Assignment 4A: Forming An Opportunity Belief

   With the technology that we have, sponges should be able to last longer and contain less bacteria than they do. The typical yellow sponge with a green abrasive flip side has been used for decades but is a feeding ground for bacteria. These types of sponges also don't last very long before they start ripping and start to smell. I think it would be beneficial to most households to create a dish sponge out of a material that will be able to last longer and be more sanitary than a typical sponge. This need comes from people who wash their dishes by hand with a sponge. The need has been longstanding since the original sponge has been used for decades. Some companies have tried to create a new for of a sponge but they aren't any better than the original. I am about 80% positive that a new sponge would be beneficial to the general public.

Prototypical Customer #1: My Dad
   Naturally the first person I thought of that would have an opinion on this topic is my dad. He's been washing dishes for at least 40 years and would use a redesigned sponge if the option was available. Since he typically washes all the dishes in the house, he said that the sponge can go about a month before it gets to the point where he needs to replace it. The only time he is aware that the sponge needs to be replaced is when it becomes dirty or smelly. Other than those instances, the thought doesn't really cross his mind. He has been having to replace his sponges since he got his own apartment after he moved out of his parents house. The first time he became aware that he needed to replace the sponge was when he was younger and ripped a sponge and his mom threw it away and got another one. The solution that he uses for having a dirty sponge is to throw it away and get a new one. He says that he doesn't really think twice about it and doesn't mind having to replace the sponge every so often.

Prototypical Customer #2: My Roommate
   The second person I asked was my roommate because he uses the same sponge that I do on a daily basis and I know how disgusting the sponge gets that he uses. He believes that the sponge gets pretty dirty fairly quickly and doesn't like how he has to replace it frequently. He became aware that he needed to replace it because the edges started tearing and it changed color a little. The need only arises when the sponge becomes dirty but besides that he doesn't think about it. The need lasts until either of us replace the sponge with a new one which differs depending on if we have extra lying around the house or not. He currently throws out the old sponge and replaces it with a new one.

Prototypical Customer #3: My Friend
   The third person I decided to interview was my friend who also has his own apartment and has the need to clean dishes. Although he has a sponge, he doesn't use it that often because he just rinses his dishes off and puts them in the dishwasher. This causes him to not have to change out or throw away his sponge too often. He said that he becomes aware of the need when his sponge does end up getting gross but since that day only comes every couple of months, he doesn't really think about it. He currently addresses the need in the same way that both my dad and roommate do by throwing away the old sponge and buying a new one.

Reflection and Summary:
   After talking with each of these people, I realized that the need isn't really too necessary to the point where people are going to be demanding a new sponge in great quantities. Although they might buy a redesigned product, it isn't vital to their life and would only do so if it was around the same price as a typical sponge. They all agreed that the typical sponge gets nasty and needs to be replaced quite frequently but are happy with simply buying a new one because of the fact that they're so cheap. Along with this, I realized that some people don't use a sponge at all to clean their dishes and with advancing technology, the sponge may become obsolete someday soon. Even so, I believe that there still is a general market for a redesigned sponge at this specific time. The need for a cleaner and more durable sponge is still present even though it isn't on a lot of people's mind all the time. I think that it's important to learn from customers' opinions because they are the ones buying the products in the end.