Before I started the course I did learned a little bit about Google Sketchup from YouTube, because it was for another school project. However, I noticed that Sketchup Make it is different than the regular Sketchup. Sketchup Make has more functions than the regular one. I was surprise by how much it can do! I still have a long way to go on learning Sketchup Make, so I can make more complicated printable digital models. I did not know there are so many things that I need to watch out during designing. If the model it is not solid or print without supports the model will come out to be a mess.

At the beginning of this class, I did not know how to create a prototype. During my entrepreneurship management classes, the professor wanted us to create a prototype for presentation. The product was a jetpack, which we did not know how to make a prototype. After, this class I know I can make it with 3D printer. I can design it in Sketchup Make and use 3D printer to print it out. However, first I need to know the exact measurement of the product, because it might take days to print a jetpack. Therefore, we do not want to waste the material and time. We need to be careful on designing before printing it.

For our product to get investors we need to set a price for the product, and it has to be a reasonable price. I remember an observer asked us about the price during the 3D printing class presentation. He actually compared the price of a regular cup and lid from another company to ours. Ours is with stevia, so we though our product can be a little higher than the others, but we did not know that some customers actually thought it was not necessary to buy a more expensive lid and cup just because it has more to it. Then I understand that we should look at things with customers’ point of view when we design the product or make a decision on our business concept. In this way, we can satisfy the customers’ need better.

I thought creativity was my strength. I did have a lot of ideas for the products, but they are not good ideas for a new product. I did face a lot challenges when it came to product designing. I did not know how to find people’s needs, and design a product to fix their pain. Now, I understand that ideas are around. We just need to observe things that are happening around us more carefully, and find their pain/ needs. If I can go back to August, I will tell myself to observe things happening around me more and find the pain. Then we might be able to come up with a better design.

After this class, my creativity improved. Now, I know a trick to have a great creativity mind. That is observation and act like an alien. I am planning to take what I learned from this class to my jewelry business. I am planning to 3D print some of the accessories. I am glad that professors actually introduced us to some of the 3D printing companies. Now, I can take a good use of them.