Demos, Pitching, Troubleshooting

Demos

Objectives

What makes a good demo video

How to develop an outline for demo video

Practical tips on how to create a demo video

Demo Requirements

Video can be up to 2 minutes

Clearly demonstrate the app functionality

Highlight the unique features of your app

Focus on the user interface, show navigation

Judges will be using this video to understand how your app works and how a user will experience it

The video must be uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo and URL shared in your Technovation submission. Can be private or unlisted, only people with the URL can see it.

Inspiration - Previous Submissions

Team Byte Me - My Nurse (2014)Good use of speeding up the video to demonstrate all the features

Northgate STEM - Unwind (2014)App gives good help text that shows the features of the app without needing narration

Team AMEKA - Safe Guard Driving (2015)Thorough walk through and good use of video editing

.comPote - Active Citizen (2016) Narration is clear and concise; efficiently goes through all the app features

Activity: Planning Your Demo

How should your video start?

How should your video wrap up?

What features should you emphasize?

What methods should you use to convey your message?

5 Minutes

Create a Storyboard

Introduce the app - 1-2 sentences

Introduce the solution your app provides -explain what your app does, demonstrate the features using the technical checklist.

Prove that it works - show it the way a user might interact with it.

Note: If your app is not complete, that’s okay! Show off as much as you can.

http://youtube.com/v/E0r_9FZg31M

Have a script

Know what you want to say

Have your key points written out

Evolve your script as you get more things working in your app

Producing Your Demo

Screenshots – take a few high quality screen shots to show details or zoom in on areas

Screen recording – video your app being used. Use your finger to guide viewer’s attention

Demonstration – you can put in a short skit or other aids to show how and why a user would interact with the app

Finishing Touches

Create a voice over to explain your demo

Edit, revise and improve your demo

Show it to your mentor, friends, family, potential customers

Refine based on their feedback

Upload final video to Youtube or Vimeo

Share on your Technovation submission

Pitching

Creating a Pitch Story & Video

• A pitch is how you try to persuade someone to buy or accept something.

• All teams submit a pitch video.

• You will also prepare a live pitch for the Toronto competition May 4

• Your pitch tells the story of how your app started as an idea and became a business.

Elements of a pitch

• Problem: Identify the problem and who has it

• Solution: Describe your solution

• Target market: Who your customers are, how big the market is

• Competition: Why yours is the best solution

• Team: Who you are, what role each of you have

• Financial & Milestones: How you plan to make revenue. What your revenue opportunity is. If you are a non-profit, why you chose it and how you would get funding

How do you make a great pitch?

• Start with a hook to grab people's attention

• Tell the story of your app

• Why you chose this app, why would

customers use it

• Sell the story of your company

• It is worth investing in us because …

Tell a real customer story

Pare it down to the essentials

Outline your business model

Make sure its clear

Talk about your team

Address competition head-on

Give the numbers that are behind your numbers

Engage your audience

Previous Finalists

• California Coders - Loc8 Don8 (2016)

• Clearly defined problem and solution

• Dharvi - Girls for Change (2015)

• Compelling story & illustration of problem

• Team Ștefănești - Apă Pură (2014)

• Great introduction to the problem and good use of graphics, smart use of subtitles

• Nightingale - Arrive (2013)

• Good use of narration and explanation of how the app works

• FieldTripper - FieldTripper (2014)

• Clear arguments for the app, good use of interviews

• Team Charis - Discardious (2015)

• Nice graphics and images, good enunciation, passionate, and speaks to the camera

• Northgate STEM - Unwind (2014)

• Well organized and gives very compelling argument that is easy to understand

Watch at home and reflect

• What makes their pitch stand out?

• Is their message strong? Is it clear?

• Does the team seem knowledgeable? Have they done their homework?

• Do they clearly explain why their app solves their problem?

• Does the team portray confidence? How?

• Does the video make you believe their business will succeed?

• Was their video easy to understand and clearly organized? Why?

Writing a script

• Hook – A strong opening that is attention grabbing => makes viewers pay attention.

