Feasibility Study: Pensbredricberry.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/7/8/11783977/... · While Paper Mate pens are the most cost effective, Uni-ball exceeds its competitors in all other categories

Feasibility Study: Pens

By Wendy Grogg, Thomas McCullough, Erick Hernandez, and Bredric Berry


Feasibility Study 3

Table of Contents Feasibility Study: Pens ....................................................................................................................................... 1

Table of Contents .............................................................................................................................................. 3

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 5

Overview of the Options and Criteria ............................................................................................................ 7

Test 1: Price ........................................................................................................................................................ 9

Methods .......................................................................................................................................................... 9

Results ........................................................................................................................................................... 10

Test 2: Smear .................................................................................................................................................... 13

Methods ........................................................................................................................................................ 13

Results ........................................................................................................................................................... 14

Test 3: Clarity .................................................................................................................................................... 15

Methods ........................................................................................................................................................ 15

Results ........................................................................................................................................................... 16

Test 4: Comfort ................................................................................................................................................ 17

Methods ........................................................................................................................................................ 17

Results ........................................................................................................................................................... 19

Conclusions ....................................................................................................................................................... 21

Recommendation ............................................................................................................................................. 23


Feasibility Study 5

Introduction College students, like all other students, still need school supplies; however, in college, students have a tighter budget. When choosing pens, students must consider multiple criteria including: price of pen, smear of ink, clarity of writing, and comfort of grip.

Group seven from Mrs. Miller’s 2700-037 Technical Communications class evaluated four kinds of pens on these four criteria to choose the most reasonable pen for college students. The brands evaluated include: Paper Mate, Pentel, Pilot, and Uni-Ball. We bought the cheapest selection of pens in each brand, making the evaluation compatible with the typical college student’s budget.

While testing the four criteria, the group individually voted on an order of the brands for each category. We then counted the scores of each vote for each brand by using the following point system:

• The brand in first place received a score of “1” • The brand in second place received a score of “2” • The brand in third place received a score of “3” • The brand in fourth place received a score of “4”

The brand with the lowest total score won that test and the brand with the highest score lost that test.

After we concluded the four tests, we added up the four total scores from each criteria test for each brand to determine the overall winner of the study. Again, the winner received the lowest score.

Through this report, we discovered that Uni-Ball offers the highest quality pen at a reasonable price for college students.


Feasibility Study 7

Overview of the Options and Criteria Group seven purchased the cheapest packages of pens available from four of the most well known brands of pens; these brands include: Paper Mate, Pentel, Pilot, and Uni-Ball (see Figure 1). We bought each type of pen with black ink. The Uni-Ball and Pilot pens have a retractable button and the Pentel and Paper Mate pens come with a cap. The number of pens per package varies, however more pens per package leaves a better impression on the buyer.

Figure 1: Brand Options

The criteria for this feasibility report include the following tests:

• Price • Smear • Clarity • Comfort

When shopping for pens, students first look at the price. The first test conducted included checking the price for each pen and figuring out the price per pen.

The second test conducted involved how much each pen smeared. Students that write with their left hands look at this more because their hands run over the ink directly after writing.

The third test conducted involved how clearly and smoothly each pen wrote. This criterion makes a difference in the overall look of a paper that a student writes.

The fourth test conducted involved the comfort of each pen. We took into consideration whether the pens had a gripper or not, and determined the comfort of each pen.

The results of this study will determine which pens have the highest overall quality.


Feasibility Study 9

Test 1: Price The first method of testing involved price. College students often have a smaller budget, and they have to consider the price of everything they buy.

Methods We compared each of the four brands to determine the cheapest pens and how many pens came in a package. To make the products similar, we bought the cheapest package for each brand. Each group member assigned each brand a number between 1 and 4 using the following point system and we then counted the scores.


The brand with the lowest total score won the test and the brand with the highest score lost the test.

To conduct test 1:

1. Buy the cheapest package of pens from each brand. 2. Compare each of the four brands to determine the cheapest pens.

Figure 2: Prices (In order from cheapest to most expensive)


Feasibility Study 10

Results Table 1 shows the brand, price, pens per package, and unit price. Figure 2 shows the prices of each brand of pen.

Brand Price Pens per Package Unit Price

Paper Mate $0.94 12 $0.08

Pentel $0.96 2 $0.48

Pilot $2.67 2 $1.34

Uni-Ball $2.97 2 $1.49

Table 1: Price

Group seven discovered that the cheapest individual pen, Paper Mate, costs $0.08 per pen. The most expensive individual pen, Uni-Ball, costs $1.49. The cheapest package belongs to Paper Mate at the price of $0.94. The most expensive package of pens belongs to Uni-Ball at the price of $2.97. Paper Mate sells the most pens for the cheapest price. Pentel took the second best pricing, Pilot came in third, and Uni-Ball came in fourth with the most expensive individual and package pricing

For test 1, each brand scored as follows:

Brand Rating

Paper Mate 4

Pentel 8

Pilot 12

Uni-Ball 16

Table 2: Price Rating

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For Test 1: Price, Paper Mate won (See Figure 3).

