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= Market Research for IT Startups =
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= -Calculus, Algebra, Machinery and Logic for Formal Program Semantics =
  
−
* '''Course name''': -Calculus, Algebra, Machinery and Logic for Formal Program Semantics
 +
* '''Course name''': Market Research for IT Startups
−
* '''Code discipline''': CSE835
 +
* '''Code discipline''':
−
* '''Subject area''': Software Engineering
 +
* '''Subject area''': Technological Entrepreneurship
   
 
== Short Description ==
  
== Short Description ==
  +
This course is for students who see themselves as entrepreneurs. The course is designed for the early development of business ideas and provides methods and guidelines for business research. The course teaches how to assess the potential of business ideas, hypothesis thinking, methods for generating ideas and testing their quality
−
This elective course is designed for students in Computer Science, Software Engineering (IT more generally) and in Mathematics to catch main concepts formal program semantics and basic ideas from formal program specification and verification. We start with a make easy approach to formal semantics based on a toy language with esoteric operational, denotational, and logical (axiomatic) semantics. Then we move to operational, denotational, and axiomatic semantics for a simple imperative programming language.
  
   
 
== Prerequisites ==
  
== Prerequisites ==
   
 
=== Prerequisite subjects ===
  
=== Prerequisite subjects ===
  +
* N/A
−
* CSE101, CSE102, CSE103, CSE104, CSE109
  
−
* CSE110 or CSE111 or CSE113 or CSE116
  
−
* CSE117, CSE119
  
   
 
=== Prerequisite topics ===
  
=== Prerequisite topics ===
  +
* N/A
−
* natural, integer, rational, and real numbers
  
−
* functions and relations on numbers
  
−
* axiomatic method in geometry
  
−
* imperative (procedural) programming and languages
  
−
* algorithm complexity theory and data structures
  
−
* regular and context-free grammars and languages
  
−
* finite state machines (automata)
  
−
* basic programming skills
  
−
* basics of OOP software design
  
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* familiarity with some development framework or technology (web or mobile)
  
   
 
== Course Topics ==
  
== Course Topics ==
Line 33: Line 22:
 
! Section !! Topics within the section
  
! Section !! Topics within the section
 
|-
  
|-
  +
| Ideation tools ||
−
| Section I: Course intro and Recall ||
 
  +
# Art VS Creativity
−
# Course Intro, Recall from Discrete Mathematics and home asynchronous evaluation test on naïve set theory, algebra of binary relations, propositional logic, basics of programming paradigms
  
  +
# Ability to discover
  +
# How to generate ideas
  +
# Creativity sources
  +
# Ideation in groups
  +
# Rules for ideation for startups
 
|-
  
|-
  +
| Market research content ||
−
| Section II: Introduction to Program Semantics ||
 
  +
# Types of research: primary vs secondary
−
# Introduction to Program Semantics:
  
  +
# How to plan a research
−
# What is Semantics? Why Formal Program Semantics?
  
  +
# Market research chapters content
−
# Operational, denotational, and axiomatic semantics for esoteric language
  
  +
# Frameworks used in a market research (SWOT, Persona, etc)
  +
# Tools and sources to conduct a competitors analysis
 
|-
  
|-
  +
| Customer development ||
−
| Section III: Formal semantics for a simple imperative programming language ||
 
  +
# Interviews are the main tool for “Get Out The Building” technique
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# Formal semantics for a simple imperative programming language
  
  +
# The "Mum's Test"
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# Data Types and Their Semantics
  
  +
# Jobs-To-Be-Done
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# The main ingredient: Implementation Semantics
  
  +
# Good and bad interview questions
−
# Structural Operational Semantics (SOS)
  
−
# Relational denotational semantics
  
−
# Axiomatic semantics
  
−
# Elements of deductive program verification
  
 
|-
  
|-
  +
| Market sizing ||
−
| Section IV: <br>λ-Calculus and Classical Denotational Semantics ||
 
  +
# Market analysis VS market sizing
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# λ-Calculus and Classical Denotational Semantics
  
  +
# Sizing stakeholders and their interests
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# Syntax, semantics, and main properties of λ-Calculus
  
  +
# Sizing methods
−
# Denotational semantics of a simple imperative programming language
  
  +
# TAM SAM SOM calculation examples
 
|-
  
|-
  +
| Data for a research ||
−
| Section V:<br>Typed λ-Calculus and semantics of a simple functional language ||
 
  +
# Sources and tools for competitors overview
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# System F and its applications
  
  +
# Sources and tools for product and traffic analysis
−
# Introduction of polymorphic λ-Calculus
  
  +
# Sources and tools for trend watching
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# Curry–Howard isomorphism and the Lambda Cube
  
  +
# Life hacks for search
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# Use in programming languages
  
−
|}
+
|-
  +
| Founder motivation ||
  +
# Ways to Stay Motivated as an Entrepreneur
  +
# Exercises for founders motivation
  +
|-
  +
| Pitch Day ||
  +
# Market research results presentations
  +
|}
  +
 
== Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) ==
  
== Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) ==
   
 
=== What is the main purpose of this course? ===
  
=== What is the main purpose of this course? ===
  +
This course aims to give students theoretical knowledge and practical skills on how to assess market potential at an early stage of an IT startup (or any company) development. The ultimate goal is to teach students to conduct market research for their business.
−
What is the main goal of this course formulated in one sentence?
  
