It is said, with much truth, that genuine communication can only take place between peers. This is because it is very difficult to move information up a hierarchy. Those well-positioned (and this is the great danger of moving up) have used their current competence – their cherished opinions, their present knowledge, their current skills – to stake a moral claim to their status. In consequence, they have little motivation to admit to error, to learn or change – and plenty of reason not to. Barriers exist to the flow of genuine information down a hierarchy as well. For example, the resentment people lower in the chain of command might feel about their hypothetically lesser position can make them loath to act productively on information from above – or, in the worst case, can motivate them to work at counter purposes to what they have learned, out of sheer spite. (Jordan B. Peterson, 2021, p. 21)
Problems defined
· Access-controlled deliveries take a lot of time which cause inefficiencies and lead to increased delivery costs
· Low average delivery sizes
· Drivers need to text or phone receivers to generate a pin code for each entry, not answering, incorrect contact details etc.
· Properties find it challenging to monitor delivery and e-hail drivers within estates which cause safety concerns
· Estates don’t want to be held liable for damages or theft of parcels
· Drivers cannot leave parcels on the doorstep; proof of delivery is required
Step 3 Ideate
Many entrepreneurs start here, build the app, design the logo, work out the marketing plan, and get excited about the brand narrative. Buzzword bingo. Using visual ideation techniques helps to organise information to refer to during the prototype and testing phases.
I received some feedback on articles 1 and 2 questioning design thinking for businesses that want to compete and not solve a problem. Better value, better price, delivery times etc. In other words, a differentiated value proposition.
Sticking to the resort theme.
What and who’s problem are you solving by building a new resort in Zanzibar? Touring Zanzibar an entrepreneur realised there is no 5-star resort that ticks all the boxes. Some have great rooms, but the food can be better, others have good food, but the room quality is lacking.
Deciding to compete, the resort was built for a complete 5-star experience with the idea to have a differentiated food menu. If travellers want a 5-star experience and better food. The assumption is being made that food is one of the most important desires (problems) for Zanzibar’s return tourism.
Problem validation occurs when the desire or need are validated with the exchange of money.
An important distinction to make is between innovative and conventional businesses. A startup is searching for a business model by creating something new that solves a problem innovatively. In this context, managing risk is challenging because there is no “plan A” yet, and identifying risks is ongoing.
Conventional businesses use existing business models to compete and grow, with known risks that are managed by specialists and professionals.
Looking at tech companies today, they often solve problems they didn’t see at first by repeating the design process faster and faster. How many of the big tech companies were founded as something different first?
When starting product development with only an idea this distinction is often overlooked.
Some ideas for the last mile wall:
· Locker systems at the gatehouse/reception area that all courier companies can use
· Crowdsource estate residents to receive parcels at the gatehouse and deliver to residents. Would this be viable?
· Geo tracking for delivery and contractor vehicles. Tech feasibility?
· A central SA driver database to verify drivers faster, with a rating system. What problem would this solve?
· Can security guards deliver parcels? Do they have the capacity?
During my interviews, I realised most of the properties have tried to accommodate deliveries in some form, manual logbooks for parcel storage at gatehouses, others holding a parcel after confirming with the resident. It’s okay to leave a parcel with a person nominated and confirmed by the receiver, however, the insurance expires because the parcel was handed over.
Searching for a business model that can solve the problem for delivery companies and the access-controlled properties.
4 of 5 prototyping, taking advice, what role existing infrastructure can play in last mile logistics.
Photo by Patrick Perkins on Unsplash