck on food vs. cooking chamber size: Similar to the trade-­‐off discussed above, cleaning can get easier when the chamber size increases because the space is less confined, or it can become harder as there is more surface area to clean. The opposite is true is the chamber size decreased. Taking a cautionary approach, we decided to consider it as a negative relationship. Cleanliness – Ability to Clean Newly spilled food vs. ability to take out turntable: If you are able to take out the turntable easily, it will make the cleaning of newly spilled food easier. Hence, these two need areas are positively related. Cleanliness – Ability to clean newly spilled food vs. ability to clean stuck on food: Being able to clean up newly spilled food makes it easier to prevent/clean later stuck-­‐on food. Similarly, if the cleaning of newly spilled food is not effective, the cleaning of later stuck-­‐on food is more likely to occur. Therefore, these two need areas are positively related. Ease of Use – ease to open the door vs. cooking chamber size: This trade-­‐off is very dependent on the design, but if we assume that a large door is easier to open, then there is a positive relationship between the ease of opening the door and the cooking chamber size. 5 of 30
  • 6. Cleanliness – Ability to clean newly spilled food vs. ease of use – ease to open the door: The easier it is to open the microwave door, the easier it will be to clean the microwave. Hence, there is a positive relationship between these need areas. Ease of use – easy and quick to choose cooking time vs. feature – food specific, pre-­‐set cooking times: The presence of efficient pre-­‐set cooking times on a microwave simplifies the choice of a cooking time: these two need areas are positively related. Ease of use – easy to navigate vs. feature – food specific, pre-­‐set cooking times: If a microwave is difficult to navigate, pre-­‐set times are less likely to be used. As the microwave becomes easier to navigate, consumers are more likely to take advantage of pre-­‐set cooking times (positive relationship). Cleanliness – ability to clean stuck on food vs. ability to take out and clean turntable: Improving the ability to take out and clean the turntable will facilitate the cleaning of stuck on food inside the microwave chamber (positive relationship). Feature – presence of clock vs. ease of use – easy and quick to choose cooking time: Improvements to the microwave clock will make the choice of a cooking time more practical due to increased visibility (the time selected will be more apparent). If the ability to choose cooking time improves, the clock is more likely to be clear, visible, and fool proof (positive relationship) Feature – presence of clock vs. feature – presence of a timer: The clock and timer are typically integrated into the same system. Hence, making improvements (e.g. increase in size or readability) to one will likely yield improvements to the other (positive relationship). Ease of Use – easy and quick to choose cooking time vs. ease of use – easy to navigate menu options: The ease of use of navigation options will impact how easy it is to select the cooking time. As a result, improvements to the navigation system will facilitate the choice of the cooking time; the relationship between these two need areas is positive. Ease of Use – easy and quick to choose cooking time vs. Performance – high-­‐speed cooking/ reheating: The performance and usability of the high-­‐speed cooking/reheating feature implies that it is simple to choose the cooking time of the microwave (if consumers are satisfied with the performance of their microwave, they probably know how to use the cooking time feature). Hence, a positive relationship is apparent. 6 of 30
  • 7. Ease of Use – easy to navigate the menu options vs. Performance – high-­‐speed cooking/ reheating: Improving the ability to navigate around the microwave means that finding the high-­‐speed feature will be easier. Similarly, the high-­‐speed feature must be easy to find and use for navigation to be considered simple. Consequently, these two need areas present a positive relationship. Performance – even cooking/reheating vs. Performance – high-­‐speed cooking/ reheating: Increasing the speed of cooking increases the chances of cooking food on the outside more quickly. Hence, increasing the speed of cooking can potentially jeopardize the degree to which food is cooked evenly (negative relationship). Performance – high-­‐speed cooking/ reheating vs. Noise Level: Increasing the speed of cooking will most likely require more power, which in turn may produce a higher noise level. Therefore, there is a trade-­‐off to be made between the extra power required for faster cooking and the noise level of the microwave (negative relationship). Performance – Energy Efficiency vs. Performance – high-­‐speed cooking/ reheating: The faster a microwave cooks using current technology, the more energy it consumes (negative relationship). Cleanliness – ability to clean stuck on food vs. Performance – Ability to Prevent Food odour: We assume that an increase in the ability to clean stuck on food results from a more frequent cleaning of the microwave therefore minimizing food odour (positive relationship). Cleanliness – ability to clean newly spilled food vs. Performance – Ability to Prevent Food odour: Being able to clean newly spilled food will increase the ability to remove odours from the microwave. Hence, a positive relationship is evident. Cleanliness – Ability to Take Out and Clean Turntable vs. Performance – Ability to Prevent Food odour: Similar to the trade-­‐off stated above, having a clean turntable will likely decrease the odours in the microwave as well as their diffusion when cooking/reheating food. The ability to remove and clean the turntable easily and the ability to prevent food odour are therefore positively correlated. Price: Price was considered to be a trade-­‐off in comparison to all other need areas: as new features are added or existing features improved, they increase the value of the microwave, which in some cases justifies a price premium. A higher price means that price-­‐sensitive consumers are less likely to buy the product. Hence, price has a negative relationship with most other need areas. 7 of 30