−
The main purpose of the course is to introduce the modern theory of programming languages.
  
   
 
=== ILOs defined at three levels ===
  
=== ILOs defined at three levels ===
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==== Level 1: What concepts should a student know/remember/explain? ====
  
==== Level 1: What concepts should a student know/remember/explain? ====
 
By the end of the course, the students should be able to ...
  
By the end of the course, the students should be able to ...
  +
* Market research techniques using open data,
−
* why we need formal semantics for programming languages
  
  +
* Typology of market assessment methods,
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* principles of operational, denotational, and axiomatic approaches to formal semantics
  
  +
* Types of research data and their application,
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* how to use of formal semantics for static analysis and formal verification
  
  +
* Market research components: competitors overview, value proposition, trend watching, venture status, business models, buyers profile etc
   
 
==== Level 2: What basic practical skills should a student be able to perform? ====
  
==== Level 2: What basic practical skills should a student be able to perform? ====
 
By the end of the course, the students should be able to ...
  
By the end of the course, the students should be able to ...
  +
* Methods of ideation,
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* define a operational, donotational, and axiomatic semantics for a simple imperative and functional programming language
  
  +
* TAM SAM SOM method, 2 approaches,
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* to specify formally and verify manually simple computational programs on a simple imperative or functional language.
  
  +
* Applied tools and resources for market sizing,
  +
* Principles to work with business hypotheses
   
 
==== Level 3: What complex comprehensive skills should a student be able to apply in real-life scenarios? ====
  
==== Level 3: What complex comprehensive skills should a student be able to apply in real-life scenarios? ====
 
By the end of the course, the students should be able to ...
  
By the end of the course, the students should be able to ...
  +
* Identify and describe the market
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* problems with developing formal semantics for industrial programming languages.
  
  +
* Assess market potential for any business idea
−
* use of formal semantics for static analysis and formal verification.
  
  +
* Conduct relevant market research before starting up a business
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* ways of introduction of formal semantics into Software engineering practice.
 
  +
* Use the most relevant and high-quality data for a market research
  +
 
== Grading ==
  
== Grading ==
   
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| A. Excellent || 85.0-100.0 || -
  
| A. Excellent || 85.0-100.0 || -
 
|-
  
|-
−
| B. Good || 75.0-84.0 || -
 +
| B. Good || 70.0-84.0 || -
 
|-
  
|-
−
| C. Satisfactory || 65.0-74.0 || -
 +
| C. Satisfactory || 50.0-69.0 || -
 
|-
  
|-
−
| D. Fail || 0.0-64.0 || -
 +
| D. Fail || 0.0-50.0 || -
 
|}
  
|}
   
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! Activity Type !! Percentage of the overall course grade
  
! Activity Type !! Percentage of the overall course grade
 
|-
  
|-
  +
| Paper #0: Market research structure || 0-10 scale (costs 10% final)
−
| Home-made problem-solving assignments for each of 5 sections of the course (10points for each assignment) || 50
  
 
|-
  
|-
  +
| Paper #1: TAM SAM SOM || 0-10 scale (costs 20% final)
−
| Individual in-class participation based on work in class (1 point for each class) || 10
  
 
|-
  
|-
  +
| Workshops activity || 3 points for each of 7 workshops: 1 point=participation, 2 points=discussion, 3 points=valuable results (costs 21% final)
−
| Final home-made written asynchronous examination || 40
  
  +
|-
  +
| Paper #2: Market research || 0-10 scale (costs 30% final)
  +
|-
  +
| Final Presentation || 0-10 scale (costs 20% final)
 
|}
  
|}
   
 
=== Recommendations for students on how to succeed in the course ===
  
=== Recommendations for students on how to succeed in the course ===
  +
Participation is important. Showing up and participating in discussions is the key to success in this course.<br>Students work in teams, so coordinating teamwork will be an important factor for success.<br>Reading the provided materials is mandatory, as lectures will mainly consist of discussions and reflections not slides or reading from scratch.<br>The main assignment in the course is Market research paper which is supposed to be useful not only for this course but s a basis for future business oriented courses
−
In-class participation is important (it implies attendance importance).<br>Topic-based regular home-made assignment are major grading item.<br>Please be aware that the lecture materials cover a plenty of topics from many sources, not a single one.
  
   
 
== Resources, literature and reference materials ==
  
== Resources, literature and reference materials ==
   
 
=== Open access resources ===
  
=== Open access resources ===
  +
* - article with reflections on the methodology book on the 55 typical business models
−
* Dijkstra E.W. A Discipline of Programming. Prentice-Hal, 1976.
  
  +
* - a book with instructions on how to communicate with your potential users. How to conduct interviews so that you understand what the client wants to say and not what you want to hear.
−
* Gries D. The Science of Programming. Springer, 1987.
  
  +
* - the case book on the Jobs To Be Done. With JTBD, we can make predictions about which products will be in demand in the market and which will not. The idea behind the theory is that people don't buy products, but "hire" them to perform certain jobs.
−
* Aaby A. Introduction to Programming Language. Working draft, 2004. Available at .
  
  +
* A selection of with a summary of key ideas from Harvard Business Review
−
* Barendregt H. Lambda Calculi with Types. In: Handbook of Logic in Computer Science. Oxford University Press, 1992. Vol. II, pp. 117-309. Available at ftp://ftp.cs.ru.nl/pub/CompMath.Found/HBK.ps.
  
  +
* F. Sesno "" - the book on how to get information out of people through questions.
−
* Shilov N.V. Introduction to Program Syntax, Semantics and Verification. (In Russian.) Novosibirsk State University, 2011. Draft is available at .
  
  +
* a visual guide book to dealing with your inner procrastinator
   
 
=== Closed access resources ===
  
=== Closed access resources ===
  +
* Crunchbase.com
−
* Not needed.
  
  +
* Statista.com
   
 
=== Software and tools used within the course ===
  
=== Software and tools used within the course ===
  +
* Boardofinnovation.com
−
* Any compiler and IDE to implement, test, and exercise simple computational, search and sorting imperative and functional algorithms/programs.
 
  +
* Miro.com
  +
* Notion.com
  +
* MS Teams
  +
 
= Teaching Methodology: Methods, techniques, & activities =
  
= Teaching Methodology: Methods, techniques, & activities =
   
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|+ Teaching and Learning Methods within each section
  
|+ Teaching and Learning Methods within each section
 
|-
  
|-
−
! Teaching Techniques !! Section 1 !! Section 2 !! Section 3 !! Section 4 !! Section 5
 +
! Teaching Techniques !! Section 1 !! Section 2 !! Section 3 !! Section 4 !! Section 5 !! Section 6 !! Section 7
  +
|-
  +
| Problem-based learning (students learn by solving open-ended problems without a strictly-defined solution) || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Problem-based learning (students learn by solving open-ended problems without a strictly defined solution) || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 +
| Project-based learning (students work on a project) || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Differentiated learning (provide tasks and activities at several levels of difficulty to fit students needs and level) || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 +
| Differentiated learning (provide tasks and activities at several levels of difficulty to fit students needs and level) || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Contextual learning (activities and tasks are connected to the real world to make it easier for students to relate to them); || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 +
| Contextual learning (activities and tasks are connected to the real world to make it easier for students to relate to them); || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 
|-
  
|-
  +
| Business game (learn by playing a game that incorporates the principles of the material covered within the course). || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
−
| Развивающее обучение (задания и материал "прокачивают" ещё нераскрытые возможности студентов); || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
  
 
|-
  
|-
  +
| inquiry-based learning || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
−
| Концентрированное обучение (занятия по одной большой теме логически объединяются); || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
  
 
|}
  
|}
 
{| class="wikitable"
  
{| class="wikitable"
 
|+ Activities within each section
  
|+ Activities within each section
 
|-
  
|-
−
! Learning Activities !! Section 1 !! Section 2 !! Section 3 !! Section 4 !! Section 5
 +
! Learning Activities !! Section 1 !! Section 2 !! Section 3 !! Section 4 !! Section 5 !! Section 6 !! Section 7
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Lectures || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 +
| Interactive Lectures || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Interactive Lectures || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 +
| Lab exercises || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 0
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Lab exercises || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 +
| Group projects || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Flipped classroom || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 +
| Flipped classroom || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 0
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Quizzes (written or computer based) || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 +
| Discussions || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Discussions || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 +
| Presentations by students || 1 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1
−
|}
+
|-
  +
| Oral Reports || 1 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1
  +
|-
  +
| Cases studies || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 0
  +
|-
  +
| Experiments || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0
  +
|-
  +
| Written reports || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0
  +
|-
  +
| Individual Projects || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0
  +
|-
  +
| Peer Review || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1
  +
|}
  +
 
== Formative Assessment and Course Activities ==
  
== Formative Assessment and Course Activities ==
   
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! Activity Type !! Content !! Is Graded?
  
