Special Topics Designing Mobile Services
05.499 & o5.899 Spring 2011
Location: SCR (South Craig Street) 265
Time: Tu and Th from 1:30p to 2:50p
Instructor: Jim Morris
Office: 4117 Gates Center
Phone: 412 609-5000
Email: james.morris@cmu.edu
Skype: jhm15217 (I welcome video chats whenever IÕm in front of my screen.)
Office hours: by appointment
Instructor: John Zimmerman
Office: NSH 2504F
Phone: +1-412-608-8181 (mobile É feel free to call or text me if you need me in a hurry)
Email: johnz@cs.cmu.edu
IM (AIM): atemegabites
Office hours: by appointment (feel free to stop by ... or feel free to call and then stop by)
Over the last several years there has been an increasing move in the software industry to reframe traditional products as services, and this has given rise to the concept of software as a service. Today many of the resources needed by tech startups such as servers, electronic storefronts, analytics, and financial transactions can be purchased at very low cost as a service. In addition, there has been explosive growth in social computing with the arrival of crowd-sourced services such as Wikipedia, sharing services such as Flickr and YouTube, and social networks such as mySpace and Facebook. Finally, the arrival of smart phones has opened a new domain for location-based, just-in-time, context aware, and highly social applications to emerge. Arriving with these new smart phones are mobile application distribution centers like the iTunes App Store and the Android Marketplace, which further reduce the amount of effort needed to create and distribute a successful software application. This represents an exciting new frontier for mobile service startups. The barriers to entry in the mobile application market are so low; people can literally run a startup on the weekends with some friends. But how can you create a successful startup that makes service applications that can sell for $.99, that standouts against the constant explosion of new products and services, and that gains a foothold while moving towards profitability?
Course Objectives
In this class students will design a mobile service. Working in interdisciplinary teams of approximately 5, students will work to imagine and communicate a mobile service that is desirable for a target set of users, fills a gap within the current competitive landscape, is technical feasibility, and is financial viability. In this class, students will specifically learn how to
¤ Discover a service opportunity in terms of user experience, co-production of value, customer competence, and market gap.
¤ Generate a business model that describes the systemic interaction between stakeholders including the flows of value and money.
¤ Generate a system architecture that describes server actions, client actions and interactions between the server and the clients.
¤ Create an effective presentation for pitching a mobile service. This could be a pitch to a venture capitalist; to managers within an existing company; to a social service agency, government agency, or NGO; or to colleagues with whom you wish to create a startup.
This is a studio/seminar class with time devoted to lecture, discussion, practice activities, design work sessions, and criticism of student work. The class will follow a design process consisting of four phases:
1.
Orientation: Students will read a discuss many papers that describe
the current state of the world and possible future states. Based on this, each
student will pitch an idea for a mobile service.
2.
Discovery: Teams will select a focus, investigate the needs of a
target set of users, map the competitive landscape, and identify a service gap
they wish to address.
3.
Generative: Teams will use various design methods to ideate many
possible services that could fill this gap, they will investigate their designs
from the perspective of desirability, technical feasibility, and financial
viability
4.
Refinement: Teams will select a single service opportunity to design
and they will iteratively refine this design in terms of user experience,
business model, and system architecture.
5.
Delivery: Teams will produce a video sketch documenting the
intended user experience of their mobile service and they will pitch this idea
to a venture capitalist.
Deliverables
1.
Hunt statement
pitch: Each student will pitch a hunt
statement to the entire class. This will include a service name, hunch of
co-construction of value, and personal interest in working on this type of
service.
2.
Discovery report: Each team will produce a written report and give a
presentation on the results of the Discovery phase. This will include details
of their process, the findings, and their hunches that they take into the
Generative phase. In addition, team members will provide a peer assessment of
all of their teammates for work on this phase of the project.
3.
Generative report: Each team will produce a written report and give a
presentation on the results of the Generative phase. This will include details
of their process, the findings and insights, and their selection of the service
they intend to iteratively refine. In addition, team members will provide a
peer assessment of all of their teammates for work on this phase of the
project.
4.
Final report: Each team will produce a written report and give a
presentation on the results of the Refinement phase. This will include details
of their entire design process, the findings and insights. It also, will
provide documentation of their final service design. In addition, team members
will provide a peer assessment of all of their teammates for work on this phase
of the project.
5.
