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A. Huang-Saad, M. Gibson, J. Goebel, B. McNaughton, R. SheridanUniversity of MichiganMarch 20, 2015
Student Learnings from a Multidisciplinary Capstone Entrepreneurship Course
Overview
• Context• Course Design• Findings from Student Reflections
Practicum Course Evolution
• Diverse student understanding of entrepreneurship• Conflict of objectives• Teaching is not Learning• Separation of Idea and Learning• Primary Research versus Secondary Research
6 years, 22 sections, > 570 students
Independent Study Business Plans Evidence Based Learning Methods
Course Objectives
• Learn the customer discovery process• Actively practice customer discovery• Become familiar with starting a business
Think like an entrepreneur.
Act like an entrepreneur.
Become an entrepreneur.
Course Structure
Teams
Scrap Box Ventures
Customer Discovery
Integrated Venture
IndividualReflections
Reading
Mentoring
Participation
• Build a product, acquire customers, and track the growth of your venture
Goal
• Short video reporting on the story of your ventureDeliverable
• Students experience entrepreneurship through a full cycle “mini” venture
Student
1: Scrapbox VentureCreate/Adjust
Product
Identify Customers
Generate Profit
• Create value for a customer segment by identifying a pain or problem through customer discovery
Goal
• Short video reporting on the customers, pain, and solution
Deliverable
• Students learn to focus on customer needsStudent
2: Customer Discovery Guess
TestAnalyze/Adjust
• Validate a business model through customer discovery and pilot execution
Goal
• Short video reporting on the customers, product, and business model
Deliverable
• Students experience entrepreneurship through their own venture concept
Student
3: Venture CreationIdentify
Customer Needs
Validate ProductAnalyze/Adjust
Reflections• What have you learned about yourself as a result of this project?
• What have you learned about entrepreneurship as a result of this project?
• What surprised you about the project?
• How did your team’s dynamic help or hinder your team’s success in this project?
• What might you have done differently to help improve the team’s performance?
• What did you find was the most challenging part of this project?
Challenges, Learnings, Teams
Results
Challenges
Making a Sale
Idea GenerationBelieving in the Product
Talking to Potential Customers
Meeting as a Team
Learnings
Talk to CustomersObserve Customers
Leave Preconceptions @ the Door
Preconceptions ≠ Customer Needs
Personal Connection/Passion
Forced Execution & Experimentation
Real World ProjectSalesSkills
Entrepreneurship Experiential Learning
Successful Teams
Communication
Alignment of personal goals and commitment to the team and product
Diversity of skills and perspective
Questions?
Thank you!