TAKE YOUR
TECHNOLOGY
TO THE
LIMIT!
2014 Technology Entrepreneurship
Boot Camp
Sponsored by Jackson Walker
UTSA Colleges of
Business and Engineering
CITE BootCamp February 2015
1
TAKE YOUR
TECHNOLOGY
TO THE
LIMIT!
Researching
Product & Customer
Natasha Arguello
Business Research Librarian
UTSA Libraries
natasha.arguello@utsa.edu
(210) 458-7444
UTSA Colleges of
Business and Engineering
CITE BootCamp February 2015
Slide 2
TAKE YOUR
TECHNOLOGY
TO THE
LIMIT!
About Me
• Worked with $100K teams since Spring 2009
UTSA Colleges of
Business and Engineering
CITE BootCamp February 2015
Slide 3
TAKE YOUR
TECHNOLOGY
TO THE
LIMIT!
Researching the Market
• Product or service
– Relevant keywords / terminology
• Competitors
• Customer
• Industry
UTSA Colleges of
Business and Engineering
CITE BootCamp February 2015
Slide 4
TAKE YOUR
TECHNOLOGY
TO THE
LIMIT!
UTSA Colleges of
Business and Engineering
What is My Role?
CITE BootCamp February 2015
Slide 5
TAKE YOUR
TECHNOLOGY
TO THE
LIMIT!
What Works
• Every project has its own research needs and
challenges
• Individual meetings with each team
UTSA Colleges of
Business and Engineering
CITE BootCamp February 2015
Slide 6
TAKE YOUR
TECHNOLOGY
TO THE
LIMIT!
What I Can Do
I can advise you:
• On research strategies
• Best available resources
• When we don’t have access to information you
want
• When information may not exist
• When you need to do primary research
UTSA Colleges of
Business and Engineering
CITE BootCamp February 2015
Slide 7
TAKE YOUR
TECHNOLOGY
TO THE
LIMIT!
What I Cannot Do
• Buy market research reports that you found on
the Internet
• Do your primary research
UTSA Colleges of
Business and Engineering
CITE BootCamp February 2015
Slide 8
TAKE YOUR
TECHNOLOGY
TO THE
LIMIT!
Primary + Secondary
Research
• Not everything is available
– For free
– Online
– At all
• Primary Research
– Surveys
– Focus groups
– Interviews
UTSA Colleges of
Business and Engineering
CITE BootCamp February 2015
Slide 9
TAKE YOUR
TECHNOLOGY
TO THE
LIMIT!
Find People
• Industry Experts
• Target customers
UTSA Colleges of
Business and Engineering
CITE BootCamp February 2015
Slide 10
TAKE YOUR
TECHNOLOGY
TO THE
LIMIT!
Rules of Thumb
 It will take longer than you think.
 You won’t have ALL information you want.
 You will have to:




Talk to industry experts and target customers
Make assumptions
Estimate
Justify
 Prepare to explain your numbers.
 Document and cite your sources.
UTSA Colleges of
Business and Engineering
CITE BootCamp February 2015
Slide 11
TAKE YOUR
TECHNOLOGY
TO THE
LIMIT!
Get My Help
 Do your homework.
 Come up with a list of questions.
 Email me at least one day in advance:
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Explain your product
Describe your target market
Where you searched and what you found
What else you need
When you are available
 We meet for a consultation.
UTSA Colleges of
Business and Engineering
CITE BootCamp February 2015
Slide 12
TAKE YOUR
TECHNOLOGY
TO THE
LIMIT!
Thank you!
Natasha Arguello
Business Research Librarian
UTSA Libraries
JPL 4.04.08V
natasha.arguello@utsa.edu
(210) 458-7444
UTSA Colleges of
Business and Engineering
CITE BootCamp February 2015
Slide 13