Prompt
Use the design process to develop a totally unique product or idea, that no one knew they needed! Create a compelling infomercial style pitch or video to convince the sharks that they should invest in your idea! Take home the most funding to become the next BILLIONAIRE inventor! It’s as important to communicate your story in a compelling and entertaining way as the idea itself!
A great idea that doesn't have the funding will never make it into the world to serve its purpose.
Competencies
Collaboration, Concept Development, Iteration, Prototyping
Materials
Sketching materials (paper, pencils, markers)
Lo-fi prototyping materials (cardboard, craft sticks, glue, scissors, tape, fabric, etc.)
Whiteboard and markers
Instructions
1. Precedent Research
Individually: Find 3 totally unique inventions or products that you find interesting. Sketch / write what you find inspiring about the product and why someone would want to use or have this product.
‘As a group: Share your findings with the group and write down inspiring details you want to bring into your shark tank invention. Repeat this process 3x.
A precedent is any real-world project or idea that we can learn from to inspire and develop our own unique projects, products, or inventions!
2. Brainstorming
Individually: List out as many ideas as your can, aim for 10, for a design that would be exciting for you to create. Allow the precedent projects you found in the last step to inspire you!
As a class: Share your most unique ideas with the class. The teacher will facilitate a discussion and group similar ideas together.
In small groups: Synthesize your ideas down to two main concepts that you are most excited about.
3. Sketching
As a group: Create quick concept sketches that visually explain your two ideas. Use annotations to explain how your product would work, who would use it, and why the sharks would want to invest their hard earned "Shark Bucks!" Each team member should create their own sketch!
Share your sketches with another group and provide each other with constructive feedback. Each person should share one thing that works well about the idea, and one thing that could be improved and how.
Based on the feedback, refine your ideas and choose one final concept to pursue.
A concept sketch is a quick and rough sketch that communicates the most important elements of your idea. It does not have to be detailed. Keep it simple!
4. Prototype
As a team: prototype your idea using lo-fi prototyping materials. Create a prop-like prototype of your idea, you will use this prototype as a prop in your shark tank pitch! This prototype can be very rough and does not need to include lots of detail. Use materials such as paper, tape, and cardboard.
A sketch model is one of the first prototypes a designer creates using very basic materials such as paper and cardboard. The sketch model should communicate your idea in three dimensions!
5. Creating your pitch
Now, that you have created a prop prototype and developed your idea. Begin to draft an outline for your pitch. Outline your products key concepts, the value it provides, what your product does, how it's used, and who it's used by. Also outline which presentation elements you plan to incorporate to make your pitch exciting and engaging for the sharks. Incorporate a range of presentation elements observed in the example pitches.
Choose at least three of the following presentation elements from the example pitches: Humor, Charisma, Storytelling, Music, Signage, Logos, Slogans, Live Demonstrations.
6. Partner and Share
Find another team that you have not yet interacted with to get feedback from. Remember, getting feedback from others is a critical component of the design process and is necessary to improve our ideas.
Perform your Pitch and Prototype for your partner group. Your pitch should be around 3 minutes. After each pitch the listening group should provide feedback based on the following questions:
How could they improve their prop-prototype?
How could they clarify their idea?
What do you like about their idea?
Was the pitch entertaining?
How could they improve their pitch based on the example pitches?
Would you invest in the idea based on the pitch?
7. Iteration 02
Based on the feedback you received on your pitch and prototype update your prop-prototypes and pitch to more fully and thoughtfully tell the story of your idea. Use this time to create additional elements that will further encourage the sharks to invest in your idea.
You can do this by:
Incorporating more detail into your prototype.
Create more than one prototype to use as a prop.
Create signage or catching slogans to post up around your presentation space.
Create gifts or takeaways for the sharks to keep.
8. Pitching to the Sharks
Using paper and markers have each student make five individual "shark bucks". This will be what they invest!
Each student should have five individual "shark bucks."
Each team should perform their pitch in front of the sharks! 1-3 minutes per team.
After all of the shark tank pitches have been performed each prototype can be organized around the room. Each shark will have the opportunity to explain why they are investing in their favorite idea. Sharks should spread their wealth across 4 projects and cannot invest in their own idea!
9. Reflect
As a class reflect on the learning outcomes from this project:
What was exciting about this process?
What did you learn?
What was most challenging?
What would would you do differently next time?
Deliverables
Prop-like Prototypes
Shark Tank Pitch
Shark Bucks, five per student