By : Sandy Agatha Indra Lim | NIM 2702213530

Lecturer : Irene Teresa Rebecca Hutabarat, S.MB., M.M.

Throughout this semester, I gained valuable insights through the development of my Edible Cookie Cup project, especially in understanding how deeply customer feedback shapes a product. At the beginning, I assumed that students would naturally be interested simply because the concept was fun, eco-friendly, and different from typical snack products. However, as the project progressed, I realized that creativity alone is never enough.

Through booth activities, surveys, and direct product trials, I learned that real validation comes from listening. Engaging with actual users revealed that even the most creative ideas must still meet basic expectations—such as taste, practicality, and price. Hearing honest feedback, both positive and critical, pushed me to step outside my own perspective and see the product through the eyes of customers. This experience taught me to be more open-minded and analytical when evaluating my ideas.

The challenges I encountered—such as feedback about excessive sweetness, melting issues, and unclear portion sizing—became valuable learning moments. They showed me that product development is rarely linear. Instead, it is a continuous cycle of testing, learning, adjusting, and improving. Each comment, even the critical ones, helped shape a clearer direction for improvement.

Moving forward, I plan to refine the sweetness level, introduce new flavor variations, improve durability through better packaging, and standardize sizing before testing the product again in future student events. This journey has taught me the importance of validating ideas early, listening actively to customers, and being willing to adapt. More than anything, it showed me that growth comes from being open to change—and that mindset will continue to guide me in future projects.