The uvalue team is focused on creating a platform that aligns consumer purchasing with personal value systems such as sustainability and ethical labor practices. The project involves both qualitative and quantitative research, highlighting a strong demand among consumers for reliable information on sustainable products. Recommendations include developing a user-friendly app that enables consumers to easily rate and select brands based on their values, ultimately facilitating a cultural shift towards more responsible consumer behavior.

1. UValue
Team members
Arthur, Julia, Khai, Linda, Lucie, Sharon, & Sherri
Venture Lab Opportunity Analysis Project (OAP)
Prof. Chuck Eesley - 05.21.2012

2. The UTeam
Lucie (France) – Team Lead
Linda (US) – Consumer Products
Khai (US) – Finance
Sharon (US) – Consumer Products
Sherri (US) – Consumer Products
Julia (US) – Research
Arthur (Brazil) – Web Applications
Weekly meetings on Google+ Hangouts

3. Healthy and ethically grown?
Labor and human rights have been strictly segregated from
the sustainability agenda
‘Does
it
ma+er
whether
an
heirloom
tomato
is
local
and
organic
if
it
was
harvested
by
slave
labor?’
–
Eric
Schlosser,
Slow
Food

4. The Problem
• People have personal value systems
• Their value systems might not be reflected in
their purchasing habits
– Lack of information
– Lack of time
– Lack of resources
Is this the only option?

5. The Generation of We:
Cultural Creatives
“Values are the best single predictor
of real behavior”
– Ray and Anderson, The Cultural Creatives:
How 50 Million People Are Changing the World

6. New individuals - New product choices
• Organic food market reached
$60B globally
• 60M Americans want information
about safe and green.
Organic non-food
sales grew 9.7
percent in 2010, to
reach $1.97B.
Source: Organic Trade
Association’s 2011
Organic Industry Survey Captured G8’s attention (2012)

7. Brand = Reputation

8. Business Model

9. Hypothesis
People are interested
in a website and/or mobile application
that allows for ranking of a personal value
system (sustainability, ethical labor practices, etc.)
to help provide guidance
for the purchase of goods and services.

10. Testing Methodology
• Face-to-face interviews
– Engineering project management
event (8 – 10 people, ages 20 - 35)
– Women’s book club (6 people, ages
50+)
• Online surveying
– n = 80 (May 2012, Survey Monkey)
– Questions on causes, local/organic/
sustainable food, ethical labor,
environment, green lifestyle,
decision-making, and technical
aptitude

11. Results - Face-to-face interviews
• Customers first asked:
“Why should we care?”
– Our response:
• Personalized value system experience
• Carbon tracking
• Rewards system
– Their response: Liked value system!
– Liked the ranking input – transparency as key
(show how filters are generated for users)
• Other feedback
– Initial interest based on Freemium model
– Flow is not too clear on mockup
– More testing needed with paper prototypes

12. Sustainability/environment
as #1 cause

13. Most people surveyed normally face
little difficulty with decision making. . .

14. . . . yet found sustainable brands
the most difficult to decide on.

15. Tech savvy population polled

16. >90% would switch brands based on
new actionable knowledge
Somewhat likely +
Very likely = 93%

17. Locally grown food popular
Somewhat likely
+ Very likely = 76%

18. Care for ethical labor as cause too
Somewhat likely
+ Very likely = 85%

19. One area most wanted to be
knowledgeable in: Sustainability
13%
13%
14%
23%
39%

20. Market Segmentation
Consumers / Cultural creatives Businesses
– Activists – Big brands
– Budget conscious – Smaller businesses
– Value enabled

21. Strategic Partnerships
• Government
• NGOs
• Small businesses
• Large brands/companies

22. Key Partnerships with
Activist Bloggers
@
@
@
@
@
@

23. Partnerships with Govt Agencies

24. Competitive Landscape
• Good Guide
http://www.goodguide.com/#
• Not much else out there other
than less concerted efforts:
– Leaders (e.g. Stella McCartney)
– NGOs
– Government groups
Uvalue will instead reflect
personal values of and by consumers,
not imposing the values of others.