! Activity Type !! Content !! Is Graded?
 
|-
  
|-
  +
| Discussion || Difference between Art and Creativity. Examples from your personal experience <br> Tools to manage your attention: work with exercises above <br> Is it true that an ideation stage is the very first step to take when starting your own business? If not, what needs to be done before? <br> Idea diary: share your experience, was it useful? How to keep motivation to continue? <br> Sharing your business ideas: is it risky for a founder? Why? <br> Name and discuss principles of hypothesis thinking <br> Name and comment on ideation tool you know. Did you have an experience with it? <br> Where to take creativity? Your advice <br> Lets find examples of “Steal like an artist” approach among startups <br> Create a list of 5 business ideas you have ever had in your mind. Choose 1 and make an exhaustive list of the problems that are associated with the proposed business idea. || 0
−
| Home-made problem-solving assignment || Assume that , , and are sets. <br>Prove without use of the power-set axiom that is a set.<br>Prove without use of the set-union axiom that is a set.<br>Prove (using extensionality postulate) <br>uniqueness of the empty set<br>uniqueness of the set for any given finite collection of sets of , … .<br>Proof (using the enumeration and union postulate) existence of the standard union for all sets and . <br>Proof (using the specification postulate) existence of the standard intersection for all sets and .<br>Prove that for any set and any its subset the complement is a set.<br>Proof (by contradiction using specification axiom) that collection usually called as the set of all sets isn’t a set. (Russel’s paradox.) || 1
  
−
|}
+
|-
  +
| Workshop || Break into teams, choose from the list below 1 tool to work with. Use the templates to create new business ideas. Summarize the results. Share your results and experience of using the template with other teams || 1
  +
|-
  +
| Exercise || Start an "Idea diary" (not necessarily business ideas): create a convenient place for notes (notion, pinterest, instagram, paper notebook, etc.). Note the time/place/circumstances of ideas coming, learn to write down ideas. Draw conclusions from 1 week's work: where, when, how, why new ideas arise and whether you can manage their flow. || 0
  +
|}
  +
 
==== Section 2 ====
  
==== Section 2 ====
 
{| class="wikitable"
  
{| class="wikitable"
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! Activity Type !! Content !! Is Graded?
  
! Activity Type !! Content !! Is Graded?
 
|-
  
|-
  +
| Discussion || What are the basic steps in market research? <br> What are the commonly used market research methods? <br> What research question types can be asked in surveys? <br> Should startup prefer primary or secondary research? || 0
−
| Home-made problem-solving assignment || Is TEL a regular language? A context-free language? A context-sensitive language? A Recursively enumerable language? <br>What will happen with TEL syntax (in terms of Chomsky classification) if it adopts spacing and indentation like Python?<br>Assuming that all variables are of integer type and a conventional semantics for program answer what does this program compute?<br>Validate that is indeed the operational semantics of TEL sentence .<br>Prove that in TEL the following sentences and are equivalent.<br>Prove that and are not equivalent in TEL. || 1
  
−
|}
+
|-
  +
| Workshop || SWOT analysis: compare your business idea with competitors and market situation <br> Get familiar with industry trends and reports: Find and create a list of 3 to 5 business research papers or trend reports in your industry || 0
  +
|-
  +
| Home written assignment || Market research doc: create a structure that is: <br> 1-2 pages long <br> Describes your business idea <br> Contains the structure of your future research <br> Contains a list of questions to answer during the research for each chapter proposed <br> Contains links and references to data sources potentilly interesting to use in a research <br> Its feasible: it should be a chance you may answer all the questions stated in the doc <br> The doc format is designed and well structured || 1
  +
|}
  +
 
==== Section 3 ====
  
==== Section 3 ====
 
{| class="wikitable"
  
{| class="wikitable"
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! Activity Type !! Content !! Is Graded?
  
! Activity Type !! Content !! Is Graded?
 
|-
  
|-
  +
| Oral test || Good or bad interview question? <br> Useful or useless feedback? || 0
−
| Home-made problem-solving assignment || Is ToyPL-VM language a context-free? Does it have a context-free syntax? <br>Assuming a conventional program semantics and that the only data type is mathematical integers, try to guess (and prove somehow) what does compute the following ToyPL-VM program:<br>0: if z<0 then 1 else 2; <br>1: z:= -1 goto 8; <br>2: x:= 0 goto 3; <br>3: y:= 0 goto 4; <br>4: if y≤z then 5 else 7; <br>5: y:= y+2*x+1 goto 6; <br>6: x:= x+1 goto 4; <br>7: x:= x-1 goto 8;<br>Let be any ToyPL-VM program, be any state of . Define by induction on structure of the expression (that uses variables in only) the value of this expression in this state . <br>Let be any ToyPL-VM program, be any state of . Prove by induction on structure of the expression that for any expression (based on variables in ) the value of this expression in this state has a definite value.<br>Validate that the implementation (semantics) of the ToyPL program from the left column is the ToyPL-VM program in right column.<br>Select (always) valid assertions and explain your choice:<br> || 1
  
−
|}
+
|-
  +
| Workshop || Work on your customer profile using the Persona template. Make a client interview script with the help of the Problem-validation-script. || 1
  +
|-
  +
| Case study || Watch the video with the case study. This is an example of HOW NOT to take a customer discovery interview. Discuss what went wrong? || 0
  +
|}
  +
 
==== Section 4 ====
  
==== Section 4 ====
 
{| class="wikitable"
  
{| class="wikitable"
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! Activity Type !! Content !! Is Graded?
  