Pitch: Each team will give a pitch to requesting funding or
support to build the service they describe. This pitch will address their
serviceÕs desirability, technical feasibility, and financial viability. In
addition, the pitch will include a video sketch that captures the mobile user
experience with the service.
Grading Weights
Hunt statement pitch 5%
Discovery presentation and report 20%
Generative presentation and report 25%
Final presentation and report 25%
Video sketch 10%
Class Participation 10%
Class Participation includes coming to class on time and with a positive attitude, participating in discussions of readings, presenting material that you have read and synthesized for the class (899 version of the class only), and most importantly a willingness to offer criticism of the work of other teams during the class crits including problems, suggested solutions to problems, and kudos for exceptionally good work.
Teams
This is a project class where students will work in a single team
for the majority of the class. Based on the pitched hunt statements and the
various skill sets within the class, the instructors will generate teams of
approximately 5 students. Following each design phase, team members will assess
their teammates on the following criteria.
1.
Group Participation: Attends meeting regularly and on time
2.
Time Management:
Accepts fair share of work and reliably completes it by the required time
3.
Team Culture: Positive attitude, encourages and motivates team,
supports team decisions, reach consensus, resolves conflicts
4.
Technical/
Creative/Adaptive: Creates and develops
materials on own, originates new ideas displays a wide range of skills, accepts
change easily
5.
Communication
Skills: Effective in discussions, good
listener, capable presenter, proficient at representing and documenting work
Peer evaluation can influence an individual studentÕs grade by up to 10% (-5% to +5%)
Optional Reading
We recommend that you regularly
check out http://mobiletrax.com/ for the
latest news on mobiles
Reading Groups (899 version of this class)
There are more readings to cover than we would expect any
individual student to complete. Therefore, we are using reading groups (pairs
of graduate students) who will read and share information with the entire
class. Students taking the 899 version of this class have been assigned to a
reading group. The group readings are marked in the syllabus.
Each group should prepare a few slides and be prepared to present
the material using the class slide template (found on blackboard).
These presentations É
¤
Should NEVER be more
than 5 minutes
¤
Should NOT be a
summary of the material É instead, presenters need to identify key issues and
communicate them to their classmates in a way that makes the information
operational within the context of the current project
¤
Provide students with
an opportunity to critically disagree with an author
¤
Key issues to cover
include:
o Who is the author and what is their rationale for writing
this document É you need to do some background research on the author and topic
and then infer what the rationale is
o Summary to key issues that relate to this specific
challenge of designing a mobile service
o Your perception of how your colleagues should interpret
these issues
Groups must send a copy of their slides to the instructors prior
to class. The instructors will place the slides on blackboard so they are
available to all students. When name your file, please use the following naming
convention.
# of class day (see syllabus schedule)
Group letter
First authorÕs last name
Example: 1_A_Boorstin.pptx (Reading from the first day of classes,
done by group A, written by Boorstin et al.)
No student may record or tape any classroom activity without the express written consent of the instructors. If a student believes that he/she is disabled and needs to record or tape classroom activities, he/she should contact the Office of Disability Resources to request an appropriate accommodation.
Students are expected to attend class, arrive on time, participate on a team, and offer comments on readings. In addition, students are expected to offer criticism of their classmatesÕ work that helps the team improve their design. If students need to miss a class, they should email the instructors ahead of time, and they should be sure to inform their teammates they will not be attending.
Orientation Phase
|
# |
Day |
Date |
Activity |
Readings |
Outside of class activity |
|
1 |
Tu |
11-Jan |
Introduction Lecture |
|
|
|
2 |
Th |
13-Jan |
Discuss ÒserviceÓ Discuss reading group presentations Try to map the service space |
[All] Service Design [All] Service Design [A] Software as a Service [B] Personal Informatics [C] Mobile Health Care [D] Tourism [E] Location Based Services [F] Location tracking |
Read |
|
3 |
Tu |
18-Jan |
Discuss readings Reading group presentations Map opportunity space |
[All] Social Media and Mobiles [G] Sharing [H] Possession Attachment [I] Contribution [J] Value [K] Citizen Science [L] Crowd-sourcing and public services |
Read Work on hunt statement É think on many
É frame as co-construction |
|
4 |
Th |
20-Jan |
Pitch hunt statement Rate other student pitches |
|
Prepare Pitch |
Exploratory Phase
|
# |
Day |
Date |
Activity |
Readings |
Outside of class activity |
|
|||||
|
5 |
Tu |
25-Jan |
Discuss readings |
[All] Jon Cagan, Craig Vogel. Creating Breakthrough Products.
