Week 32 · Term Four · Need, money, testing and honesty
Find a real need the way the OXO Good Grips peeler began, work out when an invention breaks even, test your riskiest guess cheaply like Dropbox’s demo video, learn from Theranos why you claim only what you’ve shown, and pitch your invention.
Monday finds a real need. Tuesday finds the break-even point. Wednesday plans a cheap test of the riskiest guess. Thursday separates honest claims from overclaims. Friday writes a pitch people can trust.
25 minutes
Design · Start with a person, not a gadget
Tell a need (a person's problem) from a solution (a thing to build), and find a need by watching and asking people.
Make
A need statement
Report handoff: The need statement is filed. Tomorrow you work out whether an invention can pay for itself.
25 minutes
Finance · When does it start to pay?
Separate fixed costs from costs per item, calculate profit per item, and find the break-even point.
Make
A money plan
Report handoff: The money plan is filed. Tomorrow you test your riskiest guess before spending anything.
25 minutes
Engineering design · Test the riskiest guess first
Identify an invention's assumptions, choose the riskiest, and design a cheap test that gives real evidence.
Make
A test plan
Report handoff: The test plan is filed. Tomorrow you decide what you can honestly claim.
25 minutes
Ethics · Only claim what you've shown
Tell an honest claim from an overclaim, and explain why honesty about a product matters for safety and trust.
Make
A claims check
Report handoff: The claims check is filed. Tomorrow you pitch your invention.
30 minutes
Writing · A pitch people can trust
Write a persuasive pitch that backs every claim with evidence, shows the numbers, and is honest about limits.
Make
A pitch
Report handoff: The pitch is filed. Your week's report is ready for the portfolio.
The invention pitch uses only work entered here. It is a family record of this week’s work, not a grade, an attendance record, or proof of mastery.