  • 8. In the end, the product we chose to develop is not part of the microwave itself, it is complementary and therefore doesn’t have a direct impact on other need areas: it does not require trade-­‐offs between performance, cleanliness or basic microwave features, which can be considered an advantage. It allows us to focus on the quality of the product without compromising on the quality of microwaves. Choice of Need: The need we have chosen to focus on concerns the ability to clean newly spilled and the ability to clean stuck-­‐on food. This need area has the advantage of presenting mostly positive relationships with other need areas (i.e. ability to clean and take out turntable, ability to prevent food odour etc.). However, our trade-­‐off matrix does show a possible negative relationship between these need areas and the chamber size of the microwave but this relationship is not relevant as we intend to keep the chamber size of the microwave constant. The ability to clean stuck-­‐on food had the second highest opportunity score and the ability to clean newly spilled food scored slightly less. These scores indicated a gap between their importance and current consumer satisfaction, which can be capitalized on. Furthermore, both needs can be met with a technically feasible solution that is relatively easy to communicate to consumers: people are used to struggling while cleaning their microwaves and there is no formal solution available on the market, which is why we believe microwave users would be very receptive to a new product meeting their needs. The survey we administered is what ultimately helped us to decide on a particular need area: while 86% of respondents said that they do take measures to prevent spills in the microwave, 90% indicated that they cleaned their microwaves regularly meaning spills and splashes still occurred. Survey respondents also showed a tendency of not using cleaning products for the microwave because they wished to minimize mixing/contact between their food and chemicals contained in these products. The most prominent cleaning method administered was simply using a rag and water (64% of respondents). Those who employed cleaning agents to assist the process often used vinegar and several additional people stated that they microwaved water with lemon to loosen stuck on food and leave their microwave smelling fresh. Focusing on this need area was also compatible with existing consumer behaviour: cleaning microwaves is a process consumers are familiar with; it simply needs to be improved. Furthermore, as stated above, some consumers are already familiar with cleaning methods such as using lemon juice to loosen stuck on food, which resonates with our product and reduces barriers to adoption. The other needs displaying high opportunity scores were not chosen due to a lack of technical feasibility, ease of communication, ability to differentiate, or simply because the trade-­‐offs required with other features were too restrictive. Improving even cooking/reheating abilities, 8 of 30
  • 9. for example, would be very difficult because this feature is directly related to the type of food being cooked/heated. Similarly, improving navigation was not chosen because it was viewed as an attribute that would be difficult to communicate (navigational ease can mean different things to different people). The ability to offer high-­‐speed cooking also proved challenging due to its potential impact on energy efficiency, and the subsequent increase in microwave noise level, which may have resulted in less overall user satisfaction. Finally, a solution to safety risks such as radiation, fire from heating metal objects etc. was technically more difficult to execute. d) Final Concept: Microwave Pods The final concept was inspired by survey respondents’ answers in terms of how they cleaned their microwave: quite a few microwaved a bowl of water with vinegar/lemon/lime, a method which used steam to disinfect the interior of the microwave and make stuck on food easier to remove. These respondents used vinegar/lemon/lime in their water instead of using cleaning agents directly to ensure that chemicals never made their way into their food. However, microwaving water can be very dangerous: the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service, the US Food and Drug association, and the Government of Canada have warned microwave users of eruptions that typically occur from microwaving liquids. Eruptions arise when a liquid (usually water) heated in a microwave becomes hotter than its conventional boiling temperature (100°C). The liquid then reacts due to a disruption in its molecular structure (i.e. the water is in motion), making it a “superheated liquid”. This phenomenon usually happens when the liquid is being heated in a clean vessel (FSIS, 2011) (Government of Canada, 2011) (FDA, 2012). Even when the liquid is left for several minutes to cool off after the heating has ended, the risk of an eruption lingers. Consumers have developed their own solution to microwave cleaning however these solutions are not safe and provoke potentially dangerous chemical reactions. Hence, there is an opportunity in the market to fulfil this need with a safer solution. As measures of safety were considered very important to microwave users (see Appendix B), we believe our product would be highly appealing. Our final concept is a “Microwave Pod” in the shape of a half lemon (See Appendix C for pictures of product design). This microwave pod comes as a plastic container filled with 150ml of all-­‐natural liquid or gelatine containing vinegar, lemon juice, or citrus oils. Additionally, there are small holes on top of the plastic container. When the pod is microwaved, steamed liquid escapes from the holes to loosen stuck on food, disinfect, and remove odours. The aim of the small holes is to reduce the risk of water erupting and potentially harming the consumer. The pod would have to be microwaved for three minutes, left to cool off for two minutes, and then the user would be able to easily wipe off the condensed steam inside the microwave. 9 of 30
