Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1
1. The opportunity I would like to pursue is creating new types of helmets which are lighter, more comfortable, and stylish to encourage scooter owners to wear them.
2. The Who (great band): Scooter Owners
The What: They cannot find a helmet which they feel like will stop them from being ridiculed by people.
The Why: No helmets on the market today are suitable to the tastes of a college kid.
3. Interview 1: (21 year old scooter owner) Testing the who- Almost all scooter owners, in Gainesville at least, have the need for a helmet. Helmet usage is low for both scooters, and this could possibly extend to bikes.
Testing the what- I think the boundary for this could be, like, a helmet which is light enough that people will wear it, but sturdy enough to pass safety tests.
Testing the why- I feel like most people don't wear helmets because nobody else does.
Interview 2: (22 year old scooter owner) Testing the who- Pretty much everybody with a scooter doesn't wear a helmet, except some athletes whose coaches make them.
Testing the what- I would want a helmet which could be customized, maybe have some different colors or something.
Testing the why- Most people don't wear helmets because they don't want to. It's not cool to wear helmets, so they don't either.
Interview 3: (19 year old scooter owner) Testing the who- I think that anyone who owns a scooter needs a helmet, especially those under 21 since it's against the law not to.
Testing the what- I would really love a helmet to be light, maybe one that can fit in the front pocket thing of a scooter so I could just leave it in there.
Testing the why- I'm not entirely sure why people don't have helmets. I didn't have one and got a ticket for not wearing one, so I just recently bought it.
Interview 4: (19 year old non scooter owner) Testing the who- I never see anyone wearing their scooter helmets, so I can only assume that they all need to buy one.
Testing the what- I feel like people don't wear them because they aren't cool, so maybe one with a better design than the blocky one everybody has.
Testing the why- Like I said, it's not "cool" so no one does.
Interview 5: (46 year old scooter shop worker) Testing the who- Of all kids I see come in with scooters, maybe 5% have helmets.
Testing the what- I think you have to make a helmet that makes everyone want is a fashion thing, they don't really care about their safety if it looks bad.
Testing the why- I think if it doesn't look cool, no one wants to wear it if it looks dumb. College kids forget that they aren't invincible sometimes.
4. Through these interviews, I found that the main thing people are looking for in these helmets is style, not really the protective aspect. As the scooter shop worker said, college kids do often forget that their lives can end in an instant, especially if they crash without a helmet.
5. From my interviews, I found out that there are a lot of different reasons why people don't wear helmets; they all come back to how it looks to other people. I have to find a way to appeal to masses' sense of fashion to do well.
2. The Who (great band): Scooter Owners
The What: They cannot find a helmet which they feel like will stop them from being ridiculed by people.
The Why: No helmets on the market today are suitable to the tastes of a college kid.
3. Interview 1: (21 year old scooter owner) Testing the who- Almost all scooter owners, in Gainesville at least, have the need for a helmet. Helmet usage is low for both scooters, and this could possibly extend to bikes.
Testing the what- I think the boundary for this could be, like, a helmet which is light enough that people will wear it, but sturdy enough to pass safety tests.
Testing the why- I feel like most people don't wear helmets because nobody else does.
Interview 2: (22 year old scooter owner) Testing the who- Pretty much everybody with a scooter doesn't wear a helmet, except some athletes whose coaches make them.
Testing the what- I would want a helmet which could be customized, maybe have some different colors or something.
Testing the why- Most people don't wear helmets because they don't want to. It's not cool to wear helmets, so they don't either.
Interview 3: (19 year old scooter owner) Testing the who- I think that anyone who owns a scooter needs a helmet, especially those under 21 since it's against the law not to.
Testing the what- I would really love a helmet to be light, maybe one that can fit in the front pocket thing of a scooter so I could just leave it in there.
Testing the why- I'm not entirely sure why people don't have helmets. I didn't have one and got a ticket for not wearing one, so I just recently bought it.
Interview 4: (19 year old non scooter owner) Testing the who- I never see anyone wearing their scooter helmets, so I can only assume that they all need to buy one.
Testing the what- I feel like people don't wear them because they aren't cool, so maybe one with a better design than the blocky one everybody has.
Testing the why- Like I said, it's not "cool" so no one does.
Interview 5: (46 year old scooter shop worker) Testing the who- Of all kids I see come in with scooters, maybe 5% have helmets.
Testing the what- I think you have to make a helmet that makes everyone want is a fashion thing, they don't really care about their safety if it looks bad.
Testing the why- I think if it doesn't look cool, no one wants to wear it if it looks dumb. College kids forget that they aren't invincible sometimes.
4. Through these interviews, I found that the main thing people are looking for in these helmets is style, not really the protective aspect. As the scooter shop worker said, college kids do often forget that their lives can end in an instant, especially if they crash without a helmet.
5. From my interviews, I found out that there are a lot of different reasons why people don't wear helmets; they all come back to how it looks to other people. I have to find a way to appeal to masses' sense of fashion to do well.
Hi Michael,
ReplyDeleteThere is definitely a market for a new, innovative helmet on college campuses. As you mentioned, the challenge is marketing this new helmet in a way that is not just stylish, but as something that is more of a necessity than simply a choice. Maybe if the new prototype for the helmet included some features that made riding a scooter more appealing it would have more of a following. It could include navigational features, or blue tooth options that would resonate to people that have challenges related to scooters. Finding the right angle to market this new helmet will be challenging, but could have a great payoff as well. Great job on your post, Darren.
Hi Michael,
ReplyDeleteI think you did an excellent job with this idea. On a personal note, I had a bicycle accident when I was 16 with no helmet, suffered a major concussion, and had a very difficult time thinking and concentrating for about 6 months. Again, when I was 23, I had another bicycle accident at a high rate of speed, but I had a helmet on this time. After hitting my head hard and splitting my helmet down the middle, I got up and walked away with road rash and hurt feelings, but I was alive and well. As a person who has experienced an accident with and without a helmet, I think your helmet concept is fantastic! Your idea removes a barrier to safety, which is: "I don't want to look stupid, so I am not going to wear this thing that can save my life." Perhaps your product line could later expand to bicyclists and motorcyclists. Very well done, sir!