Chapter 1. [All] Cooper, A. About Face. Chapter 5
on Personas [K] Citizen Science [L] Crowd-sourcing and public services |
Do Readings |
||||||
|
6 |
Th |
27-Jan |
Discuss readings Work session |
[All] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuckman%27s_stages_of_group_development [M] Christensen, C.M., Raynor, M.E. The InnovatorÕs Solution. Chapter 7. [N] Normann, R. Reframing Business. Cp 2. [O] Normann, R. Reframing Business. Cp 7. |
Begin user research |
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|
7 |
Tu |
1-Feb |
CRIT: Teams present their initial user
research findings É talk about how they are framing the problem space |
|
More user research Prepare for crit |
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|
8 |
Th |
3-Feb |
Work session É individual meetings to
understand how they are framing the problem |
|
Work on competitive analysis É Model
flow and culture |
||||||
|
9 |
Tu |
8-Feb |
Work session É individual meetings to
review their models and see how comp analysis and user research lead to
framing É crit persona |
|
Return to user research to look
at specific issues É look for theory in support of findings É Make persona |
|
10 |
Th |
10-Feb |
FINAL CRIT on Exploratory Phase ¤ Process ¤ Who is user ¤ Who is
service/client ¤ What is co-construction |
|
Prepare for final crit |
Generative Phase
|
# |
Day |
Date |
Activity |
Readings |
Outside of class activity |
|
|||||
|
12 |
Th |
17-Feb |
Discuss details of generative phase Discuss readings Improv Practice |
[All]
Using
improvisation to enhance the effectiveness of brainstorming http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1518718 ¤
[P] Patricia Madson YouTube talk ¤
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABw26imw4m4. Start at minute 14:00 to
avoid long intro. ¤
¤
[Q] Bodystorming as Embodied Designing http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1865256 [R] Prototyping Dynamics: http://www.stanford.edu/~spdow/files/PrototypingDynamics-CHI11.pdf [1 per team] The One Minute
Manager Builds High Performing Teams.
Buy one copy, read and discuss among team as needed. No class presentation. ¤
|
Read about improvisation and
bodystorming. We will use these methods to ideate. Read about ideation and iteration, and
the issues of fixation. |
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|
13 |
Tu |
22-Feb |
Work session: Use improv techniques to
ideate service scenarios (service encounters where service aids users and
customers) |
|
Begin to generate many possible
service scenarios. Cluster thematically to discover where richest opportunity
lies. |
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|
14 |
Th |
24-Feb |
CRIT: Share insights from new techniques, concepts
generated É get push back |
|
Prepare for CRIT |
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|
15 |
Tu |
1-Mar |
Discuss Readings |
¤
[1 per team] * Sharma on Business Models for m-Commerce (2010) on
Blackboard ¤
SKIM to understand how they model flows of value and revenue ¤
[1 per team] Cagan &
Vogel on Value Opportunity Analysis (VOA), pp. 54-83 on Blackboard * each team should select
one (or more) members to read it and be prepared to explain it in class. |
Read about value and revenue flow
models. Need to produce one for GenPhase Report Begin to converge on specific set of
service scenarios |
||||||
|
16 |
Th |
3-Mar |
CRIT: Share selected set of service scenarios and
plan for flow of value and revenue |
|
Prepare for CRIT |
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|
|
Tu |
8-Mar |
¤ SPRING BREAK |
|
|
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|
|
Th |
10-Mar |
¤ SPRING BREAK |
|
|
||||||
|
17 |
Tu |
15-Mar |
Work session |
|
Re-engage in project after Spring Break |
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|
18 |
Th |
17-Mar |
¤ FINAL CRIT ¤ ¥ Process ¤ ¥ Value
Opportunity Analysis Decision on a
Service. á
¤
¥ Model of how service provides value, value is
co-constructed, how revenue flows |
|
Prepare for FINAL CRIT |
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REFINEMENT
PHASE
The Refinement Phase consists of 7 main activities, each of which has one or more deliverables:
1. Usage Model: Students will develop use cases and service blueprints that describe how all of the stakeholders engage with the system to complete the most critical (everyday) tasks. This should be based on the service scenarios. This will include:
a. A use case/service blueprint showing front stage and back stage activities across the most critical service encounters for all main stakeholders. This will help define the actual interfaces that need to be designed.
b. A set of wireframe screens they can present as a click through to go with selected service scenarios. This should include the main screens used by users and stakeholders.
