Question

You are asked to propose a solution/product idea to the problem you or others currently experience. Specifically, you are asked to provide detail and precise answers to the following questions.

1. What is the problem? You want to describe the problem clearly so that someone like me who may not share your background can understand and relate.
2. (Idea Generation) Describe clearly two potential solutions to the problem. Again, please make sure someone like me can understand your proposed solutions.
3. (Synthesis) Compare and contrast the two potential solutions to identify the better one. You want to present clearly why one is better than the other.

Answer 1

Problem

The problem is that we often do not have enough time or focus to cook food the way it is supposed to be cooked. For example, considering roasting a turkey. Let’s say ideally, we are supposed to maintain a temperature of 150 degrees in the meat while we are cooking the turkey. Currently we use various methods such as setting the oven to a specific temperature and then cooking the meat for a specific time duration. In between we take the meat out and test it for temperature. But what happens when you are busy professional and want your food to be cooked with the ideal temperature. You may not have the time to do so. This is where my product idea comes in.

Ideas

1. The product idea is Artificial Intelligence powered oven or cookware that can be programmed. Let’s take the above example of cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving. We will use an embedded (non-toxic) thermometer that sends signal to the oven about the internal temperature of the meat. The oven will receive the information and then process it to regulate its heat so that the turkey is cooked ideally. It could be pre-programmed using popular recipes from the chefs.
2. The second option for the solution could be an internet connected oven. This means when we want to cook a turkey and we do not have the time, we could put the turkey into the oven and connect to the internet. On the other hand, a remote chef or cook could look into the situation and monitor the oven accordingly. They could also control the temperature and other parameters in the oven. This task could be outsourced to a developing nation and we could make the solution cost effective.

Synthesis

Between the two solutions, the first idea is going to take time to develop but once ready, it will likely be an extremely scalable solution. Also the first idea will provide a consistent experience throughout the lifetime of the product. Thus I think the first option is the better solution.