4A - Forming an Opportunity Belief

Beginning point:
I believe there is an opportunity for an app that notifies you of availability of study spaces in the university library. You should be able to connect to the library of choice, and through some alert system, it would tell you a range of availability, from low to high. Even better, it would be able to inform specific areas of location on different floors.

Describe your belief:
One of the things that irks me the most is going to study and realizing once I get into the library there are few spaces available. Then I have to spend my limited, stressful, time into looking for a seat rather than spend it effectively. Worse even is looking for a table for a group. The study room reservation system works very well as it helps people organize their time. Other than that, there is no system that alerts people of availability in libraries. I am 90% sure this opportunity exists. 

I believe any student who wants to efficiently plan their study time would appreciate and use this app. This need is relatively old, I’ve heard complications ever since my freshman year of seniors who have had this issue since their freshman year. And this problem would only increase as our university keeps growing in size, but not as much in study spaces available. 

#1: Junior, female, major: Physician Assistant 

Do you study in the university libraries? How often do you go a week? 

Yes, I go 0-1 times a week. 

Where do you prefer studying? Home, apt. complex study room, library, etc.

Library, there are less distractions

How difficult is it to find a space? Do you notice variables in amount of spaces throughout the day? 

7 out of 10. Most difficult time is 3pm. I go at random times to the library. ]

How do you feel about going to an extremely full library? 

Annoyed and frustrated. I feel annoyed because I just want to study and it is a waste of time. 

Do you ever feel annoyed about the seating situation in the libraries? What time of the year do you feel this irritation the most? 

Finals time, definitely there are no seats anywhere. Everyone wants to study at that time.

Do you feel that the library seating situation hinders your performance? 

Yes, because I waste my time looking for a seat instead of studying

What do you do to solve your problem of having full libraries? HOw satisfied are you with your solution? 

I walk around for a while or give up and go somewhere else. Satisfied 5 out of 10

Do you wish you had an app that could notify you if the library you are going to is full? Would you use it constantly?

Yes! 100%. Yes I would use it constantly. It would be amazing if there are like sensors on the seat that would tell you availability. Then you could decide before going to a library which one you want to go to. 

Reflection: 

I learned that this opportunity greatly exists for this person. She would greatly appreciate this application because it could even boost up her experience and grades in University. She thinks this solution is brilliant and got very excited at the notion of it. 

#2: Super Senior, male, major: Computer Science

Do you study in the university libraries? How often do you go a week?

Yes, I would say I go three times a week. 

Where do you prefer studying? Home, apt. complex study room, library, etc. Why?

Library, because there’s a lot of people there study so you feel more pressure to study.

How difficult is it to find a space? Do you notice variables in amount of spaces throughout the day?
Difficult, I would say the most difficult time to get a spot is between 3pm-5pm because that's when people finish class and go to study for a bit before going home.

How do you feel about going to an extremely full library?
Sad and angry, because I can’t sit down. Have left the library various times because it was too full.

Do you ever feel annoyed about the seating situation in the libraries? What time of the year do you feel this irritation the most?
Yes, early fall, because that’s when all the freshman come and feel the need to study in the library, and then throughout the semester they probably study in their room

Do you feel that the library seating situation hinders your performance?
Yes, because I can’t study.

What do you do to solve your problem of having full libraries? How satisfied are you with your solution?
I study at home or in another place on campus or simply not study for a while. Not very, i would rather study in a designated study area, as I would focus a lot better there

Do you wish you had an app that could notify you if the library you are going to is full? Would you use it constantly?
Yes, yes I would check it every hour on the hour. Sometimes check before leaving home.

Reflection:
I learned that this opportunity exists for this person. They want to use the library to be able to study harder, and as he is in his last year he needs to be able to focus on school and applications. He notices the flow of students in the beginning of the year, and that is when he has to use the library the most to apply. 

#3: Sophomore, female, major: Journalism 

Do you study in the university libraries? How often do you go a week?
No. Never go because I have an apartment, and I never feel the need. I get more distracted there and the environment is depressing. 

Where do you prefer studying? Home, apt. complex study room, library, etc. Why?Home, I can focus better.

Do you wish you had an app that could notify you if the library you are going to is full? Would you use it constantly?
No it wouldn’t change my want to go to a library. I would never use it. 0%

Reflection: 

Though she doesn’t have this problem, I wanted to capture her answers because she represents a part of the student body that could use this solution, but won’t. 

Summarize:
I believe my opportunity has 80% use, because from my last interview I realized there should be a large portion of the university that would never use the app because they don’t have the need. Even though I came to this realization I still believe it has great use. The two people I interviewed that use the library, even the first one who rarely goes, would use this app. I believe it is more accurate in a sense, because it would make their study abilities much easier, but also I have to take into account what percent of the population would actually need it, something I hadn’t thought of before. I believe, after this opportunity to think of a problem and solution, and then get actual feedback, has greatly benefited my knowledge of the topic. I believe that getting feedback is almost even necessary, you have to see the need and want for your product, because your estimates might be very wrong. But there is also the importance of not getting carried away in staying firm to your beliefs, you are the one that thought of the problem and solution, and so not getting stuck on details could further your project.