2. Technical: Students will come up with a technical development plan. This will include
a. A broad description of the technology needed to enable the system(s).
b. A description of the server/client relationship including the storage of information, information transfer, speed requirements, etc.
c. Block diagrams detailing the major pieces of software to be written or used.
3. Refined Financial Plan: Students will refine their revenue/value flow models. In addition, they will describe how much the service needs to charge to be viable. What is the operating cost for 1 year and how much will it need to charge (how many customers) in order to break even? This will include:
a. Using Herouku (a pay-by-the-drink service that supports Ruby on Rails) to figure out how your service would be implemented on it and then estimate the cross-over point at which you should acquire your own infrastructure -- probably many millions of users.
b. Refined Revenue/Value flow models that detail all stakeholders and their roles, revenue flows, and three types of value flows (intrinsic, extrinsic, and implicit). Revenue flows should have an indication of the amount of money.
c. A description of the revenue/value flow model that includes details on the amount of money for each action; an estimate of the number of users, stakeholders, and transactions needed to make the system financially viable; and a description of how these numbers were generated.
4. Video Sketch: Students will develop a video sketch that captures the user experience of the different stakeholders.
5. Pitch: Students will develop a ÒpitchÓ presentation that describes the service as viable in terms of desire, tech feasibility and financial viability.
6. Final Report: Students will produce a final report that describes the entire design process, key artifacts created along the way and the insights gained from the artifacts, their case for why the system they propose is desirable, financially viable, and technically feasible.
Refinement Phase
|
# |
Day |
Date |
Activity |
Readings |
Outside of class activity |
|
|||||
|
19 |
Tu |
22-Mar |
Discuss activities to do from now to
the end of the semester Discuss use cases and service
blueprints |
[all] Alistair
Cockburn, Writing Effective Use Cases,
Chapter 1, pp 1-19 on BlackBoard [1 per team] Service Blueprinting: technique for service innovation http://g51studio.com/parsons/ServiceBlueprinting.pdf [1
per team] Adam Blum, Best Practices in Enterprise Smartphone Development, on
Blackboard. |
Reading Work on tech plan, use cases, service
blueprints |
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|
20 |
Th |
24-Mar |
Discuss reading and how to refine
financials |
[1 per team] Cohn,
Estimating with Use Case Points, on Blackboard. [1 per team] Jonathon Wegener, Back of the
Envelope http://blog.jwegener.com/2009/08/03/million-dollar-iphone-app-market-sizing/ [1 per team] Mark Peter Davis, Addressable Market:
Making The Estimate http://www.markpeterdavis.com/getventure/2007/07/addressable-m-1.html [1 per team] Explore http://aws.amazon.com/ec2/purchasing-options/ and http://heroku.com/how/architecture to learn about modern app platforms and estimate costs. |
Reading Work on financial plan |
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|
21 |
Tu |
29-Mar |
Work session |
|
|
||||||
|
22 |
Th |
31-Mar |
CRIT: Examine Tech
Development Plan. Show block diagrams, selected use cases, selected blue
prints. |
Prepare for crit |
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|
23 |
Tu |
5-Apr |
Lecture: How to Video Sketch |
|
|||||||
|
24 |
Th |
7-Apr |
CRIT: Examine Financial
Plan. Share updated revenue/value flows and details of costs and numbers of
users needed to break even. |
Prepare for crit |
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|
25 |
Tu |
12-Apr |
CRIT: Script and storyboard
for video sketch |
Prepare for crit |
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|
26 |
Th |
14-Apr |
SPRING CARNIVAL É NO CLASS |
RELAX |
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|
27 |
Tu |
19-Apr |
Work session |
|
Work on video sketch |
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|
28 |
Tu |
21-Apr |
CRIT: Share storyboards and
scripts for video sketch |
|
|||||||
|
29 |
Tu |
19-Apr |
Work session |
|
Work on video sketch, presentation, and final report |
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|
30 |
Tu |
21-Apr |
Work session |
|
Work on video sketch, presentation, and final report |
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|
31 |
TBD |
Final Presentations | Present Pitch, Show Video, Submit Report É |
Sleep |
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