1. Assignment Type: Individual
  2. For RIC students only
  3. Estimated time required: 60 minutes
  4. Due by second week at the beginning of class
  5. Typical Points Possible: 20 points
  6. U.C. Berkeley Students: Find specific due dates and times in Bcourses. Schedules vary each semester.

Why is this assignment important?

This is the fundamental process which guides your ideation, development and execution of your prototyping experiences. It is the foundation by which you will derive meaningful motivation to build any number of prototypes as you suss out the value of the numerous business ideas and opportunities you’ll uncover in this course.

Your mission for this assignment is…

To read, understand and analyze the following article on the Rapid Innovation Cycle, written by Chris D. McCoy, et. al and:

  1. uncover unique* insights and
  2. generate unique* questions
  3. propose new opportunities for future research

*Unique relative to your past Hands-on Rapid Prototyping colleagues insights and questions:

Link to Rapid Innovation Cycle past responses (Google Sheets): http://bit.ly/RIC-responses

Link to Rapid Innovation Cycle article (Research Gate):  bit.ly/RICpublication

LINK TO SUBMIT YOUR ANSWERS IS HERE (Google Form): http://bit.ly/RIC-submissions

The best scores will be given to those who deeply engage with the reading, explore other relevant works and find ways to build atop this customer validation process.

GRADING RUBRIC

CriteriaRatingsPts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeUniqueness of responsesResponses are new and unique relative to past responses.This area will be used by the assessor to leave comments related to this criterion.5.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeDepth of responsesLearner explored ideas and questions in depth. Peeled back more than one layer of the onion so to speak.This area will be used by the assessor to leave comments related to this criterion.5.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeUnderstanding of conceptsIt is clear that the reader comprehended the key elements to the article.This area will be used by the assessor to leave comments related to this criterion.5.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeOverallDiscretionary points given to responses that are high value and brief, remarkably insightful, relevant, connected, grounded, funny, etc.This area will be used by the assessor to leave comments related to this criterion.5.0 pts
Total Points: 20.0

Where to go to learn more:

  1. First place to go is our recommended reading lists: https://prototype.studentorg.berkeley.edu/resources/readings/
  2. Do next week’s homework inspired by Prof. Sara Beckman and Michael Barry on “Innovation as a Learning Process”
  3. See how many other folks leveraged this mindset to create well-known companies: Google search: “How to start a startup podcast” by Sam Altman.

If you fully engage in this assignment, you will have achieved the following:

  1. Have uncovered unique and valuable insights about the iterative Rapid Innovation Cycle (RIC) process.
  2. You will have truly explored the variety of opportunities and challenges with executing this process in the context of both the course, and in the real world (either in entrepreneurship / intrapreneurship or otherwise).
  3. You will have created or fortified a mindset for iteration, experimentation and uncovering insights via experimentation and prototyping.