Figure 3: Paper Mate



Test 2: Smear The second method of testing involved the smear of the ink. College students want their hand-written papers to look professional and clean, so some students find the criteria of no smear important.

Methods We wrote the phrase “Smear Test” on regular wide ruled notebook paper with each pen. We then ran a hand across the writing to see if the ink would smear. We repeated this process for accuracy, and then tallied up the scores of each members vote using the following point system:



To conduct test 2:

1. Write a simple phrase (we used “Smear Test”) on regular wide ruled notebook paper with each pen (see Figure 4).

2. Run a hand across the phrase several times, to simulate what would actually happen to the ink on the page when writing a paper.

3. Repeat the process several times for accuracy. 4. Rank the pens from least amount of smear to greatest amount of smear by comparing the

darkness of the notebook paper immediately outside of the printed letters for each pen tested.

Figure 4: Smear Test



Results For test 2, each brand scored as follows:

Brand Rating

Uni-Ball 4

Paper Mate 8

Pentel 12

Pilot 16

Table 3: Smear Rating

Uni-ball gave no discernible smear, and Paper Mate had a barely visible smear. Pentel had a slightly more visible smear, and Pilot had the greatest smear.

For test 2: Smear, Uni-Ball won (see Figure 5).

Figure 5: Uni-Ball



Test 3: Clarity The third method of testing included clarity. Some pens have a better quality of ink, which allows writing to look clearer. You can determine the clarity by considering how smooth the pen writes, and how legible the writing looks. For Test 3, we conducted a study on how clearly each pen wrote.

Methods We chose one group member to write the phrase “University of North Texas” with each pen on regular wide ruled notebook paper. We then voted individually on the quality and clarity of how each pen wrote. Finally, we tallied up the scores of each members vote for each brand of pen by using the following point system:



To conduct test 3:

1. Choose one person to write a simple phrase (we used “University of North Texas”) with each pen on regular wide ruled notebook paper (See Figure 6).

2. Vote individually on the quality and clarity of how each pen writes.

Figure 6: Clarity Test




Brand Rating

Uni-Ball 7

Pilot 8

Pentel 10

Paper Mate 16

Table 4: Clarity Rating Through this test, our group learned that the Uni-Ball pen was the most legible and precise. Pilot had the thickest font, and Pentel had the thinnest font. Paper Mate did not write smoothly; the ink on the “U” in the “University of North Texas” did not work while beginning to write.

For Test 3: Clarity, Uni-Ball won (see Figure 7).

Figure 7: Uni-Ball



Test 4: Comfort The fourth method of testing involved comfort. Students often consider the comfort of a pen before they buy the pen.

Methods Each one of us in the group took the time to individually rate the pens based on the quality of the gripper (see Figures 8-11). Once each group member rated the quality of each type of pen, we began totaling our scores based the following system:


To conduct test 4:

1. Hold each pen to decide the comfort of each pen. 2. Rank each brand from most comfortable to least comfortable.

Figure 8: Bredric holding Uni-Ball

Figure 9: Bredric holding Pilot



Figure 10: Bredric holding Pentel

Figure 11: Bredric holding Paper Mate




Brand Rating

Uni-Ball 6

Pilot 8

Pentel 10

Paper Mate 16

Table 5: Comfort Rating Paper Mate lost this test as the worst pen in relation to comfort, primarily due to its lack of a gripper. Pentel came in next to last. Pilot received second place as comfortable, and Uni-Ball won the comfort test (see Figure 12).

Figure 12: Uni-Ball



Conclusions While Paper Mate pens are the most cost effective, Uni-ball exceeds its competitors in all other categories. Uni-ball pens provide the most comfort, the clearest writing, and least amount of smear compared to the other pens. Uni-Ball did have the highest cost, however because of their superiority in all other aspects, the extra money goes a long way. While Pentel has a low cost, it performed on the lower end in all other categories. Pilot, while it had considerable comfort and clarity, was expensive and smeared more than any other pen. Paper Mate, although by far the cheapest, was ranked last in every other category.

Brand Price Rating

Smear Rating

Clarity Rating

Comfort Rating

OVERALL RATING

Uni-Ball 16 4 7 6 31

Pentel 8 12 10 10 42

Pilot 12 16 8 8 44

Paper Mate 4 8 16 16 44

Table 6: Overall Rating



Recommendation Our feasibility report compared the Pentel, Uni-ball, Pilot, and Paper Mate pen brands. Through each of our different test, we chose that the Uni-ball pen as the best pen option for college students. The Uni-ball pen has the best overall rating when comparing price, smear, clarity, and comfort. This pen will provide a user with the best writing experience compared to the other brands mentioned.

Figure 13: Uni-Ball

Documents

Feasibility Study: Pensbredricberry.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/7/8/11783977/... · While Paper Mate pens are the most cost effective, Uni-ball exceeds its competitors in all other categories