Career Exploration Module – DAY FIVE
Lesson Title
Are you
prepared to
enter the
product think
tank?
Cluster
Pathways
Marketing
Management
Essential
Question
What careers
are within the
Marketing
Management
cluster?
TEKS
Career Portals:
1.A, 2.A, 2.B
Prior Student
Learning
Students should
have already
been presented
the Career
Module
Introduction
Estimated time
50 minutes
Objectives
- Identify and explore career opportunities within the Marketing
management Cluster: (Marketing Manager, Brand Manager,
Customer Satisfaction Manager, Product Planner)
Materials/Equipment/Handouts Needed
- Vocabulary List
- Marketing Management slideshow
- Handout: Steps to New Product Development
- Uncle Fester’s New Product Think Tank Activity
- Uncle Fester’s New Product Think Tank Rubric
- A collection of unrelated items: straws, Play-Doh, cotton balls, old
CD’s, toothpicks, brown paper & plastic bags, buttons, glue, tape, or
a variety of craft items
Introduction/Engage
- Ask students why companies develop new products
- Discuss how important creativity plays in product development
- Show Marketing Management Slideshow
- Play charades, Pictionary or show some optical illusions to stimulate
creativity
Activities
- Uncle Fester’s Inheritance New Product Think Tank Activity – divide
students into groups of 3-4 and give them the Product Think Tank
Activity handout
- Give each group a box of different craft materials; each box should
contain different items
- Tell each group they are to create a new product with only the items
provided and fill out the product specs sheet that is included in the
product think tank handout
- If time permits, have students present their new product
Lesson Closure
- Answer any follow-up questions that students may have
- Instruct students to complete the vocabulary list for homework
- Discuss upcoming career module experiences and expectations
Assessment
- Verbal responses to questions
- Student activity
Extension
- Invite local small business owners to be the panel of judges of new
products
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved
Day 5 of 10
Page 1
Accommodations for Learning Differences
- Accommodations Manual
- Guidelines and Procedures for Adapting Instructional Materials
- Sample Curriculum Customizations for Learning Differences
- Lesson Plan/Curriculum Modification Checklist
- Instructor Format for Curriculum Customization for Learning
Differences
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved
Day 5 of 10
Page 2
STEPS TO PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Developing new products for a company is a process that takes time and detail. In order to
minimize the risks that a company takes to introduce a new product, these steps are critical.
1. Idea Generation
a. Observation
b. Research
c. Creative thinking
Did you know.…
66% of new products
fail within the first two
years.
According to Booz & Company
,2014.
2. Idea screening
3. Business analysis
4. Product Design
a. Prototype for goods
5. Production
6. Test Marketing
Stimulate Creative Thinking
 Play games
o Charades
o Picture games
o Puzzles
o Guessing games
 Journaling
 Brainstorming
7. Introduction (commercialization)
8. Evaluation
 Different points of view
 Questioning
 Image streaming
 Doodling
 Creative illusions
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved
Day 5 of 10
Page 3
PRODUCT THINK TANK
UNCLE FESTER’S INHERITANCE
ROLE: You are the marketing manager for your Uncle Fester’s Business.
TASK: Create a prototype for a new product to be added to the current product mix that will
increase sales and keep the business profitable.
SITUATION: You have worked for your Uncle Fester as the marketing manager for the past few
years. He recently passed away and you have now inherited his business. In the past year,
sales have declined and Uncle Fester had been in the process of developing ideas for new
products. You have discovered a box of items that he had been working with; however, he did
not leave any blueprints or written instructions. You have gathered together a team of the
brightest minds in the company to take these items and develop a prototype for a new product.
PROCESS: Open up the box together with your team and look at the contents inside. Using
only the contents in the box, develop a new product to add to the current product mix. You do
not have to use all the contents, but you cannot add anything that is not in the box. Be creative!
Once you have created your new product prototype, fill out the product specs sheet.
Use the suggested techniques found in the handout titled Steps to Product Development, to
help you develop your new product.
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Day 5 of 10
Page 4
PRODUCT THINK TANK
PRODUCT SPECS SHEET
Team Members:
Product Name:
Describe in detail what your product will look like and what it will do:
Is there a need for this product? Explain:
Who will your customers be? Why?
Where can customers find and buy your product?
How will you get it to them?
How will your product be packaged?
What will it cost to make this product?
What will you sell it for?
How will you get the word out to your customers that your product is now available and ready for
purchase (advertise)?
What is your Slogan & Logo?
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Day 5 of 10
Page 5
PRODUCT SPECS SHEET -- Page 2
Who did what?
Who were the Idea people?
Who were the resource people?
Who physically built the product?
Who were the creative people that came up with name, slogan, etc.?
Was there a leader of your team? If so, who?
How did he or she get you to work toward your goal?
Did anyone sit back and not contribute?
Was anyone unwilling to work within the group?
Why is your team, as a whole, proud of your product? Explain.
What was the inspiration for your product?
What would you do differently next time?
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved
Day 5 of 10
Page 6
PRODUCT THINK TANK
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Category
Chosen
product &
detailed
specs
Creativity
Teamwork
Materials use
Overall
marketability
of product
4
3
2
1
0
Product specs sheet is
detailed, thorough rational
explanation of product
and well thought out
Product specs
sheet missing less
than 2 details,
rational
explanation of
product, and well
thought out
Product specs sheet
is not detailed, broad
rational explanation
of product and not
well thought out
Product specs
sheet is missing
most details,
broad or no
rational
explanation of
product and not
thought out.
No product
Product shows
exceptional creativity,
innovative; meets need
not currently met
Product shows
creativity,
somewhat
innovative; meets
need not currently
met
Product shows lack
of creativity,
innovative; does not
meet need or
product is similar to
other products
Product lacking
any creativity,
innovation;
similar to product
or revision of
current product
Lacking
creativity
All team members
contributed to
development of new
product; each member
took responsibility based
on personal talents,
knowledge and ability
Most team
members
contributed to
development of
new product; most
members took
responsibility
based on
personal talents,
knowledge and
ability
Few team members
contributed to
development of new
product; members
did not take
responsibility based
on personal talents,
knowledge and
ability
Team members
did not work well
together; one or
two members
took
responsibility for
product; did not
consider
personal talents,
knowledge and
ability of each
member
Lack of
teamwork,
team
members
worked as
individuals
and not
collectively
as a team
Effective use of all
materials, resourceful and
not wasteful, maximized
use of all materials
provided
Effective use of
most materials,
resourceful and
not wasteful,
maximized use of
most materials
provided
Used some
materials, somewhat
resourceful/wasteful,
used some of
materials provided,
may have used
other materials not
provided
Little use of
materials, not
resourceful
wasteful with
materials, used
other materials,
not provided
Did not use
materials
provided
Overall product meets
new product development
standards; product adds
value to company,
creates high demand,
brings in customers and
increase profits
Overall product
meets most new
product
development
standards;
product adds
value to company,
creates demand,
brings in
customers and
slightly increases
profits
Overall product
somewhat meets
new product
development
standards; product
adds some value to
company, creates
some demand, may
or not bring in
customers and may
not increase profits
Product does not
meet new
product
development
standards;
product adds
little value to
company, no
demand, no new
customers or
increase in
profits
Product not
marketable
and would
not succeed
in the
marketplace
Points
Given
Total Points: ________
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Day 5 of 10
Page 7