! Activity Type !! Content !! Is Graded?
 
|-
  
|-
  +
| Workshop || Estimate your target market using the TAM-SAM-SOM template in MIRO. Explain the data. || 1
−
| Home-made problem-solving assignment || Is the language of the -Calculus regular? Context-free?<br>The following sugared -term is representation of the following -term:<br><br><br><br><br><br>List all free and bound variable instances in the -terms (a)-(e) from the previous exercise. Which of these -terms are combinators?<br>Assuming the sugaring has no precedence, whether the desugaring of the -terms is confluent (i.e., always end with the same term)?<br>Assuming the sugaring has the specified precedence, whether the desugaring of the -terms is confluent (i.e., always end with the same term)?<br>Explain the following “proof” in the axiomatic semantics of the -Calculus and find a breach of the semantics:<br> || 1
  
−
|}
+
|-
  +
| Case study || Learn a market sizing case: online babysitting service || 0
  +
|}
  +
 
==== Section 5 ====
  
==== Section 5 ====
 
{| class="wikitable"
  
{| class="wikitable"
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! Activity Type !! Content !! Is Graded?
  
! Activity Type !! Content !! Is Graded?
 
|-
  
|-
  +
| Workshop || Use 3 tools from this lesson's theory that you are least familiar with or have not used at all. From each source, take one insight on the state of your project's market. (For example, the total size of your target market, a leading competitor, number of users, or a growing trend) || 0
−
| Home-made problem-solving assignment || Suggest any fix-point combinator other than .<br>Write a Java-, Python-, etc. program that (being aware about its location) prints out its own code.<br>Write yourself a quine-program in Java, Python, etc. <br>Give example of a -term such that has a reduction graph that<br>is a singleton with a single edge <br>is a finite chain of length <br>is an infinite chain<br>Prove Church-Rosser theorem: If there are two distinct (-)reductions starting from a -term, then there exists a -term that is reachable from both reducts via a (possibly empty) sequence of (-)reductions.<br>What is true:<br>If a -term has a normal form, then its reduction graph is finite.<br>If a -term has a finite reduction graph, then it has a normal form.<br>Proof by induction of the height of the inference tree soundness of the axiomatic semantic of -Calculus: For any -terms and , if then there exists -term such that and . || 1
  
−
|}
+
|-
  +
| Oral presentation || Take one tool from the list below and create a “how-to” guide to the service for your classmates. The guide could be done in a form of 1) video-instruction 2) text 3) visualized scheme 4) presentation. The guide must answer how to use a tool and give an example of its use on concrete case study. Studying the guide should take your reader not mach then 15 min. || 1
  +
|}
  +
  +
==== Section 6 ====
  +
{| class="wikitable"
  +
|+
  +
|-
  +
! Activity Type !! Content !! Is Graded?
  +
|-
  +
| Workshop || Exercises: <br> Personal SWOT Analysis <br> List of Personal Achievements <br> Analysis of Motivating Activities <br> Your Personal Vision || 0
  +
|}
  +
  +
==== Section 7 ====
  +
{| class="wikitable"
  +
|+
  +
|-
  +
! Activity Type !! Content !! Is Graded?
  +
|-
  +
| Pitch session || The final Market Research report should follow the structure discussed <br> Content of the oral presentation may include: business description, market overview, main sources used in the research, competitors overview, monetization opportunity, market size, further stages of research or business work, team, comments on some challenges during the work || 1
  +
|}
  +
 
=== Final assessment ===
  
=== Final assessment ===
 
'''Section 1'''
  
'''Section 1'''
  +
# For the final assessment, students should complete the Market Research paper.
−
# Can be a final exam, project defense, or some other equivalent of the final exam.
  
  +
# It should follow the market research paper structure, contain information about market volume (TAM SAM SOM), data must be gathered with help of data sources learnt.
−
# The final examination is distance asynchronous individual written test to check that students understand and can apply main definitions, concepts and techniques presented on the lectures and available in lecture notes. The main grading criterions for written test will be human readable but concise, self-completeness, well-structuredness, and “proof of individual work” while computational (mainly arithmetic) errors will be treated as tiny mistakes (at most one-point deduction for each individual task).
  
  +
# The paper should refer to market potential and give the basis to make business decisions, answer questions on how to start and develop your idea, what is your business model, target customer persona, product MVP etc.
−
# Examination has one (parameterized) variant for all enrolled students with 5 tasks with cost 8 points each (i.e., 40 points in total). “Human readable but concise” rule means that solutions should be well-commented but not exciding 1.5 (one and a half) pages each. Self-completeness means that the paper should be readable independently on any other resource, but lecture notes. Well-structuredness means that each task formulation, solution (proof if needed), answer (or conclusion) and its parts must be explicit in the paper and identified by appropriate headings/keywords (with respect to logical structure).
  
