133 Peachtree Street, NE | Atlanta, GA 30303 | www.yegeorgia.

org
 Project IdeACTION
Unique opportunity for high school Essential Question
students to learn about
Enduring Understanding
entrepreneurship by putting their
ideas into action. Experiential Activity
Unleashes creativity, a mindset of Foundational Values
abundance and self determination Key Terms/ Other Terms
and promotes purposeful
entrepreneurial action.
Discussion Questions
Test the idea by talking to potential
customers and gathering evidence Pre Assessment
to validate the viability of their Project IdeACTION Assessment
business case.
YE Class
Pitch their idea by submitting a Non YE Class
written concept AND presenting it
judges.
 Module 1 Number of class periods:
3 (50 minute classes)

Innovative Problem Solving

1 (90 minute class)

Economic/ Critical Thinking Concepts Key Terms

Foundational Values
Essential Question Be Principled, Responsibility
What is innovation? Can innovation be learned ?
Other Terms
Enduring Understandings Design Thinking
Innovation is about introducing change into relatively Systematic Inventive Thinking
stable systems. Desirability
All innovation shares common patterns that once learned, Feasibility
can be applied systematically to create new products or Viability
services.
One does not have to be creative, to be innovative.
Output
Youth Entrepreneurs will expose students to some
innovation methodologies like Innovation Navigation, Team Formation
Design Thinking and Systematic Inventive Thinking.
Discussion Questions
Experiential Activity Are entrepreneurs crazy for taking risks without knowing if
Ready, Set, Design they will succeed?
Systematic Inventive Thinking Whats the difference between entrepreneurship and
gambling?
Disruptus
Did you ever make or do something without instructions?
How did it come out? How did you feel about the results?
 Module 2
Defining & Scoping the Innovation
Economic/ Critical Thinking Concepts Key Terms

Essential Question: Foundational Values:

Opportunity Obsession, Passion
How do entrepreneurs solve business challenges that create
value for society.
Other Terms
Enduring Understandings: Personal Choice
Opportunities exists when people or organizations have Subjective Value
problems, pain points / stresses for which they need to Pain points/ Stresses
find solutions. Opportunity Screening
Every big problem is a big opportunity. Economics of the Opportunity
People will not pay for a solution to a non problem.
Paying attention to peoples complaints, what you are Output:
good at doing and enjoy doing, and changes in the Prep Map 2: Set Up the Course
environment will help you recognize opportunity.
YE Opportunity Screening Document

Experiential Activity:
Discussion Questions
See Innovation Navigation
Whats the difference between an idea and an
opportunity?
Whats the biggest problem tha you have? Whats the
biggest problem your family has? Your friends? Your
school? If you dont know, how will you find out?
 Module 3
Customer Experience & Market Intelligence
Economic/ Critical Thinking Concepts Key Terms
Essential Question: Foundational Values:
What does the customer desire? What dont you know? What will
breakthrough? What must be offered to drive adoption of your Knowledge, Win-Win
innovation?
Other Terms
Enduring Understandings: Personal Choice
A primary element of design thinking is taking a human centered Customer Experience
perspective for which the product and service is being designed. This
approach goes beyond product/service and includes aspects of Assumptions
behavior, emotional needs and individual motivations. Value Proposition
A products unique value proposition is
Self Interest
Experiential Activity: Subjective Value
Garbology
Output
Discussion Questions Map 2: Customer Experience (72-77)
Is it possible to create a good product without empathizing with Map 4: Breakthrough Solutions (84-89)
your customer?
Map 5: What You Dont Know (90-95)
Steve Jobs was famous for not relying on market research,
saying customers dont know what they want until you show it Map 6: Allies Optional ( Wouldnt be bad to probe in that area)
to them. What do you think about this approach? Map 7: Value Proposition ( 104-109)
What differences do you see in the value propositions of
McDonalds, Burger King, Wendys, Subway and Chik Fila?
 Module 4
Ideation & Feasibility
Economic/ Critical Thinking Concepts Key Terms
Essential Question Foundational Values
What can you build and is it feasible? Sound Judgment, Freedom

Enduring Understandings Other Terms

There are many techniques that can be used to
think creatively and generate ideas. Scarcity
One such technique, that will be explored is Prototypes
Systematic Inventive Thinking. Assets
Developing a minimum viable product is Comparative Advantage
comprised of the least amount of functionality
necessary to solve a problem sufficiently such
that your customer will engage with your
innovation and pay for it. Output
Map: 8: What Assets Do you Have
Experiential Activity Map 9: Minimum Viable Product from the Users
Systematic Inventive Thinking Perspective
 Module 5
Cost Structure & Testing
Economic/ Critical Thinking Key Terms
Concepts Foundational Values:
Passion
Essential Question:
What dont you know? What will breakthrough?
What does the customer desire? What Other Terms
Opportunity Cost:
Enduring Understandings: Sunk Cost
Creating & delivering value, Maintaining customer
relationships and generating revenue involves costs.
Its important to understand when innovation will start Output:
generating a profit. Map 10
Completion of Innovation Navigation Mapping Exercise
Experiential Activity:
Discussion Questions
Most people find it hard to turn off a television show or
See Innovation Navigation video after watching the first few minutes, why do you
think that is?
Do you think its wise for investors to emphasize people
over the ideas? Why ?
 Module 6
Practice & Pitch It
Economic/ Critical Thinking Concepts Key Terms
Essential Question: Foundational Values
How do I synthesize all these maps and develop a business Sound Judgment
concept?
Other Terms
Enduring Understandings:
Buy In
Writing a business concept and pitching it to others is
necessary to gain buy in on your ideas. Feedback
Gaining buy in requires capturing interest, selling the team
and selling the idea. Investors invest in people more than
ideas. Output:
Sharing what youve written and pitching your concept to Business Concept Practice & Pitch
other people can enable you to solicit feedback.
Discussion Questions
Experiential Activity: How quickly and clearly can you convey your concept? Is it easy
Pitch It / Practice to explain? Or difficult? Why?
Feedback Capture Grid What constructive feedback have you received from sharing
your story and concept? Did you integrate the feedback into
your future plans?
Have you crafted the story to make people better understand
how your customer feels? How can you do a better job with
that?