  • 10. The plastic used for the pod will be a Food Grade Plastic (grade 5). This plastic is known as polypropylene (PP). It is a thermoplastic polymer that is strong, tough, has a high resistance to heat and also acts as a barrier to moisture. This material will maintain its shape in high temperatures and will not transfer any chemicals or toxins to the contents it is holding (Baby Green Thumb, 2011). In order keep the liquid contents from spilling or leaking on store shelves before the user is ready to use it, a thin plastic film will be applied over the holes. The user is supposed to remove the plastic film just before placing the product inside the microwave. The microwave pod aligns with recent trends of cleaning convenience that have led cleaning products to take the form of pods, capsules, and wipes (Smithers Apex) (Dupont Industrial Biosciences, 2012). These products are intended to make the process of cleaning as effortless as possible. The packaging of the product will be recognizable on supermarket shelves as a result of its unique shape and colour. Due to the novelty of the product, consumers need to be able to recognize it easily. Using the shape of a lemon for the product is intended to convince consumers that it is an all-­‐natural product preventing toxic chemicals from getting into their food. The microwave pod will be distributed in grocery stores and supermarkets where it will be placed in the household cleaning section near the dish soap and other kitchen cleaning products. It will be marketed through point of sale displays and free sample distributions in grocery stores and supermarkets. We also plan on partnering with microwave retailers to give product samples in bundle packages for people purchasing new microwaves. Increasing product awareness and the consumer’s ability to try out the product will be the primary objective of the marketing effort. The microwave pod will be sold in packages of three pods as the product is to be used semi-­‐ regularly (2-­‐3 times per month). The package of three will sell for $10.99 ($3.66 each). This pricing is based on the value added to the cleaning experience of microwave users as well as the prices of other appliance cleaners for similar cleaning products (see table below). Product Price # of Units per Package Price per Unit Whirpool Washer Cleaners (pod) $8.99 3 $2.99 Plink Garbage Disposal Pods $4.99 10 $0.49 Easy-­‐Off Oven Cleaner (bottle) $10.99 7 (estimated) $3.66 Weiman Cooktop Scrubbing Pads $10.81 3 $3.60 *All prices based on www.amazon.ca listings 10 of 30
  • 11. 11 of 30 Part 2: The Pitch “A product for family, in-­‐home microwave users who need a safe, convenient, fast and cost effective means of cleaning their microwaves. Our non-­‐toxic microwave cleaning pods safely loosen stuck-­‐on and newly spilled food, making cleaning quick and easy. Unlike harsh cleaning agents such as Clorox, our pods use the cleaning power of steam and natural ingredients to provide fresh, naturally scented cleaning results”. a) RWW Approach: 1) Is it Real? According to the data gathered from the idea generation report, the cleanliness of microwave was identified as a concern of high importance, amplified by the fact that most people do not cover their food while heating it, which leads to higher amounts of spillage and stuck-­‐on food. This highlight was further confirmed by the user survey, as the “ability to clean newly spilled food and ability to clean stuck on food” were both ranked in the Top 5 of Opportunity Scores. It is therefore clear that consumers view the cleanliness of their microwaves as essential and look for cleaning products providing solutions. Furthermore, the market potential and sheer number of potential buyers is huge, as a result of the very high rate of microwave penetration in North America (see market size below).
  • 12. 12 of 30 Market Size: Total Potential Market: out of the 124.3 million households in North America, microwave ovens have an approximate 95% market rate penetration. It has been determined that US households spend an average of $4 per year on comparable home care products, namely toilet care products (Euromonitor, 2102). If microwave care products are able to achieve a household average spend rate of $3.66, our target retail price, the total market has an approximate value of $432 million. Serviceable Addressable Market: The selected distribution channels (Hypermarkets and Supermarket distributing home care products) represent 58% of total home care product sales (Euromonitor, 2102). Assuming the top 10 home care companies maintain proportional market share, only 17% of the microwave care market will remain therefore resulting in an estimated retail market value of $43.7 million. Target Market: Households with 1 or more children and households with only one occupant represent 60.5% of North American households which results in a target market worth $26.5 million (see Appendix E) Primary Target Market: Parents who care about providing a clean, natural, and safe environment for their families. They clean more often than other consumer segments and value cleanliness, safety and health conscious products. Secondary Target Market: Students and bachelors whom typically clean their microwave less often and are not very familiar with the use of cleaning products. The microwave-­‐cleaning pod helps this segment tackle the cleaning problem in a simpler, more manageable manner
  • 13. requiring less time and effort. 2) Can we win? In the current marketplace, there are no specific products designed to help consumers clean their microwaves: alternatives include multi-­‐function wipes or aggressive detergent liquids, which are effortful to use. Furthermore, these alternatives leave potentially toxic remains after cleaning and are not viewed as particularly effective. Hence, we can assume that consumers would be willing to switch to a superior product. As opposed to available market solutions, our product provides a safe, convenient, and cost effective means for cleaning microwaves. Our pods safely loosen newly spilled and stuck-­‐on food therefore making cleaning quick and easy. They also use natural ingredients and provide fresh, naturally scented cleaning results as opposed to harsh cleaning agents such as Clorox. This product is highly differentiated and has no direct competition from established players in the home care/surface cleaning industry, which is why we believe it has tremendous potential for success. Competitor Analysis: As previously stated, our product has no direct competitors: using pod technology to clean microwaves is highly innovative and has not been seen before. However, commercial microwave cleaning products do exist and come in a variety of sprays and foams (e.g. spray-­‐and-­‐wipe cleaners, scrub-­‐free foams etc.) Indirect competition comes from well-­‐established players in the home care industry such as Procter & Gamble and Clorox, which have a diversified cleaning product line and important advertising budgets. The biggest threat from these competitors comes from their ability to develop a similar product, which would undermine our profit margins and crowd the marketplace. There is also competition from smaller brands such as Carbona or Citrusafe, which have developed wipes/sprays specifically designed to clean microwaves. This type of competitive threat is limited due to the points of difference of our microwave pods. Finally, consumers have the choice to substitute microwave-­‐cleaning products for homemade washing solutions. This includes using lemon juice (placing lemon wedges in a microwaveable bowl and adding cups of water before heating it for several minutes) or vinegar (same principle) to create steam before wiping the inside of the microwave. These homemade solutions have the advantage of reducing costs for consumers however they are relatively complex and therefore rarely implemented. Our product works in a similar fashion as it uses steam and contains natural citrus elements. 3) Is it worth pursuing? The innovativeness of our product makes it difficult to estimate its financial horizon. 13 of 30
  • 14. Nevertheless, we can estimate the proportions of expenses relative to revenue using information from a similar industry: the soap and cleaning agent industry (Ibis World, 2014). Here is an estimate of such figures: Purchases (VC) -­‐ 42% of revenue (this includes raw materials such as solvents, surfactants, phosphates, slats, perfumes etc.) Wages – 11 % of revenue Rent and Utilities – 5.7% of revenue Maintenance (Depreciation) – 1.8% of revenue Marketing – 24% of revenue Other – 15.5% (this includes R&D, restructuring costs etc.) Using a base of 1000 units sold, the following income statement gives an idea of how successful our product would be in a financial sense: As demonstrated by the income statement forecast, an important portion of revenue would be allocated to marketing expenses due to the necessity of making our product visible and known in the marketplace. Furthermore, although profit margins are low, as it is typically the case for soap and cleaning products, we expect high volume sales to compensate for such margins due to the huge size of the market and the important penetration rate of microwaves in North America. 14 of 30
  • 15. Competitive Advantage: Microwaves and the food reheating industry in general have experienced very little innovation in past decades. Additionally, the need for a cleaning method that is effective in eliminating food build-­‐up and residue within the microwave has yet to be fully addressed. In our research, cleanliness and safety emerged as the top concerns, which according to surveyed microwave users, were unmet. We believe that our product offers a solution catering to these needs: it provides users with a safe and effective way of cleaning their microwaves relative to current chemical home care products. Furthermore, it stands in stark contrast with dangerous in-­‐home cleaning methods (mixing water with agents such as lemon and vinegar) inadvertently resulting in the superheating of liquid, which poses a serious risk of burns and injury). Thus, our product design has been optimized to addresses cleanliness as well as safety needs, both highly valued by customers Sustaining Competitive Advantage -­‐ an aggressive intellectual property portfolio under development: Utility Patent: this pending patent will protect the utilitarian functions of the citrus shaped pod container, which contains the cleaning agent while simultaneously providing optimal steam distribution and protection against burns/explosions. Industrial Design Patent: a design patent is pending and will protect the unique features of the pod shape, configuration and pattern. Trademark Brand: unique word marks have been registered to develop strong brand recognition and association with microwave cleaning. Trademark Shape: the citrus shape will be protected in order to further reinforce brand recognition and association with microwave cleaning. Trade Secret Formula: the cleaning solution formula is to remain protected by trade secret by means of stringent trade-­‐secret policy and procedures with which current R&D is in compliance. 15 of 30
  • 16. 16 of 30 b) Conquering Barriers to Adoption Relative Advantage: 8 Microwave usage without regular cleaning inevitably leads to food residue over time, often adhering to microwave walls. Cleanliness and hygiene are a strong concern for both in-­‐home and out of home users due to the role microwaves play in food handling and preparation. Our pod proposes an improved solution compared to current cleaning methods: it uses non-­‐toxic and all-­‐natural ingredients as well as the power of steam to soften dirt and residues therefore addressing such concerns. In addition, it is based on a familiar process, which people currently use but has the benefit of enhancing safety by avoiding the risk of burns due to superheated liquid (see packaging design). Ultimately, it saves an important amount of time compared to relentlessly scrubbing food residues that are difficult to remove. Compatibility: 8 Our research shows that there is no conventional method of cleaning microwaves, with users employing a wide array of cleaning tool, agents and homemade solutions. This ranges from the use of commercial all-­‐purpose cleaners to family inspired techniques such as heating a solution of water and vinegar. Our product takes the form of a typical pod cleaner similar to those used in washing machines and dishwashers. Furthermore, our liquid solution is composed of familiar elements that users have already employed in the past (lemon, vinegar, water etc.). Hence, there is little change in cleaning behaviour as the agents used in our product as well as the cleaning method and pod technology is already familiar to users. Complexity: 4 The challenge we face concerns the novelty of the microwave pod as a product category in the microwave-­‐cleaning segment, which makes recognition and ability to infer its use a potential barrier to adoption. On the other hand, due to the adoption of current cleaning pods in other categories (washing machines, dishwashers etc.), we believe there is little complexity in using our product. Users simply have to tear the adhesive and leave the product in the microwave, enabling the content to steam out and soften food residue therefore allowing easier wiping with a cloth or sponge. Our main concern lies within the marketing of the product i.e. how we would help our customers to understand the benefits and general concept of the microwave pod. In order to address this, our packaging will contain photographic instructions on how to use the product. Our marketing strategy will equally focus on product placements in TV shows or infomercials, which could help consumers understand the microwave pod through product demonstrations. Trialability: 7 In order to increase trialability, we plan to implement a strong pull marketing strategy by giving away free samples through grocery stores and other small independent distributors. Also, we plan on bundling the product for free with new microwave purchases. In doing so, we will be able to address the information asymmetry issue and have users test the product and witness first-­‐hand how it works. We equally plan on taking advantage of home and kitchen trade shows