  +
# Grading criteria for the final project presentation:
−
# Sample tasks follow.
  
  +
# Market sizing has been carried out
−
# Task 1. Using definition of the natural number as in the lecture notes for section 1, construct the powerset for a given (specified) natural number . How many elements does it (the powerset) contains? (Explain all your answers.)
  
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# Customer segments are named
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# Task 2. Using definitions from the lecture notes for section 2, construct a TEL “meaningful program” that after evaluation according to TEL informal semantics gets value , construct (step by step) its operational, denotational, and axiomatic semantics according to the TEL definitions. Here “meaningful” means that you can explain what does the program computes assuming a conventional informal program semantics. Please explain informally what this semantics is.
 
  +
# Сompetitor analysis has been conducted
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# Task 3. Using definitions from the lecture notes for section 3, and the same program as you construct in the exercise 2 above, construct (step by step) its operational and denotational semantics as a ToyPL program.
  
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# At least 2 prominent data sources are used
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# Task 4. Using definitions from the lecture notes for section 3, and the same program as you construct in the exercise 2 above, specify the program by pre- and post-conditions according to your explanations (in the exercise 2) of what does the program compute, and then verify (using Floyd method or Hoare axiomatic semantics) correctness of the specified program.
  
  +
# Customer discovery interviews conducted
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# Task 5. Using definitions from the lecture notes for sections 4 & 5, construct a given (specified) natural number . Whether it is a combinator? Build reduction graph for . (Explain all your answers.)
  
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# Future steps are mapped out
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# The final report is visualized clearly and transparent
 
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=== The retake exam ===
  
=== The retake exam ===
 
'''Section 1'''
  
'''Section 1'''
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# For the retake, students have to submit the results of the market sizing exercise with the TAM SAM SOM method in the form of a visual framework studied.
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# Retake and re-examinations are designed to check that students understand and can apply main definitions, concepts and techniques covered in the lectures of the Course to overwrite grades for the final examination.
 
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# Hybrid re-examination mode means that the examinations comprise a distance asynchronous individual written test (the first re-examination to be graded by Prof. N.V. Shilov) and an oral defense in front of a commission (consisting of Prof. N.V. Shilov and two more faculty to be appointed by the time of the second re-examination); format of the oral defense – offline or online – to be decided/arranged later (but prior to the defense date to be set by the Department of Education).
 
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# Since (according to the Syllabus available the final examination costs 40 points, the cost of the re-examination is also 40 points. So, individual overall grade for the course after the retake for each participating student will be calculated according to the following formula , where is student’ overall score earned for the course during the teaching term, is student’ overall score earned for the final examination, is student’ score earned for the re-examination.
  
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# Examination set comprises 5 individual tasks (but the same for both retakes) with cost points each (i.e., 40 points in total). “Human readable but concise” rule means that solutions should be well-commented but not exciding 1.5 (one and a half) pages each. Self-completeness means that the paper should be readable independently on any other resource, but lecture notes. Well-structuredness means that each task formulation, solution (proof if needed), answer (or conclusion) and its parts must be explicit in the paper and identified by appropriate headings/keywords (with respect to logical structure).
  
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# Sample tasks follow.
  
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# Task 1. Let us assume that ‘’, ‘‘, ‘’, and ‘’ are symbols. Using definition of the natural number as in the lecture notes on the topic 1, count (ignoring blank spaces) the length of the string thar represents a given natural number . How many elements does this representation contains? (Explain all your answers.)
  
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# Task 2. Using definitions from the lecture notes on the topic 2, construct a TEL-program that in conventional (natural for a programming language) semantics computes (outputs) the integer part of the square root of a (input) positive integer, but that after evaluation according to TEL informal semantics gets value for a given natural number , construct (step by step) its operational, denotational, and axiomatic semantics according to the TEL definitions.
 
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# Task 3. Using definitions from the lecture notes on the topic 3, and the same program as you construct in the exercise 2 above, construct (step by step) its implementation and denotational semantics as a ToyPL program.
  
−
# Task 4. Using definitions from the lecture notes on the topic 3, and the same program as you construct in the exercise 2 above, specify the program by pre- and post-conditions according to your explanations (in the exercise 2) of what does the program compute, and then verify (using Floyd method or Hoare axiomatic semantics) correctness of the specified program.
  
−
# Task 5. Using definitions from the lecture notes on the topics 4 and 5, construct explicitly the numeral for a given natural number . What is type of the numeral Demonstrate that . What is type of the term ? Build reduction graph for . (Explain all your answers.)
  
 
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'''Section 7'''

Latest revision as of 09:50, 29 May 2023

Market Research for IT Startups

  • Course name: Market Research for IT Startups
  • Code discipline:
  • Subject area: Technological Entrepreneurship

Short Description

This course is for students who see themselves as entrepreneurs. The course is designed for the early development of business ideas and provides methods and guidelines for business research. The course teaches how to assess the potential of business ideas, hypothesis thinking, methods for generating ideas and testing their quality

Prerequisites

Prerequisite subjects

  • N/A

Prerequisite topics

  • N/A

Course Topics

Course Sections and Topics
Section Topics within the section
Ideation tools
  1. Art VS Creativity
  2. Ability to discover
  3. How to generate ideas
  4. Creativity sources
  5. Ideation in groups
  6. Rules for ideation for startups
Market research content
  1. Types of research: primary vs secondary
  2. How to plan a research
  3. Market research chapters content
  4. Frameworks used in a market research (SWOT, Persona, etc)
  5. Tools and sources to conduct a competitors analysis
Customer development
  1. Interviews are the main tool for “Get Out The Building” technique
  2. The "Mum's Test"
  3. Jobs-To-Be-Done
  4. Good and bad interview questions
Market sizing
  1. Market analysis VS market sizing
  2. Sizing stakeholders and their interests
  3. Sizing methods
  4. TAM SAM SOM calculation examples
Data for a research
  1. Sources and tools for competitors overview
  2. Sources and tools for product and traffic analysis
  3. Sources and tools for trend watching
  4. Life hacks for search
Founder motivation
  1. Ways to Stay Motivated as an Entrepreneur
  2. Exercises for founders motivation
Pitch Day
  1. Market research results presentations

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

What is the main purpose of this course?

This course aims to give students theoretical knowledge and practical skills on how to assess market potential at an early stage of an IT startup (or any company) development. The ultimate goal is to teach students to conduct market research for their business.

ILOs defined at three levels

Level 1: What concepts should a student know/remember/explain?

By the end of the course, the students should be able to ...

  • Market research techniques using open data,
  • Typology of market assessment methods,
  • Types of research data and their application,
  • Market research components: competitors overview, value proposition, trend watching, venture status, business models, buyers profile etc

Level 2: What basic practical skills should a student be able to perform?

By the end of the course, the students should be able to ...

  • Methods of ideation,
  • TAM SAM SOM method, 2 approaches,
  • Applied tools and resources for market sizing,
  • Principles to work with business hypotheses

Level 3: What complex comprehensive skills should a student be able to apply in real-life scenarios?

By the end of the course, the students should be able to ...

  • Identify and describe the market
  • Assess market potential for any business idea
  • Conduct relevant market research before starting up a business
  • Use the most relevant and high-quality data for a market research

Grading

Course grading range

Grade Range Description of performance
A. Excellent 85.0-100.0 -
B. Good 70.0-84.0 -
C. Satisfactory 50.0-69.0 -
D. Fail 0.0-50.0 -

Course activities and grading breakdown

Activity Type Percentage of the overall course grade
Paper #0: Market research structure 0-10 scale (costs 10% final)
Paper #1: TAM SAM SOM 0-10 scale (costs 20% final)
Workshops activity 3 points for each of 7 workshops: 1 point=participation, 2 points=discussion, 3 points=valuable results (costs 21% final)
Paper #2: Market research 0-10 scale (costs 30% final)
Final Presentation 0-10 scale (costs 20% final)

Recommendations for students on how to succeed in the course

Participation is important. Showing up and participating in discussions is the key to success in this course.
Students work in teams, so coordinating teamwork will be an important factor for success.
Reading the provided materials is mandatory, as lectures will mainly consist of discussions and reflections not slides or reading from scratch.
The main assignment in the course is Market research paper which is supposed to be useful not only for this course but s a basis for future business oriented courses

Resources, literature and reference materials

Open access resources

  • - article with reflections on the methodology book on the 55 typical business models
  • - a book with instructions on how to communicate with your potential users. How to conduct interviews so that you understand what the client wants to say and not what you want to hear.
  • - the case book on the Jobs To Be Done. With JTBD, we can make predictions about which products will be in demand in the market and which will not. The idea behind the theory is that people don't buy products, but "hire" them to perform certain jobs.
  • A selection of with a summary of key ideas from Harvard Business Review
  • F. Sesno "" - the book on how to get information out of people through questions.
  • a visual guide book to dealing with your inner procrastinator

Closed access resources

  • Crunchbase.com
  • Statista.com

Software and tools used within the course

  • Boardofinnovation.com
  • Miro.com
  • Notion.com
  • MS Teams

Teaching Methodology: Methods, techniques, & activities

Activities and Teaching Methods

Teaching and Learning Methods within each section
Teaching Techniques Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Section 6 Section 7
Problem-based learning (students learn by solving open-ended problems without a strictly-defined solution) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Project-based learning (students work on a project) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Differentiated learning (provide tasks and activities at several levels of difficulty to fit students needs and level) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Contextual learning (activities and tasks are connected to the real world to make it easier for students to relate to them); 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Business game (learn by playing a game that incorporates the principles of the material covered within the course). 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
inquiry-based learning 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Activities within each section
Learning Activities Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Section 6 Section 7
Interactive Lectures 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Lab exercises 1 1 1 1 1 1 0
Group projects 1 0 0 0 0 1 1
Flipped classroom 1 1 1 1 1 1 0
Discussions 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Presentations by students 1 0 1 0 0 0 1
Oral Reports 1 0 1 0 0 0 1
Cases studies 0 1 0 1 1 1 0
Experiments 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Written reports 0 0 1 0 0 1 0
Individual Projects 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
Peer Review 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Formative Assessment and Course Activities

Ongoing performance assessment

Section 1

Activity Type Content Is Graded?
Discussion Difference between Art and Creativity. Examples from your personal experience
Tools to manage your attention: work with exercises above
Is it true that an ideation stage is the very first step to take when starting your own business? If not, what needs to be done before?
Idea diary: share your experience, was it useful? How to keep motivation to continue?
Sharing your business ideas: is it risky for a founder? Why?
Name and discuss principles of hypothesis thinking
Name and comment on ideation tool you know. Did you have an experience with it?
Where to take creativity? Your advice
Lets find examples of “Steal like an artist” approach among startups
Create a list of 5 business ideas you have ever had in your mind. Choose 1 and make an exhaustive list of the problems that are associated with the proposed business idea.		 0
Workshop Break into teams, choose from the list below 1 tool to work with. Use the templates to create new business ideas. Summarize the results. Share your results and experience of using the template with other teams 1
Exercise Start an "Idea diary" (not necessarily business ideas): create a convenient place for notes (notion, pinterest, instagram, paper notebook, etc.). Note the time/place/circumstances of ideas coming, learn to write down ideas. Draw conclusions from 1 week's work: where, when, how, why new ideas arise and whether you can manage their flow. 0

Section 2

Activity Type Content Is Graded?
Discussion What are the basic steps in market research?
What are the commonly used market research methods?
What research question types can be asked in surveys?
Should startup prefer primary or secondary research?		 0
Workshop SWOT analysis: compare your business idea with competitors and market situation
Get familiar with industry trends and reports: Find and create a list of 3 to 5 business research papers or trend reports in your industry		 0
Home written assignment Market research doc: create a structure that is:
1-2 pages long
Describes your business idea
Contains the structure of your future research
Contains a list of questions to answer during the research for each chapter proposed
Contains links and references to data sources potentilly interesting to use in a research
Its feasible: it should be a chance you may answer all the questions stated in the doc
The doc format is designed and well structured		 1

Section 3

Activity Type Content Is Graded?
Oral test Good or bad interview question?
Useful or useless feedback?		 0
Workshop Work on your customer profile using the Persona template. Make a client interview script with the help of the Problem-validation-script. 1
Case study Watch the video with the case study. This is an example of HOW NOT to take a customer discovery interview. Discuss what went wrong? 0

Section 4

Activity Type Content Is Graded?
Workshop Estimate your target market using the TAM-SAM-SOM template in MIRO. Explain the data. 1
Case study Learn a market sizing case: online babysitting service 0

Section 5

Activity Type Content Is Graded?
Workshop Use 3 tools from this lesson's theory that you are least familiar with or have not used at all. From each source, take one insight on the state of your project's market. (For example, the total size of your target market, a leading competitor, number of users, or a growing trend) 0
Oral presentation Take one tool from the list below and create a “how-to” guide to the service for your classmates. The guide could be done in a form of 1) video-instruction 2) text 3) visualized scheme 4) presentation. The guide must answer how to use a tool and give an example of its use on concrete case study. Studying the guide should take your reader not mach then 15 min. 1

Section 6

Activity Type Content Is Graded?
Workshop Exercises:
Personal SWOT Analysis
List of Personal Achievements
Analysis of Motivating Activities
Your Personal Vision		 0

Section 7

Activity Type Content Is Graded?
Pitch session The final Market Research report should follow the structure discussed
Content of the oral presentation may include: business description, market overview, main sources used in the research, competitors overview, monetization opportunity, market size, further stages of research or business work, team, comments on some challenges during the work		 1

Final assessment

Section 1

  1. For the final assessment, students should complete the Market Research paper.
  2. It should follow the market research paper structure, contain information about market volume (TAM SAM SOM), data must be gathered with help of data sources learnt.
  3. The paper should refer to market potential and give the basis to make business decisions, answer questions on how to start and develop your idea, what is your business model, target customer persona, product MVP etc.
  4. Grading criteria for the final project presentation:
  5. Market sizing has been carried out
  6. Customer segments are named
  7. Сompetitor analysis has been conducted
  8. At least 2 prominent data sources are used
  9. Customer discovery interviews conducted
  10. Future steps are mapped out
  11. The final report is visualized clearly and transparent

Section 2

Section 3

Section 4

Section 5

Section 6

Section 7


The retake exam

Section 1

  1. For the retake, students have to submit the results of the market sizing exercise with the TAM SAM SOM method in the form of a visual framework studied.

Section 2

Section 3

Section 4

Section 5

Section 6

Section 7

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