background, requirements, presentation setup logistics, grading,
presentation tips, results

plotter schedule, practice session schedule

Background
The 3-ideas presentation is a critical step in the process of choosing a direction for your team's project. The milestone take place during lecture time, as indicated in the syllabus.

This milestone is also intended to help you learn how to prepare a 'clean' poster and describe a product idea in a very short amount of time—roughly the amount of time you might have to pitch a new idea to an executive when you see her while riding in a elevator. Hence, this type of presentation is called an "elevator pitch". If you are not completely at ease in this type of presentation, it is a great chance to practice.

During the presentation you will also be able to see other ideas that classmates are considering.

Requirements
Your section will prepare 3 posters illustrating your section's three best ideas for a project. These should include both ideas derived from your own brainstorming and inspired by the idea fair.

6 sheets of foamcore will be made available in your team's work area (3 sheets for each section). Use the foamcore that we provide so all posters are the same size (24"x36"). Each idea must be represented on a different sheet. Please lay the posters out in tall format since fitting all the posters in the classroom is tight and the mounting system is designed for portrait orientation. If your poster is three dimensional, it can be no more than a total of 1.5" thick (in storage configuration). Also, be sure to identify your team and section on the poster.

Each idea poster should include a simple sketch and key talking points, such as potential customers, market, and technical feasibility assessment— all readable from 50-80 feet away. At a glance, a viewer should 'get the idea.'

A few examples from a previous year are provided on the right. You can also view posters from other years in the gallery (select a project and click on the ideas tab).

Remember that clean simple posters work well. Since the ideas are quite unformed at this time, using gestural sketch-like representations is more appropriate that realistic renderings or models. You can prepare the final poster by hand or using software. There is an illustrator tutorial with tips on preparing a 2.009 poster.

In your presentation, you must also identify at least one person/expert that is representative of your potential customer and be confident that they can serve as a resource during the term.

Logistics
Your section will present the ideas during class.
Please review the detailed presentation setup logistics carefully.

Grading
This presentation counts for a portion of your section-specific grade.

After class, the posters will be collected and all lab instructors will meet to discuss the 6 ideas presented by your entire team (three from each section). Based upon your work, the instructors will choose a product idea area and this will become the entire team's focus for the rest of the term. When making the selection instructors will consider: technical and educational interest; customer needs; project scope; and the product portfolio formed by all 8 teams in the class.

The posters will be photographed and your presentation will be video taped. The materials will be put on the course website, with a review form, and you will receive presentation feedback from instructors over night after the presentations (before your next lab).

Presentation tips
Pointers have been prepared (.pdf) by the communication instructors, while some additional guidelines are provided below.

• Look at the audience, not your poster.
• Don't block your poster.
• Don't read the poster! Viewers will already see everything on the poster... augment the visual information with speech. Lots of text on a poster is not a good recipe.
• Avoid cue cards... practice in advance.
• Think of the presentation as a short story. Telling the story through the viewpoint of the customer can be effective.
• Do not emulate a 'used-car salesperson' or TV infomercial... this is not appropriate for our professional context. Be honest and informative.
• Humor is great. However, humor can unintentionally become disrespectful or in bad taste. Just be careful!

Results of the 3 ideas presentation.