  • 17. to demonstrate the product and allow early adopters to experience it. Furthermore, our product is relatively inexpensive which encourages consumers to try it out (the financial downside is low in the case they don’t enjoy the product). Observability: 17 of 30 5 Typically, microwave usage in-­‐home or out of home is an individual experience, especially with regards to the cleaning. Hence, it is difficult for other people to observe the cleaning process during the use of the microwave pod. We plan to address this issue by choosing effective marketing channels to reach our customers. Food and Kitchen TV programs, for example, can serve as an effective marketing channel helping users to understand the product and its benefits. Furthermore, we will use print advertisements in cooking and kitchen publications to gain visibility and traction. Distribution equally appears as a significant barrier to product adoption and observability. Since commercialized microwave cleaning pods are a new idea, it will be difficult to convince retailers to offer a spot on their limited shelf space, which are crucial in order to have as many consumers as possible try the product. Overall barriers to adoption: low Overall we consider barriers to adoption to be relatively low with minimal consumer behaviour issues. Our product provides superior relative advantage as well as compatibility with existing cleaning practices. Major concerns include enabling microwave users to understand the benefits of the product as well as visibility within this new cleaning category, which can be addressed through strong and creative marketing campaigns. Access to adequate distribution networks and financial resources is also a source of concern. c) Capital Returns Benefits: ● Calm Waters market -­‐ We believe that the environment is favourable to the creation and establishment of a first move advantage. There is no dominant commercial cleaning agent specifically designed for microwaves in the market. Hence, there are important potential financial rewards for entering the market first and establishing strong brand visibility and awareness in this particular cleaning category. ● Strong relative advantage: Our microwave pod provides superior value compared to existing methods, as it is a safe, natural and non-­‐toxic cleaning agent capitalizing on the power of steam to effectively clean microwaves from germs and food residue. Our trademark packaging and design minimizes the risk of burns from superheated liquid. Hence, we offer attributes that our target customers value. ● High penetration rate and huge market potential -­‐ In Canada alone, there is a 95% household penetration for microwaves suggesting a huge upside potential. Furthermore, there is renewed demand for healthy and “green” cleaning products. According to an IBIS report, cleaning agent revenues are bolstered by the sell of organic and environmentally friendly products. In Canada alone, 85% of households purchased green cleaning products in 2011. Our product therefore presents a good point of
  • 18. differentiation as it follows the sustainability trend consumers adhere to. ● Fragmented Industry -­‐ There is currently no strong brand name when it comes to microwave cleaners. There are multiple in-­‐home cleaning methods but no commercial product is strongly recognized by consumers. In early 2000, Easy off created a microwaveable wipe but was immediately discontinued and failed to launch due to chemical health hazards (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2009). This further strengthens the benefit of being a first-­‐mover in the industry. ● Mature Industry -­‐There is a high probability of acquisition from established brands if the product proves to be successful, which could constitute a viable exit strategy. At this stage, company consolidation is common due to the mature stage of the industry life cycle. Finally, new product development like our pod can stimulate and revive interest to maintain sales growth (Turk, 2014). 18 of 30 Risks: ● High Supplier power: Given that commercialized microwave cleaning products are relatively rare and unknown to both consumers and retailers, we expect to face stiff competition in the limited shelf space of retailers. This is a new concept and retailers are reluctant to take on merchandise that does not have a strong sales track record. ● Threat from established players in the home cleaning industry: Due to strong branding and economies of scale of existing home cleaning agents, strong consumer goods brands such as Proctor and Gamble, Green Works, Unilever can enter the microwave cleaning category with ease. These brands have a diversified product line with strong sales track records and tremendous financial capabilities, therefore making it difficult for us to compete and potentially driving our product out of the market. ● Barriers to Adoption: Microwave cleaning is a relatively new product category and the average consumer is not familiar with the idea/concept of a microwave pod aiding in the cleaning process as it is outside of their frame of reference. Addressing this requires sizeable advertising and marketing budgets. ● Threat of Substitutes: There are multiple alternative methods available to clean microwaves, which range from generic cleaning agents to homemade solutions. Hence, there is a switching cost incurred for consumers who purchase our microwave pods. ● Low Product Observability: Cleaning is a personal and private experience, which makes it difficult for people to observe and try new cleaning products. Communicating the key benefits effectively and letting end-­‐users experience them will be a significant challenge. This will cause us to incur large marketing costs to create product category and brand awareness.