• Problem & Solution – Cover the elements with supporting evidence

• Call to Action – Close strong – Excite them with what’s next or ask the viewer to do something -- invest in your business or join your team!

Activity: Storyboard

Storyboardin the workbook

Pitch Video Requirements

● Up to 4 Minutes long with all team members speaking

● The video can be any format the team wants: skit, slides, testimonials from users

● The video must be uploaded to youtube or vimeo, and the link must be shared through

the Technovation submission platform

Tips for a great pitch video

• Make sure everyone is loud and clear.

• Have a strong opening.

• Speak clearly and confidently.

• Use open body language, large gestures

• Show us the problem (and your solution). Don’t just tell.

• Make eye contact with the camera.

• Use a script.

• Dress for success.

• SMILE! Be proud of your work.

Filming

• Sound quality

• Choose a quiet location. Test your sound quality.

• Lighting

• Use plenty of light so the subject is well lit.

• Background

• Make sure it does not distract from your subject

• Think about adding visuals or voice over to your video

Editing

• Leave time for video editing!

• You’ll want to revisit and revise until you are satisfied with the final product.

• If you make the semi-finals the pitch video is one of the most important messages that your judges will take from your project.

Prepping for Live Pitch

Create a Pitch Deck

Small number of slides focused on essentials

1 slide per topic – readable and engaging

Rehearse to build confidence

Practice answering questions

Relax and have fun!!!

Keep it Simple Rule

No more than 10 slides

30 Point font

Use visuals

Make it engaging

The Beginning

Title Slide

app logo, team name, mission

Problem/Opportunity

Describe your problem and solution

Use a visual, tell a story

Value proposition

Why your solution is unique and solves the problem

Strong Opening

Ask a Question.

“Have you ever tried to find a great babysitter?”

Imagine.

”Imagine for a moment that you could not afford lunch”

Statistics.

“Did you know that 20% of homeless are youth…”

The Middle

App solution

Describe your app and features

Business model

Who are your users and how will you make money

Market Plan

How will you reach your customers

Competitive Analysis

Who are competitors and why are you better

The End

Team

Your team roles, your advisors

Projections and milestones

Your current status, next milestones

Senior team your financial projections

Close

Get your message across one last time

Ask your audience for funding, help, use your app

Build Your Confidence

Practice pitching

Have friends and family ask you questions

Pitch to a mirror

Get your mentor

feedback

Handling Questions

Practice getting questions

Listen

Don’t get defensive

If you are not sure what the judge is asking, clarify

Don’t be afraid to say you don’t know

“I don’t know that answer, but what I can tell you is …

Remember

No matter what happens you and your team are AWESOME

Activity

Practice pitches

Submissions

April 23 deliverables

• 2 Screenshots of your app prototype

• Source code for your team’s app (3-4 functional screens)

• Pitch Video on YouTube under 4 minutes

• Demo Video on YouTube under 2 minutes

• 100-word app description - typed and in PDF format

• Technical checklist with a sentence description of each item +

Photo of pseudocode and workflow

• Senior Team Only Business plan – typed and in PDF format

• Team photo

Judging Rubric

Judging Rubric (2)

Check your teams

All team members should now be on the team

All team members must have permission forms signed

Mentors should join the teams

Any team member can upload items for the submission

Submission

Upload your videos to youtube IN ADVANCE!!!

Save your business plan as a pdf

Get your code ready

Thunkable Pro – Share a link to your Thunkableproject

App Inventor export your .aia and upload it

technovation@womenpoweringtechnology.org

How to Submit

Use My Team's Submission page

In the submission forms for multi-line text, just write a few sentences!

