1.) You: I am a student at the University of Florida studying Business Management with a minor in leadership. I believe that I am talented at being a leader within a team as an encourager so that everyone is successful. I enjoy helping other people solve their problems, which is why I am motivated for my opportunity of building a pedestrian bridge on Museum Road. In the future, I want to work in some career where I truly feel like I am making a significant impact on peoples' lives.
2.) What are you offering to customers? I am going to construct a pedestrian bridge to go across Museum Road between the Reitz Union and the New Physics Building on campus. This will solve customers' unmet needs by fixing the problem of traffic congestion along this road, as well as ensuring the safety of students trying to cross the road to get to class.
3.) Who are you offering it to? This biggest similarity that will be between all of my customers is that they will all have some relationship with the University of Florida. Whether the customer is a student, a professor, a faculty worker, or a parent on campus visiting their child, all of my customers will benefit from the construction of my pedestrian bridge. This is an area where many people walk around because it is so close to the Student Union, so it is difficult to say that there is one specific demographic that will benefit the most. In addition to the pedestrians, people driving along this road such as bus drivers will benefit because they will not have to worry as much about keeping an eye out for people trying to cross the street.
4.) Why do they care? Customers will want to pay towards the construction of a pedestrian bridge because it will lower stress levels, increase safety for pedestrians, and sort out traffic. To begin with, the construction of this bridge will lower stress levels for drivers because they will no longer have to worry about the 3 crosswalks that are located in this small area. In addition, this bridge will ensure safety for pedestrians because they will no longer have to worry about drivers paying full attention to the road because the bridge will take them above the cars and busses on the road. Lastly, this bridge will sort out traffic because cars will not get backed up waiting for people to cross the road, so they will be able to efficiently drive through this area and get to the destination intended.
5.) What are your core competencies? As a current student at the University of Florida, I experience the difficulties of Museum Road on a daily basis. This being said, I think that it sets me apart from someone with the same idea that is not directly related to this University. Experiencing the problem on a first hand basis just motivates me even more to want to develop a solution.
I believe that most of these elements fit together, but there is one thing that worries me. I am trying to offer this product to customers, but I do not have an engineering experience that would be needed to actually construct this pedestrian bridge, so that is clearly a weakness that is on the table. Other than that, I believe that with my credibility as a student at the University of Florida, I will be able to easily sell this product because I have heard many other students who have agreed with me that they would be all for a pedestrian bridge.
Hi Travis, I think that your idea is one that would benefit everyone. Cars would be able to move in a better flow of traffic and not have to stop for the pedestrians, and the pedestrians would not have to worry about getting hit by a car or waiting for the cars to stop. I think your major in business management would be beneficial for this as you would have to manage companies making this work.
ReplyDeleteHi Travis,
ReplyDeleteI think the most important thing that you stress in your "why do they care" piece is that student safety will be much greater than it would be without the bridge. As a student who crosses that intersection very often, it is not always cars that I have to look out for, but bikes as well. Some bikers decide to fly through the bike lane with no regard for any pedestrians crossing the street. I witnessed an accident there just the other day because a biker clipped a student's back pack as he sped by. This bridge is very necessary, and I'm glad you're pushing for it.