CRS 481 Group project
Overview
100 points of your overall grade will be based on a project in which your group will create,
market, and sell a product to a specific consumer group. Seventy-five (75) points of your
individual grade for the project will come from your performance in one of the team member
roles. Twenty-five (25) points of your individual grade will be based on the overall performance
of the group members on the written portions of and the success of project.
Team Member Roles & Assignments
Product Development Team (2 to 4 students; Designer; Manufacturer)—75 points
The designer and manufacturer are responsible for conducting design and consumer research,
creating sketches for a new product to be sold, and for providing flat and electronic patterns, a
spec sheet, a production sample, and manufacturing instructions for the new product. For an
individual grade, the designer will submit sketches of the product and prepare a one page report
to explain the specific aspects of the product that will appeal to the target market. The designer
will justify why the target market will want to buy the product based on the research conducted
by the product development team. The designer and the manufacturer will work together to
develop the flat and electronic patterns based on the sketches. The manufacturer will create the
spec sheet, a production sample, and manufacturing instructions for the new product and
provide the information to the factory for production. For an individual grade, the manufacturer
will submit copies of the electronic patterns, a spec sheet, and manufacturing instructions for the
product and prepare a one page report to detail the production process and any adjustments
that were made to the original sketch during production of the sample and/or final product.
Merchandising Team (1 to 2 students)—75 points
The merchandisers are responsible for sourcing the materials necessary to manufacture the
product in the correct quantities. The merchandisers will work in conjunction with the designer
and manufacturer to determine costs and quantities. The merchandisers will obtain the
materials needed to manufacturer the product in the appropriate quantities. All students in the
group are responsible for paying for the supplies! The merchandisers will deliver the
materials to the factory to begin production. For an individual grade, the merchandisers will
prepare an item cost sheet for the product. The merchandisers will also prepare a four-week
plan containing information about predicted sales and costs for each week. The merchandisers
will write a one page report containing their written justifications for the material costs and
product quantities, as well as the retail price to be charged for each product sold.
Product Marketing Team (1 to 2 students)—75 points
The product marketing team is responsible for creating a marketing plan for the product. The
product marketers need to develop an advertising and promotional campaign for the item
directed at members of the target market. The marketing plan should detail what will be done,
where it will be done, and when it will be done. The marketing team should work with the
operations team to coordinate visual merchandising efforts in the store (e.g., packaging,
signage). For the individual grade, the product marketers will submit this plan, along with
justifications for their decisions. The product marketers will also execute one aspect of their
marketing plan during a specified week and will assess the effectiveness of their selected
activity.
Retail Operations Team (1 to 2 students)—75 points
The operations team is responsible for picking up the finished products from the factory,
delivering the products to be sold at the store and merchandising them in the store, tracking
sales, collecting payments for sales, and collecting unsold merchandise from the store at the
end of the selling period. All students in the group should receive payment for the sales of
the merchandise! The operations team needs to analyze the sales receipts in comparison to
the four-week plan prepared by the merchandising team. The operations team will also collect
information about the actual buyers to compare to the information about the target market
prepared by the design team. For an individual grade, the operations team will write a one page
report to document the difference between the predicted and actual sales and the predicted and
actual customers. The one page report will provide a potential explanation for the differences as
well as recommendations for the future concerning the product design, the manufacturing, the
merchandising, and the marketing.
Please note, late assignments will not be accepted.