NNSafe (2)

Third place we ended, in the online battle, but today we achieved the 'best presentation' - prize on presenting our concept at Nationale Nederlanden HQ in Rotterdam!

We had developed a concept called NNsafe for an insurance company called Nationale Nederlanden. Customer insights of current and future customers is essential to deliver high quality service. Our concept focuses on risk prediction of future customers, based on the behaviour of current customers. With this concept we ranked third on the Battle of Concepts website. See also my previous post about NNSafe !

NN Safe

Third place, on Battle of Concepts (www.battleofconcepts.nl), with a concept for Nationale Nederlanden (www.nn.nl/), one of the biggest insurance companies in Holland. Their problem? The immense overload of data. How can they use this data for risk management?

NNSafe is an application developed for NN to calculate risks amongst their target group in actual, recent but also for future insurances. How does it work?


Mainly, the application researches the current database of clients, and connects to the major popular social networks like Hyves and Schoolbank. The application corresponds their own clients with users on those platforms, by simply matching names, resulting in the public details, which consists out of ‘places they visit’ and ‘groups they belong to’. This information can be very much useful for this kind of risk management; because you can count the amount of groups, places, hobbies, sports and interests by seeing in how much they are representing in a certain field of behaviour. For instance, you can see that a client with a high risk behaviour is likely to be somebody who comes from a certain place in town, or has a special taste of cigarettes, likes to play dangerous sports, or belongs to groups of rebellious soccer supporters...

Windy Windmill (3)

Last week we had a meeting with Eneco and it seems Windy Windmill has a follow up...

Windy Windmill isn't just an idea, it is a well thought of plan, a longduring proces, and this week we had a meeting with Eneco about it. If you don't have a clue what I'm talking about. Windy Windmill is a concept which won 2nd prize with a battle (within BattleOfConcepts) for Eneco, which proclaimed goal to create 'a windmill you can love'.

Windy Windmill is a character builded program where in Windy Windmill and her friends Seta SolarScreen and Wilbert Waterpump are bound to save the world from all evil for instance Olga Oil and Ali Atom.

if you are interested look also at the previous posts;

http://sanderwesterduin.blogspot.com/2008/06/windy-windmill-2.html

http://sanderwesterduin.blogspot.com/2008/06/windy-windmill.html

where there is more to be explained.

But the future is bright, talks and meetings are planned for the upcoming weeks and who'll know what is about to happen...

TNT Battle

We (students of College University of Rotterdam, specification Concept Development) are hard working on a new battle, for TNT (within Battle of Concepts). And last previous weeks we had some very nice brainstorm sessions, to give an impression of what we are dealing with:

TNT's battle is quite a something, and we want to make the most out of it. The battle's aim this time is to create a new service within TNT's photo service ("They have a photo service?"- yes they do).

Next week we are finishing the document, hold a presentation and turning in the result. We are working quite on schedule but to work within the boundaries of the assignment is quite hard, as we believe the solution for their problem is already given. Though is their solution truthfully the solution for their problem ? We don't think so.

Nevertheless we should keep within their boundaries, and only hint in the document for the real solution.

Besides, I'm leading my team a little differently now, with support of the team, creating somewhat better results. So what am I doing different now than previous battles? Well, to get the most out of the team, motivating them I created a percentage system which we discussed in the beginning: if you are to late at a meeting, 1% of your share goes down every 15 minutes. If you are not there at all, you lose 5% (aswell as if you come but did not do your homework). This means you have to work harder as a team, but If you perform alright nothing happens and you will only gain percentages...

Windy Windmill (3)

On Tuesday the 28th of October the Windy Windmill team had a meeting with the communication & strategy department of Eneco. It seems the story will get a follow up...

To make a long story short, Windy Windmill is a conceptual character for children, along with Zeta Zonnepaneeltje (Seta Solar screen) and Wilbert Waterrad they save the world from evil like Olga Oil and Ali Atom.

See also my previous posts about windy windmill...

The concept was developed in a battle for Eneco (Benelux Power provider) within BattleofConcepts.NL and won 2nd prize, which should be 1st according to Eneco.
This week there are several new meetings coming up with interesting parties where aswell my possible internship would appear. Cool!

Windy Windmill (2)

Again ? Windy Windmill, yeah it was worth it, today the results are there that windy windmill ended Second in the Battle of Concepts competition! Woohoo!

Don't have a clue what i'm talking about ? See this post first

You can also read our document which is online here !

Windy Windmill

"Dear Eneco,

If people think of me, they think of something which isn’t nice. I make noise, and some people even think I’m ugly. That makes me sad, cause… I’m good for the environment… right ?”