App Description should be short and readable

Tech. Checklist Explanations just need a sentence “we used tinywebdb to store users”

Upload pictures of your app, pseudo code, flowchart

Upload your business plan, code, video links

Review submission to make sure it is readable

Submission Dates

Start your submissions early

Do NOT leave everything to April 23rd

Join the Toronto pitch event

Deadline for submission April 23rd 8PM

Slides for the live pitch May 2nd

Link uploaded to your submission page and emailed to technovation@womenpoweringtechnology.org

Live competition May 4 at York University

Toronto Competition May 4

Prizes – Amazon gift cards

Senior team gold, silver, bronze

Junior team gold, silver, bronze

Preliminary round 11:00-1:00PM

Rooms will hold teachers, mentors, family, friends

4 minute live pitch, 2 minute demo video, Q&A

1:00 PM Keynote speaker

1:30-2:30 Finalists pitch

2:30 Awards ceremony

Troubleshooting

Tips for debugging your code

Debugging: the process that coders use to figure out why their code isn’t working

“It's hard enough to find an error in your code when you're looking for it;

it's even harder when you've assumed your code is error-free. ”

–Steve McConnell, software engineering expert and author

Using Test Data

Start with simple data to make sure your app works

Add more data as you get pieces working

Example: App shows the user where the closest restaurant is to them.

Your table stores the names of restaurants, the location data, style of food and phone numbers.

Get started with just two restaurants and location data

Get that working then add restaurants and more information about them

Debug with alerts

Not sure where your app is stuck?

Use alerts – a popup message – to show where you are in the code

Alerts in Thunkable

Drag in the alert component from the user interface section. Set the title and the button label in the designer. Set the message in your code block.

Debug with alerts

Debugging a loop

Testing which screens are getting called

Using labels

Drag a label into your code, set the text and make it visible to see how far your code got

Collapsing blocks

Having trouble focusing on the blocks that aren’t working? Collapse the ones that don’t need your attention.

Disabling Blocks (App Inventor)

Have a block that isn’t finished? Disable it while you test the rest.

Right click to Enable or Expand the blocks again

Using Comments

Comments help to understand the code –useful for judges, mentors, team-mates looking at your code

Version Control

Save versions of your project that you can go back to when you get a section working

You can go back to it if you mess up the next section!

The “save project as” option in AI2 or “copy” in Thunkable to create a copy of the code you are working and save it under a new name

Learning Objectives

Only senior teams need a business plan

What makes up a business plan

How to create a business plan

What is a Business Plan?

Document that describes your business and strategy

Brings together what you have learned:

Types of businesses

Product plans

Market research and marketing plan

Business model revenue and costs

Uses the information in your workbook!

Business Plan Sections

Executive summary

Company description

Products description

Market analysis

Strategy & implementation

Team

Financial plan & projections

Executive Summary

Short concise description – Like the trailer of a movie!

Engage the reader in your business

Write it last to summarize the plan

Include:

Your business name and location

The products and/or services offered

The purpose of your business plan

Company Description

The kind of business you are

Your company's mission statement

The important people in your business and the roles they play

An overview of what you plan to sell and who your market will be

A brief history of how your business was created

Outline what you want to accomplish in the immediate future

Products

A description of your app, emphasizing the specific benefits to the customer

An explanation of how your app has advantages over the competition

Product development:

Current stage of development

Information about how the product will be built and distributed to the customer

Plans that may lead to new products and services

Market Analysis

Description of the market:

Who are the key competitors?

How you think your mobile app will perform and why?

Customer research: A sketch of your customers, including size and demographics

Competitor analysis: a detailed evaluation, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses, how will your app stand against these competitors

Strategy

An explanation of how you will reach target customers and enter the market

Details about pricing, promotions, and distribution of the app

An explanation of company operations

Information on number and types of employees you currently have or will need

Team

Information about the team: names, roles, background and skills, past experience

You can come up with your job titles, like Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or Chief Technical Officer (CTO). You can get creative with it too, like Chief Idea Maker!

List of any advisors, mentors

Financial Plan & Projection

How much money you have now and how will you be using it

How much money you’ll need and what goals you have set for them

How much money do you plan to make in the next 3-5 years and how (profit projection)

Who will read your

Business Plan?

You will submit your business

plans to a panel of judges for

review.

● The judges will provide

feedback based on the rubric

● Judges are technology and

business professionals

● They will read several business

plans – keep it concise and

engaging!

Sample Plans

Team AMEKA SafeGuard Driving

Team AAT ConcussionChecker

Team California Coders loc8 don8

Team New Dork GroGreen

Team WoCo PraisePop

Team Changers ChangEd