Academic team projectUBC Sauder · COMM 482 · 2026
SHED
it
A reusable, modular pet-hair removal concept built from observation, opportunity scoring and trade-off analysis.
Academic new-product-development concept; not a commercial launch or tested market result.
Project snapshot
Team-project outputs are presented as collaborative work; the page summarizes the project rather than claiming sole authorship.
Discovery
The research changed the product more than the brainstorming did.
The team studied the everyday pet-hair problem through observation, interviews and outreach across cleaning, veterinary and retail contexts. Rather than assuming “better lint roller” was the answer, we scored opportunities and followed the highest-value unmet needs.
40+professionals contacted across relevant industries
25+individuals interviewed
8.82top opportunity score: emergency removal
68%$10-$40 willingness-to-pay range in survey
Concept
Contain the hair instead of redistributing it.
The final concept became a compact, modular system with multiple cleaning functions and an enclosed collection chamber. The design addressed urgent clothing cleanup, pre-wash removal and hard-to-reach areas while avoiding disposable adhesive sheets.
Observe
Watch existing workarounds in context.
Score
Rank needs by importance and satisfaction.
Trade off
Remove lower-value features that diluted the concept.
Design
Build one reusable system around the highest-scoring jobs.
Final decisionDo not launch the concept in its current form.
The team’s R.W.W. review surfaced price sensitivity, easy replication and limited urgency. Rather than force a positive conclusion, the project ended with a no-go recommendation and a clearer view of what would need to change before revisiting the idea.
Takeaway
Ordinary recurring frustrations beat technically interesting distractions.
The project reinforced the value of open-ended research: the strongest opportunities were specific moments of frustration, not the broad category we started with.