  • 19. Part 3: Key Points Summary The following outlines the main insights our team gained from the product development process. Key Takeaways: Our Team discovered while conducting the survey that you cannot take anything for granted. Some of the need areas we thought were essential due to the findings from our previous report ended up being quite inconsequential in the eyes of those who answered the survey. This helped us understand the importance of taking time to evaluate and dissect the raw data before making assumptions and thinking of potential solutions. Moreover, we were surprised by the discipline and time commitment required for the overall new product development exercise. Conducting market research and analysing the subsequent data to come up with solutions follows a structured, systematic and focused approach that cannot be tampered with. Challenges Encountered: When we first conducted our concept engineering interviews, consumers seemed quite dissatisfied with microwaves in general in terms of how current products were meeting their needs (cleaning, even cooking, menu navigation etc.). However, after careful analysis of our survey results (sample size of approximately 60 people), we discovered that people were more satisfied than we had initially assumed, which had the effect of confusing us and made it difficult to identify a particular need area to focus on. Due to the fact that we did not have a clear idea of the direction our product was following, there were many need areas associated with microwaves in our survey which made it quite long as we attempted to get all the information required to move forward. Hence, getting respondents to complete the survey was difficult and some even abandoned mid-­‐way! Planned Improvements: In the future, we would like to plan our time more effectively and base our research on a bigger sample of respondents/interviewees in order to conduct a more informed product development process where we could actually explore different need areas in-­‐depth. In the case of this product proposal, we chose to focus on a product complimentary to microwaves instead of the microwave itself but given more time, it would have been interesting to try and develop a solution for other identified problems specific to the microwave (e.g. performance and safety features). 19 of 30
  • 20. out*and*clean*turntable Feature*/*defrost*frozen*food Feature*/*food*specific,*preset* menu*buttons Ease*of*Use*/*easy*to*open*the* door to*choose*cooking*time Ease*of*Use*/*easy*to*navigate* the*menu*options Feature*/*presence*of*clock Feature*/*presence*of*a*timer Feature*/*adjustable* 20 of 30 Appendix A – Trade-­‐off Matrix: BENEFIT'/'NEED'AREA room*it*takes*up Cooking*Chamber*Size*/*what* you*can*fit*inside Microwave*Asthetics*/*(Look,* Style,*Color,*etc.) Microwave*Size*/*how*much* Microwave*Noise*/*the*noise* level Cleanliness*/*ability*to*clean* newly*spilled*food Cleanliness*/*ability*to*clean* stuck*on*food Cleanliness*/*ability*to*take* cooking*times Ease*of*Use*/*easy*and*quick* noise/tone*volume Ease*of*use*/*easy*to*press* cooking/reheating Performance*/*high*speed* cooking/reheating Performance*/*even* efficiency Performance*/*ability*to* Safety*/*reduced*risk*of* burning*the*skin*upon*touch prevent*food*odour Safety*/*risk*of*radiation Safety*/*risk*of*fire*from* Performance*/*energy* heating*of*metallic*objects Microwave*Asthetics*/*(Look,*Style,*Color,*etc.) Microwave*Size*/*how*much*room*it*takes*up 0 Cooking*Chamber*Size*/*what*you*can*fit*inside 0 / Microwave*Noise*/*the*noise*level 0 0 0 Cleanliness*/*ability*to*clean*newly*spilled*food 0 0 / 0 Cleanliness*/*ability*to*clean*stuck*on*food 0 0 / 0 + Cleanliness*/*ability*to*take*out*and*clean*turntable 0 0 0 0 + + Feature*/*defrost*frozen*food 0 0 + 0 0 0 0 Feature*/*food*specific,*preset*cooking*times 0 0 / 0 0 0 0 0 Feature*/*presence*of*clock 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Feature*/*presence*of*a*timer 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 + Feature*/*adjustable*noise/tone*volume 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ease*of*Use*/*easy*and*quick*to*choose*cooking*time 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 + + + 0 Ease*of*Use*/*easy*to*navigate*the*menu*options 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 + 0 0 0 + Ease*of*use*/*easy*to*press*menu*buttons 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 + + Ease*of*Use*/*easy*to*open*the*door 0 0 + 0 + 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Performance*/*even*cooking/reheating 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Performance*/*high*speed*cooking/reheating 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 + 0 + 0 0 0 / Performance*/*energy*efficiency 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 / / Performance*/*ability*to*prevent*food*odour 0 0 / 0 + + + 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Safety*/*risk*of*radiation 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Safety*/*risk*of*fire*from*heating*of*metallic*objects 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Safety*/*reduced*risk*of*burning*the*skin*upon*touch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Price / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Posit+ive*Impact*Relationship Nega/tive*Impact*Relationship Tradeoff*Relationship*that*Has*a*Worthwhile*Opportunity*Score