25. Risk
Porter’s Five Forces of Competition

26. Recommendations
• Build a value ranking system based on
– Brands
– Products (beginning first in food)
• Build credibility using info from govt/
scientific sources
• Make visually appealing and easy to use
– Time: Efficient / convenient
– Information: Informative / relevant
– Resources: Fact-checked / credible
• Personalize purchasing experience
• Provide a voice for the customer to brands
and companies + activism channel
• Allow for collective change with each
purchase – $ goes where it should!

27. Uvalue:
Use case scenario
Lisa’s & Pierre’s Story

28. ly Made
Sustainab
Safe & ty
Warran
Lisa is conscientious – and wants to be sure that
the gift she finds is safe and sustainably made
because she cares about the earth.

29. She is confused and frustrated by what is out
there – and finds it difficult to have her values
reflected in her purchase!

30. Lisa finds out about Uvalue! She gets guidance that she
needs on her purchase.

31. She can prioritize and tailor the
selection based on her own value system.

32. Pierre had a huge presentation at work.
He would like a cup of joe just to revive himself!

33. The challenge for Pierre is that he wants to
be sure that the coffee beans were
harvested by ethical means.

34. Pierre is able to find
just what he needs to decide
using UValue’s Mobile App!

35. What
are
you
interested
in?
Drop
the
causes
and
the
categories
that
are
near
and
dear
to
your
heart!
agricultural
workers
nature
food
child
labor
drink
apparel
factory
workers
There are direct ways to review brands/products based
on your value system + get rewards that can be applied
for future purchases or for your charity!

36. Both Lisa and Pierre were relieved to find help
with UValue for life’s important and daily
decisions. They put their money to the best use
and are helping to change the world for the
better - one day at a time !

37. User Experience Scenario
What
are
your
values?
Who
are
you
Fill
in
an
online
quesBonnaire
/
Become
a
member
/
log
in
with
Facebook
Discover
the
Uvalue
Universe
Browse
Brands
and
NGOs
causes
+
other
sustainable
iniBaBves
Thumb
up
Be
ac=ve
in
the
community
Rate
them
!
Spread
the
word
Received
infos
that
fit
your
interests
Be
connected
And
take
acBon
:
sign
a
peBBon,
go
to
a
responsible
restaurant
…

38. Business Model 1/2
Proposi=on
Value
Proposi=on
Architecture
• Infos
that
fit
your
concerns
• Brands+NGO
give
credible
• Brands
speak
to
their
consumers
content
• NGO
infos
are
grouped
• The
community
rates
• Infos
are
spread
in
a
visually
way
• Top
charts
are
displayed
Profit
Equa=on
• Keep
people
informed
• Encourage
them
to
take
ac=on
in
a
visually,
gamy,
simple
way
• Scout
the
interest
on
sustainable
ini=a=ves
• Connect
people
to
ac=vi=es
they
value

39. Business Model 2/2
TOP
10
ACTIONS
TAKEN
TOP
10
COMPANIES
Brands
+
NGOs
TOP
10
INITIATIVES
Give
credible
informa9ons
Rate
the
causes
Community
Get
points,
received
special
offers
(commercial
and
ac=on
to
take)
that
fit
your
values
and
become
…
THE
GREENER
OF
THE
MONTH

40. OAP SWOT Analysis
• Can
begin
with
lean
informa=on
S
based
service.
Technological
skills.
W
• Too
broad/lack
of
focus
in
strategy.
• Partnerships
not
yet
established
• Team
with
global
experience.
(govt
and
business)?
• Passion
and
rich
with
ideas
and
• Low
customer
reten=on.
Need
for
enthusiasm.
mentor
to
help
maneuver
and
• Experience
in
packaging,
finance,
manage
strategy.
web,
marke=ng,
research
• Find
a
strong
differencia=on
a
global
vision
of
ini=a=ves
O
• The
value
ranking
system
gives
• Compe==ve
social
entrepreneurship
vendorsLack
T
• Consumers
with
certain
values
are
of
access
to
needed
informa=on.
matched
with
companies/ • Legal
threats.
businesses
with
shared
values.
• Geographically
specific
laws/
•
Interna=onal
market.
regula=ons/cultural
tastes.
•
Geographically
specific
laws/ • Inadequate
or
lack
of
regula=ons/cultural
tastes.
differen=a=on
from
other
services?

41. Models - Ideas
• Pinterest
(visual
appeal)
• Goodguide
(sustainability/
manufacture/credibility
+
convenience
in
scanning)
• Foursquare
(community)
• Free2Work
(labor
and
convenience
in
scanning
product)
• Stella
McCartney
(fashion/
causes/charity
partnership
opportuni=es).