That’s the opening sentence of a concept participating in the Eneco competition, on Battle of Concepts. It’s the second time participating and I’m getting a bit nervous, last time with the concept for TNO we won the 5th prize, so I’m curious what it is going to be this time. Well, I’m quite sure we have one of the most protruding documents, with a heavily thought over starting point.

Let me explain a bit first. Eneco is one of the main power suppliers in The Netherlands and they have a problem. Windmills. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them. Or to be more clearly: “people like windmills, as long as they are at least a hundred kilometers out of their sight”- according to Eneco.

So… that’s approximately the main argument from people Not liking windmills. But what does it has to do with Eneco?! Well, Eneco wants to put more windmills everywhere, being pioneer in supplying sustainable energy. They joined ‘Battle of Concepts’ and put up a contest; to design, invent, create a windmill ‘to love’. Because that’s the problem. Nobody’s loves windmills.

After making tons of sketches and research, we came up with a shitload of ideas. From putting a whole theme park around windmills, decorating them, flourishing effects at night, and so on, we came up with something else. Accidently, by fun, a stupid idea of a windmill cartoon… easily as it came, it vanished… luckily we wrote it down. Because the next days, we stumbled over the stupidity, which could be genius. Easy, manageable, and even ‘loving’… Windy Windmill was born...

From designing all kinds of things around the windmill (or on it) we took a step back, designing a windmill you could love, in your imagination; a child’s imagination. Which in time, grows some conscious and making them unhindered towards windmills. On their time they influence their friends, parents and even grandpa and grandma.

It is a way of thinking we want to change. Explaining you could actually love windmills. Panda’s are sweet right? Well that’s only because you had a soft, small, cute and cuddling panda in your bed when you were a child, and that’s probably why you are as well donating to the WWF.

Exactly, you do not have any association with windmills! So, that’s why we should start at the beginning, with the youngest; designing a whole educational program including a cartoon, comics, games and a total promotional plan.

And that’s what we turned in. In Windy Windmill-style..

Open Sesame

*update: the concept won the 5th prize out of 33 contestants!*



Finally the battle is over, and the concept has been accepted by TNO. TNO ? Yes, two classmates and me joined a battle of 'Battle of Concepts' (http://www.battleofconcepts.nl/) for the TNO battle...


According to TNO there are three media types; professional content, user generated content and archieves. And in their briefing they explained two types of media instruments; the television, and the pc with internet...


We did a lot of research and made some extrodinary sketches about mediaworld as it is today, and how internet (especially web2.0) is taking part (for others; going to take) in that, and offcourse how 'Sesame' our concept is the solution for this all. For Dutch speakers the document is downloadable at:


http://student.cmd.hro.nl/0766740/minorpd/BoC_TNO_SESAM_CONCEPTv5.pdf





A (very) short English version of the Introduction:

The Media image as we see it today changed rapidly and the easyness is something that is important to people, because of that the intensity of the use of internet increases. Not only for information, but also shopping, administration and community building is getting a frequent habbit and is much more used than ever before. In 'The New Economy 2007' with results of the last years it is stated that it is getting more usual to call with the use of the internet, and reading news, watching television, listening to the radio is getting for a lot of people almost comprehensible.



We expect this to continue, and even increase exponential if the mass sees the easyness of accessing the internet for almost everything on high quality and portable devices. From the Apple iPhone users there were already 85% of the users accessing the internet in January 2008.


We see people going to do this more, mobile or locally, like sending emails instead of letters will be on your phone calling through the internet. With the use of these high technology devices people are also getting more handy, when you maybe first had a photo album you will bring a USB stick, or one step further on an online Operating System like Netvibes, Jooce, iGoogle, Windows and so on. This saves in space also, and you do not need a case or anything, only a screen with a connection would be enough. But not only people are getting more handy, also the devices, with this high technology they are even made (or not made) possible to connect to connect to other devices. Think of the automatic synchronisation of Apple Devices, but also on the unexpectedMicrosoft's XBOX with the Sony PSP.



Now it is up to us to let these devices connect with each other, on the most powerfull way, according to the briefing. Maybe there should not be another device but the software behind these devices. The technology is there but they are not connected with other devices optimally. How would it be if these devices which connects through wireless accespoints and mobile operators also could exploit the internet ? Like if they could spread the internet as well, functioning as a portal for the internet ? That every device would feel and understand other devices and automatically connect with each other ? Everywhere and All the time. Open Sesame.







The Concept under the name of 'Sesame' is currently taking part in the TNO Battle



awaiting for the results, in time i will try to translate :)