Since 1947, Lego plastic blocks have been one of the world\'s favorite toys. Leg
ID: 370095 • Letter: S
Question
Since 1947, Lego plastic blocks have been one of the world's favorite toys. Lego block kits let children build creations of their own design, or kids can follow instructions to build models of airplanes, cars, trucks, characters from movies and television shows, and robots. As a toy manufacturer, Lego must always be sensitive to the needs of its customers-both children and their parents-which requires the company to pay close attention to changing preferences and trends. Lego uses its social networking efforts to stay connected to its customers in many ways In 1998, Lego introduced its Mindstorms product, a programmable computerized brick that includes sensors and motors. Mindstorms was designed to be the basic building block of a programmable robot. Although it is a toy, the Mindstorms product is a powerful and functional robotics kit that allows people (young and old) to build robots without having advanced degrees in engineering and computer programming. In its current version, Mindstorms includes the programmable brick, several servo motors, a color sensor, a touch sensor, an infrared sensor, and about 500 building blocks to create the structure of the robot. The Mindstorms product comes with printed instructions and programming to build a simple wheeled demo robot, but the brick can be programmed and/or controlled by a personal computer or a mobile device (tablet, phablet, or smartphone). By adding additional Lego components, highly complex and large robots can be constructed and programmed. If there were ever a product destined to benefit from a vibrant and active social network, this is it. Lego provides its robotics software at no additional cost and encourages Mindstorms members to modify and write extensions to the software. Lego issues challenges to its online community, such as asking them to design a robot that could improve the quality of life for senior citizens. The company organizes in-person events and competitions where members can demonstrate their skills and learn from each other. An elite invitation-only subset of the membership, Mindstorms Community Partners, tests new ideas software, and hardware elements for the robotics system. Lego's Mindstorms social networking contains very little direct product advertising or promotion content, yet the company invests substantial resources in maintaining and developing this network of users 1. Visit the Lego Mindstorms Web site and, in about 100 words, identify features that are elements of the company's social networking strategy for this product. 2. Lego provides a minimal set of instructions with this product. In about 100 words, explain how a new user could learn how to build and program complex robots using the social networking elements provided by the company 3. In this chapter, you learned how newspapers, magazines, and broadcasters are using their readers to create news items and stories. In 200 words, outline at least five specific ways in which Mindstorms community members create value for LegoExplanation / Answer
1. Key elements which are critical to the company's social networking strategy for their products are:
2. Lego provides programmable robotics set that gives the users freedom to build their own products. The users can program,run,command,build their own robots. Users can create around seventeen robots.They can make them walk or talk. The robotics set comes with free software and apps. These tools allow the users to build their own products from any platform.Lego also provides building instructions as PDF files.Their is also certain set of minimum system requirements to run LEGO products. Lego provides its users the following equipments connector cables, sensors, beacons,technical elements and motors. Users will have to read the instructions provided on pdfs provided by Lego to build their own robots.
3. Lego has been able to enhance its offerings by deeply involving its customers. Five specific ways in which mindstorm community members have created value for Lego are: