Point of View Statement

Chronic (weekly basis) online shoppers need tools to help them make informed choices about the price/material/impact of products because they have a desire to reduce their consumption but do not have the time, resources, or capacity to do it on their own.

Minimum Viable Product

The simplest version of this product that delivers value and meets the challenges of this POV statement will have these essential features:

• Synthesize research on the carbon emission of transportation/materials/production, business practices, locality, and affordability of products
• Provide possible product alternatives/side by side comparison of key factors (time, money, sustainability, etc)
• Track items you already have/their life cycle
• Easily connect to local community (friends, neighbors, vendors)

Questions for class:

• What is your threshold for “easy to use?”
• How much time would you sacrifice if you knew you could save x tons of carbon? (i.e., would spend 30 extra minutes, would wait 2 extra days)
• How much money would you sacrifice if you knew you could save x tons of carbon, support local businesses, etc? (i.e., would pay $10 more)
• Do you prefer physical or digital tools?
• What would encourage you to go out on a whim to try a behavior-shifting product?
• What is the unit of measurement that means the most to you? Gallons of gas, tons of carbon, dollars, minutes, # of local jobs, etc.
• Would a new business model be satisfactory for encouraging you to shift your behavior? Would you prefer something more personal/individualized?
• What encourages you to switch to an alternative? What reasoning is most likely to change your mind?