  • 21. Appendix B – Importance, Satisfaction and Opportunity Scores: FROM%IDEA%GENERATION%REPORT FROM%%USER%SURVEY 21 of 30 USER%NEED Estimated% Importance Ability%to% Differe. Ease%of% Commun. Technical% Feasibility Importance% Rating Satisfaction% Rating Importance% SD Satisfaction% SD Opportunity% Score 6 6 7 10 5.12 6.29 2.63 2.68 3.95 Feature121adjustable1noise/tone1volume Feature121food1specific,1preset1cooking1times 6 8 5 10 5.86 7.07 3.04 2.34 4.65 Microwave1Asthetics121(Look,1Style,1Color,1etc.) 7 10 10 10 6.71 7.45 2.32 2.07 5.97 Microwave1Size121how1much1room1it1takes1up 5 7 10 10 7.39 8.05 2.23 1.68 6.73 10 1 10 10 7.67 8.31 2.52 2.2 7.03 Feature121presence1of1clock Microwave1Noise121the1noise1level Cooking1Chamber1Size121what1you1can1fit1inside 7 7 10 10 7.57 8 2.21 1.94 7.14 7 7 10 6 7.12 6.88 2.4 2 7.36 7 7 8 4 7.43 7.4 2.4 2.18 7.46 10 1 10 10 8.31 8.69 2.17 1.98 7.93 5 5 7 10 7.51 7.07 2.7 2.56 7.95 Performance121energy1efficiency Feature121presence1of1a1timer Feature121defrost1frozen1food Performance121ability1to1prevent1food1odour 8 8 8 8 7.61 7.1 2.33 2.23 8.12 Safety121reduced1risk1of1burning1the1skin1upon1touch 6 3 4 6 7.92 7.48 2.6 2.33 8.36 Ease1of1use121easy1to1press1menu1buttons 10 7 7 9 8.37 8.26 2.04 2.06 8.48 Ease1of1Use121easy1and1quick1to1choose1cooking1time 10 1 7 10 8.49 8.43 2.12 1.81 8.55 10 7 7 10 8.49 8.36 1.82 2.12 8.62 Ease1of1Use121easy1to1open1the1door Cleanliness121ability1to1take1out1and1clean1turntable 10 2 9 10 8 7.24 2.21 2.3 8.76 Safety121risk1of1radiation 10 8 4 6 8.29 7.76 2.52 2.41 8.82 Safety121risk1of1fire1from1heating1of1metallic1objects 9 3 4 9 8.27 7.6 2.62 2.48 8.94 Cleanliness121ability1to1clean1newly1spilled1food 10 3 9 10 8.08 7.1 2.01 2.3 9.06 Ease1of1Use121easy1to1navigate1the1menu1options 10 6 8 10 8.51 7.95 2.06 2.04 9.07 Performance121high1speed1cooking/reheating 6 8 7 7 8.41 7.71 2.14 2.26 9.11 Cleanliness121ability1to1clean1stuck1on1food 8 10 7 7 8.1 6.88 2.04 2.29 9.32 10 7 7 5 8.92 7.52 1.66 2.36 10.32 Standard'Deviation 0.89 0.60 1.50 Performance121even1cooking/reheating Top'5'Opportunity'Scores Average'Standard'Deviation 2.30 2.20 Top'6'8'10'Opportunity'Scores Satandard'Deviation'Outlier
  • 22. Appendix C – Product Concept and Design: 22 of 30
  • 24. 1.#Do#1. Do you#you use#use a#microwave#a microwave to#to defrost,#defrost, cook#cook or or#reheat reheat#food/ food/snacks? snacks? 24 of 30 Appendix D – Survey Results: Answer Response % Yes 56 92% No 5 8% Total 61 100% 37%$ 2%$ 61%$ 70%$ 60%$ 50%$ 40%$ 30%$ 20%$ 10%$ 0%$ In$Home$ Out$of$home$ Both$ 22%$ 39%$ 39%$ 50%$ 40%$ 30%$ 20%$ 10%$ 0%$ Yes,$o;en$ Yes,$some<mes$ No$ 2. Why do you choose NOT to use microwave ovens? Ø Because I don't like cleaning them up after Ø Because electromagnetic waves are bad for the health Ø Cook food in other ways Ø Don't like the health concerns associated with microwaving food. Ø Kills nutrition 3. Do you use a microwave in-­‐home or out of home? 4. Do you bring microwavable food or snacks to work or school with you? 7. Please select the alternative that best represents your view: 5%# 79%# 17%# O(en,#my#food/plate# does#not#fit#into#the# microwave# The#microwave#is#a#good# match#for#the#size#of#my# food/plates# There#is#a#lot#of#wasted# space#inside#the# microwave#that#is#not# used# 8. Do you agree with the following statement: Microwaves are too big and a waste of space. 17%$ 64%$ 19%$ I$agree$ I$disagree$ Neither$
  • 25. 9. What measures do you take to prevent spills in the microwave? Answer % I"don't"take"any"measures"to"prevent"spills 14% I"use"a"food"or"dish"cover 76% I"use"a"microwave"specific"dish 17% Other"(please"specify) 2% 64%# 25 of 30 10. How do you clean up microwave spills? 5%# 26%# 70%# 60%# 50%# 40%# 30%# 20%# 10%# 11. How do you clean up stuck on food inside the microwave? Others Specified: Ø Water and vinegar spray and a rag Ø Vinegar and water, no cleaning 5%# 0%# I#don't#clean#up# spills# Rag#or#paper#towel# with#a#cleaning# agent# Wet##(water#only)# rag#or#paper#towel# products Other#(please# specify)# 10%$ 38%$ 45%$ Others Specified: Ø Microwave bowl of water Ø Microwave cup of vinegar water Ø Boil cup of water with lemon in microwave Ø Pot scrubber and water 7%$ 50%$ 40%$ 30%$ 20%$ 10%$ 0%$ I$don't$clean$up$ stuck$on$food$ Rag$or$paper$towel$ with$a$cleaning$ agent$ Wet$$(water$only)$ rag$or$paper$towel$ Other$(please$ specify)$
  • 26. 12. How do you clean the turntable after you take it out of the microwave? Answer % I"do"not"take"the"turntable"out"for"cleaning 14% I"wash"it"by"hand"in"the"sink 69% I"wipe"it"down"with"a"wet"rag"or"paper"towel 5% I"put"it"in"the"dishwasher 10% Other"(please"specify) 2% Total 100% 13. Is it troublesome to choose the correct cooking time when using the microwave? 26 of 30 26%$ 12%$ 62%$ No,$not$at$all$ No,$but$some2mes$I$ overcook$or$undercook$$ food/snacks$items$ Yes,$it$is$2me$consuming$ and$complicated$ 14. Which of the following best describes the clock on your microwave? 2%# 5%# 0%# 93%# It#is#too#small# It#is#too#big# It#is#just#right# Other#(please#specify)# 15. What gender are you: 0%# 0%# 17%# 21%# 14%# 0%# 0%# 5%# 19%# 17%# 7%# 0%# 0%# 25%# 20%# 15%# 10%# 5%# 0%# <#15# 15+19# 20+24# 25+29# 30+34# 35+39# 40+44# 45+49# 50+54# 55+59# 60+64# 64+69# >#70# 40%$ 60%$ 60%$ 50%$ 40%$ 30%$ 20%$ 10%$ 0%$ Male$ Female$ 15. Please select your age range:
  • 27. 15. Which of the following best describes yours status? 27 of 30 33%# 0%# 21%# 19%# 0%# 26%# 0%# Parent# Student#living#at#home# Student#living#out#of# home# Non;student#Bachellor# Non;student#Bachelore?e# Married#
  • 28. 28 of 30 Appendix E – Market Sizing: Average Consumer Annual Spend $ 3.66 Total Market No. of Consumers Retail Sales Value 2Total US Households 114,991,725 3Total Canadian Households 9,389,700 2US Households w/ Childern 32.3% 3Canadian Households w/ Childern 39.2% 2US Households w/ Single Occupant 27.7% 3Canadian Households w/ Single Occupant 27.6% Total North American Households /w Childern 32.8% Total North American Households /w Childern or Single Occupants 60.5% Total North American Households 124,381,425 4North American Household Microwave Market Penetration: 95% Total North American Households with Microwaves 118,162,354 $ 432,474,215 1Total 2013 US Retail Sales of Home Care Produts $ 28,712,000,000 1Total 2013 US Retail Sales of Toilet Care Produts $ 668,600,000 Home Care Market Share of US Households 100.0% Total North American Households with Microwaves That Purchase Home Care Products 118,162,354 Channel & Competition 1Hypermarkets/Supermarket Home Care Channel Share 58% Hypermarkets/Supermarket Microwave Channel Size 68,416,003 1Competitor Channel Share (NA Top 10 Home Care Company Share) 83% Served Avaliable Market Share Estimated Microwave Care Market Size 11,938,592 $ 43,695,249 Target Market -­‐ Households w/ Childern or Single Occupants & Microwaves Target Market Size 7,228,210 $ 26,455,247 Target Market Size Excluding Single Occupant Households 3,918,849 $ 14,342,987 1 Euromonitor International, 2013 2Vespa J. et al., 2013 3 Statistics Canada, 2012 4 Euromonitor, 2013
  • 29. Reference List Baby Green Thumb. "Safe Plastic Numbers." Baby Green Thumb. (2011): n. page. Print. http://www.babygreenthumb.com/p-­‐122-­‐safe-­‐plastic-­‐numbers-­‐guide.asp&xgt; Accessed March 2014. DeLima. “Health and Safety Information Easy-­‐off Heat Activated Microwave Wipes”. Houshold Products Database – Health and Safety Information of Household Products. U.S Department of Health and Human Services, 12th March 2009. Accessed 25th March 2014. Dupont Industrial Biosciences "Trends shaping the industry." Dupont Industrial Biosciences. 2012: n. page. Print. http://fhc.biosciences.dupont.com/news/trends-­‐shaping-­‐the-­‐industry/. FDA, “Radiation -­‐ Emitting Products: Risk of Burns from Eruptions of Hot Water Overheated in Microwave Ovens." US Food and Drug Administration. US Department of Health and Human Services, 25 Apr 2012. Web. 22 Mar 2014. http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-­‐ EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/HomeBusinessandEntertainment/ ucm142506.htm FSIS, “Microwave -­‐ Ovens and Food Safety." Food Safety and Inspection Services. United States Department of Agriculture. Web. Accessed 22nd March 2014. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/Microwave_Ovens_and_Food_Safety.pdf Government of Canada, “Microwave Oven Food Safety Tips." Healthy Canadians. Government of Canada, 19th January 2011. Web. Accessed 24th March 2014 http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/kids-­‐enfants/food-­‐aliment/microwave-­‐micro_ondes-­‐ eng.php Smithers Apex. Insight: Do you know the Five Most Important Trends in the Cleaning Products Market? Smithers Apex. 27th November 2013. Print. https://www.smithersapex.com/market-­‐ reports/insight-­‐do-­‐you-­‐know-­‐the-­‐five-­‐most-­‐important-­‐trends-­‐in-­‐the-­‐cleaning-­‐products-­‐ market.asp&xgt;. Turk, Sarah. Soap & Cleaning Compound Manufacturing in Canada. Rep. no. 32561CA. 2014. IBIS Web. Accessed 20th March 2014. http://clients1.ibisworld.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/reports/ca/industry/default.aspx?entid=49 5. Euromonitor International 2013. Microwaves in Canada. Retrieved from Passport GMID database. http://www.portal.euromonitor.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/Portal/Pages/Search/Sea rchResultsList.aspx 29 of 30
  • 30. Vespa J. America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2012 U.S. Department of Commerce -­‐ Population Characteristics. Economics and Statistics Administration U.S. CENSUS BUREAU. 2013 Statistics Canada. Census in Brief -­‐ Fifty years of families in Canada: 1961 to 2011. Minister of Industry, 2012 Agriculture and Agri-­‐Food Canada. The Canadian Consumer. Behaviours, Attitudes and perceptions towards food products. http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/statistics/food/canada_consumer_report_en.pdf Statistics Canada. Portrait of Families and Living Arrangements in Canada. 2011 Census of Population. Minister of Industry, 2012. Euromonitor International. Toilet Care Moving to Tipping Point. 2013, Accessed March 2014. http://0www.portal.euromonitor.com.pugwash.lib.warwick.ac.uk/Portal/Handlers/accessPDF.a shx/Toilet_Care_Moving_to_Tipping_Point.pdf. Retrieved from Passport GMID March 2014. 30 of 30