42. The Uinterface
First draft

43. A
be]er
name?
The Uv Card
A
simple
image
A
short
descrip=on
Web
link
@
+
(if
applied)
Thumb
it
up
!
…
Comments
Take
ac=on
The
ra=ng
score
(if
applied)

44. The Website Interface

45. The Website Interface
What
are
you
interested
in
?
Drag
the
causes
and
the
categories
that
interest
you
in
the
heart
!
agricultural
workers
nature
food
child
labor
consumer
products
drink
apparel
factory
workers

46. The Website Interface
Where
are
you?
Use
your
locaBon
sePng
or
pin
your
place!
+
Find
me
Pin
it
-­‐

47. The Website Interface
Which
ac9on
person
are
you?
Place
the
acBon
on
the
ladder.
Donate
Buy
from
the
brand
Go
into
an
event
Sign
a
pe==on
Donate
+
receive
gi_

48. The Website Interface
Which
brand
light
your
interest
?
Open
the
brands
bags
and
click
on
them.
Fashion
Consumer
Food
Drinks
Goods

49. The Website Interface
Which
brand
light
your
interest
?
Open
the
brands
bags
and
click
on
them.
Fashion
Consumer
Food
Drinks
Goods

50. The Website Interface
Which
brand
light
your
interest
?
Click
on
the
one
you
want
to
responsibly
follow.
<<
<<
Fashion
Consumer
Goods
Food
Drinks

51. The Website Interface
Welcome
on
Uvalue!
Look
at
Uprofile
Browse
Values
Subscribe
An
Ac=on
A
Day

52. The Website Interface
Welcome
on
Uvalue!
Look
at
Uprofile
Browse
Values
Subscribe
An
Ac=on
A
Day

53. The Website Interface
Uvalue!
About
us
Uprofile
TOP
10s
Cause
Category
@ +
@ +
@ +
…
Proposi9on
1

54. The Website Interface
Uvalue!
About
us
Uprofile
TOP
10s
Cause
Category
TOP
10
ACTIONS
TAKEN
Child
Labor
Food
TOP
10
COMPANIES
Factory
Workers
Drinks
TOP
10
INITIATIVES
Agricultural
Workers
Consumer
Products
GREENS
OF
THE
MONTH
Office
Employees
Apparel
Retail
@ +
@ +
@ +
…
Proposi9on
1
–
Presenta9on
of
the
scroll
menu

55. The Website Interface
Uvalue!
About
us
Uprofile
TOP
10s
Cause
Category
@ +
@ +
@ +
…
Proposi9on
1
–
Presenta9on
of
the
«
I
like
this
brand…
»

56. The Website Interface
I
this
brand
Does
it
fit
my
values
?
Proposi9on
1
–
Presenta9on
of
the
«
I
like
this
brand…
»

57. The Website Interface
Uvalue!
About
us
Uprofile
<<
TOP
10s
TOP
10
ACTIONS
TAKEN
TOP
10
COMPANIES
TOP
10
INITIATIVES
GREENS
OF
THE
MONTH
@ +
@ +
Cause
@ +
Category
…
I
like
this
brand
…
How
is
it
sustainable
?
GO
Country
Profiles
Proposi9on
2

58. The Website Interface
Uprofile
About
us
Uvalue
Interests Location Actions
+ + +
To
know
around
you
Rules
in
your
country
To
do
around
you
Proposi9on
1
-­‐
Uprofile

59. The Website Interface
Messages where you can
Uprofile
About
us
Uvalue
receive special offers
Interests Location Actions
Actions
+ + + recommended
on your
preferences
Editing
capabilities
To
know
around
you
Rules
in
your
country
To
do
around
you
About brands/initiatives/event that happen
close to you according to your interests Proposi9on
1
-­‐
Uprofile

60. The Website Interface
Messages where you can
receive special offers
Editing
Uprofile
About
us
Uvalue
capabilities
Interests Location Actions
+ + +
To
know
around
you
Rules
in
your
country
To
do
around
you
About brands/initiatives/event Actions recommended on
that happen close to you your preferences
according to your interests
Proposi9on
1
-­‐
Uprofile

61. To be continued …