7A- Testing the Hypothesis

GOAL OF ASSIGNMENT: Test to see if my hypothesis of a problem truly exists, how relevant or important it is, and who is affected.

Who Has the Problem? What Is the Problem? And Why Does This Problem Exist?

College students who predominantly get around campus by foot (WHO) can’t anticipate bad weather but need protection for their shoes and feet from water (WHAT), which continues to be a problem because of the inability to perfectly predict sudden weather changes and lack of water-repellence of most shoes students like to sport (WHY).

Method: I interviewed five UF students who I have never met before to ask them about the topic at hand. (Miguel 20’, Ramer 21’, Ines 19’, Ryan 18’, and Diana 20’.) After talking to them, the Who? What? and Why? of the problem I proposed was put up to the test and expanded to apply to different populations geographical locations, culture, and scenarios.

Testing the Who: Are There Others Who Have This Need? Or, Does Everyone in Your Current 'Who' Share the Need?

Miguel explains that where he is from, Puerto Rico, there is cultural influence for people to have clean shoes. Viewing my problem from a cultural lens has expanded the who of the problem. It isn’t just college students who are exposed to the elements but those who are culturally driven to present themselves well by how well-kept their shoes are. Additionally, after talking to Ryan and Diana, there was another interesting sector of the market I had initially neglected. My “who” focused on the college student who wears informal shoes around campus (ie. sneakers). However, Ryan and Diana both talked about how it was a burden to get caught in the rain when they were heading off to an interview or to a formal event and their dress shoes were soiled by rain water. This issue probably doesn’t only affect college students wanting to impress potential employers or dates, it most likely affects those out of college who are already in the corporate world or participating in a formal event. Ines, who frequently wears open toed shoes or sandals, pointed out, that for her, she doesn’t mind the water since it dries quickly, which makes my initial answer to “who has the problem” slightly off. Not all University student have a strong enough demand for change to the present situation since they are unaffected by getting their shoes/feet wet. Additionally, Ines points out that if she really did care enough, she would buy rain boats. “I see people walking around campus with rain boats on, but I, personally, don’t care enough to buy them, she said.”

Testing the What: What Are the Boundaries of The Need?

Continuing Ines’s story, she would be a prime example of where the boundary of this need lies. The demand for a solution depend on how much a person cares or is affected by wet shoes/feet. It also depends on the type of shoes one wears. “If you wear sandals that are water repellant or rain boats, there isn’t much of an issue,” say Diana. On the opposite side of the spectrum is Ramer and his friends. He says he has 20+ pairs of shoes and really cares about keeping they clean. “I frikin’ hate getting my socks and feet wet. It just feels soggy, and I hate that feeling.” He says this also applies to many his friends.

Testing the Why: Not Everyone Will Perceive Their Need the Same Way. For the People Who Have the Need You Have Identified, What Are the Range Of Whys That They Offer?

According to Ryan this continues to be a problem because most of the shoes he buys aren’t water-repellant. I offered that there are water-repellent sprays, but he said that that is a good idea but implied that it was too much of a hassle to go through the process. This might also be considering the additional price of buying water-repellent shoes (ie. rain boats) or water-repellent sprays. Diana thought it would be too much of a burden to carry around rain boats every time there might be a storm. It probably isn’t just her who think that’s impractical. Many the interviewee also talked about hose the weather in Gainesville is sporadic and unpredictable, contributing to the persistent of this problem.

Conclusion: Through interviewing these fellow UF students, I realized that there are a lot more people beyond just college students who have a demand for a better solution. However, I also found out that not everyone in my initial “who” population aren’t affected the problem. Essentially, the demand exists with those who want clean and dry shoes, not necessarily a specific age group. Whoever they are, that is where the demand will lie.