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IDEA Lab: Foundations of Entrepreneurial Thinking

Entrepreneurship begins with observation, not capital

Program Cost: ₹0.00

IDEA Lab is an introductory entrepreneurship program by SAAI – School of Applied Artificial Intelligence, designed for first- and second-year undergraduate students.
The program focuses on developing entrepreneurial thinking through real-life observation, problem diagnosis, and structured ideation rather than business plans or startup theory.
Students are trained to identify everyday irritations and inefficiencies and convert them into potential service, service-product, or product opportunities.
The core framework used in the program is the IDEA Framework (Identify, Define, Explore, Act), which enables systematic opportunity spotting.
The learning approach emphasizes clarity of thought, value-gap identification, and first-action thinking, instead of premature venture creation.
The program was delivered as a special lecture on the occasion of National Entrepreneurship Day at Oriental University, Indore.
The session was designed to be inclusive and worksheet-driven, allowing meaningful participation even in large classroom settings.

Syllabus & Module Index

Modules with Free items are open previews.

Oriental University, Indore × SAAI — IDEA Ideation Lab

From Irritants to Ideas: Service → Service-Product → Product

A focused, single-module program delivered at Oriental University, Indore under the SAAI initiative.
Introduces students to a practical method for entrepreneurship: Irritant Diagnosis + Structured Ideation.
Uses the IDEA Framework to convert daily-life problems into viable opportunities.
Shows how most real ventures evolve through a clear ladder: Service → Service-Product → Product.
Teaches how to design and maintain a service-product (the hardest and most important bridge stage).

Module Title: IDEA Ideation Module — Irritant Diagnosis to Opportunity Building

Venue: Oriental University, Indore

Delivered By: SAAI – School of Applied Artificial Intelligence

Spot real opportunities using a repeatable framework (IDEA).
Classify solutions into Service, Service-Product, and Product.
Understand how solutions evolve from human effort to systems and scalable products.
Learn the key operational responsibilities of a service-product: consistency, delivery, QA, onboarding, and support.
Leave with a filled ideation worksheet and a clear first-action step.

Step	What Students Do	Output
I — Identify Irritations	Observe daily life: campus, commute, food, study, admin, digital habits. Note repeated frustrations, delays, confusion, or waste.	List of 3–5 irritants One selected irritant to work on
D — Define the Gap	Clarify what is missing, unclear, slow, expensive, or inconvenient. Identify who faces the problem and when it happens.	One clear problem statement Defined user + context
E — Explore Simple Solutions	Generate multiple solution options without judging early. Prefer practical and testable ideas over “perfect” ideas.	2–3 solution directions One chosen direction
A — Assess & Act	Choose the smallest possible test (conversation, survey, prototype, pilot). Define the first step that can be done this week.	First-action plan Simple validation approach

This module teaches students that most scalable products start as services.

Stage	What It Looks Like	Why It Matters
1) Service	Human effort + manual process High learning, low scale Examples: tutoring, event help, project assistance, placement mentoring	Fast to start Best way to learn real user needs Builds trust and feedback loops
2) Service-Product	A repeatable packaged service Uses templates, SOPs, checklists, fixed deliverables, automation Examples: “resume kit + interview prep system”, “project starter pack”, “campus onboarding kit”	Bridge stage to scaling Makes outcomes consistent Turns effort into a system
3) Product	Digital or physical product Software/app, platform, tool, device, content product Examples: campus utility app, peer-learning platform, marketplace tool	Highest scalability Requires clarity, repeatability, and proof of demand Usually succeeds when built after service learnings

Service-products fail when delivery becomes inconsistent. This module highlights what to manage:

Area	What to Ensure
Clear Promise	Define what you deliver (and what you don’t). Keep scope fixed for reliability.
Repeatable SOP	Write steps: intake → process → delivery → follow-up. Use checklists so quality doesn’t depend on mood or memory.
Templates & Assets	Create reusable templates (forms, docs, scripts, emails, designs). Version-control and improve them over time.
Quality Control	Define what “good” looks like with examples and rubrics. Check output before delivery (reduce rework and refunds).
Onboarding & Support	Make it easy for the user to start (simple instructions, onboarding steps). Offer quick support loops (FAQ, WhatsApp, email, short calls).
Feedback → Iteration	Collect feedback after every delivery. Turn recurring issues into SOP improvements.

1. Lesson: IDEA-Based Ideation: From Irritant Diagnosis to Opportunity Design

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