Ineffective Video: “Worst Ever Pitch” from Dragon’s Den
Criteria 1: The most egregious mistake made in the presentation is the fact that the presenter/inventor did not perform proper research and planning, from the establishment of a patent to approval from public services to use the Flow Signal technology on street signs.
Criteria 2: The presenter seemed particularly ill-prepared for the presentation. He is nervous and shy in his delivery, stammering and speaking quietly. He also often makes mistakes when trying to demonstrate the technology, leading to uncomfortable silences.
Criteria 3: The presented seems uniquely incapable of taking criticism, particularly when he tries to interject about “the traffic signs” and Flow Signal’s other applications. He appeared to not really read the audience well, as they were not having any of it but he persisted anyway.
Criteria 4: The presentation itself does not adequately describe or summarize the problem at hand, or what his solution is meant to fix. The presenter relies on poorly illustrated examples and anecdotal stories that only serve to confuse and muddle the actual purpose of the device.
Effective Video: Lee Crocket on “The Digital Generation”
Criteria 1: The presenter’s public speaking skills are incredibly well-honed, speaking with authority, gravity and volume. The presenter seems clearly quite confident with the material, and is able to convey his text in a manner that implies trust.
Criteria 2: The material is quite well-researched and organized, with overviews of the general concepts behind the presentation being interspersed organically with academic examples culled from research and investigation.
Criteria 3: The use of visual aids in the presentation provides a combination of objective information and humor, allowing the audience to feel at ease with the material and more easily understand the topics mentioned.
Criteria 4: The importance of the problem at hand (the increases in technology and its implications over the next few years) is clearly established and discussed. Open questions are used to introduce ideas and placed in simple, applicable language to create better understanding by the audience.
(picture of corporate office or skyscraper)
Slide 1: Overview of Problem
In this slide, a basic description of the stresses and high-pressure nature of the modern 9-to-5 American workplace will be given. Statistics from Knudsen source will link job stress to poor sleep quality and lowered productivity. Currently, American workers are being overworked, which is leading to greater stress, which leads to more distraction, less productivity, and greater morbidity.
Slide 2: Description of Problem Background
This slide will demonstrate the phenomenon of the Spanish siesta and its history in that country and other Spanish-speaking countries such as Mexico. The siesta has existed for millennia, and the biological need for sleep will be re-emphasized. (data from siestaawareness.org, image of Spanish flag)
Slide 3: Solution Description
In this slide, invoking a mandatory Spanish-style siesta will be suggested as solution to the problem of workplace stress and productivity. (image of sleeping individual at desk)
Slide 4: Solution Benefits
In this slide, the benefits of a siesta will be described. Data from the Lambert and Stein sources will support the biological need for naps, as well as their potential health benefits in lowering heart disease. (statistics from siestaawareness.org will be provided)
Slide 5: Solution Logistics
This slide will inform the audience how to apply the mandatory siesta to an American workplace environment. In essence, what I will argue is that businesses be suggested to allow an extended lunch break, essentially from 12-2pm, to allow for both a quick lunch and the subsequent nap. Facilities would be required to be provided to the employees to allow for on-site comfortable rest, so that they could get back to work immediately. Companies would be free to change their operating hours accordingly if they feel they need to maximize productivity.
Slide 6: Conclusion
This slide will discuss the possible improvements and changes to the world of business if a siesta were to be employed. Improvements would include reduced employee stress, greater productivity and profitability for companies, and lower employee mortality rates due to reduced heart disease rates. Stein and Knudsen data would be included in this slide. This solution provides for the needs of today’s working class by allowing them greater rest and relaxation, making work a more productive and less stressful endeavor. By implementing a siesta, America’s workforce can provide itself a much-needed rest to maintain its emotional and physical health, while also improving economic outcomes.
Citation Slide:
Knudsen, Hannah K., Lori J. Ducharme, and Paul M. Roman. "Job stress and poor sleep quality:
Data from an American sample of full-time workers." Social Science & Medicine 64.10 (2007): 1997-2007.
Lambert, Craig, PhD. "Deep into Sleep. While researchers probe sleep's
functions, sleep itself is becoming a lost art". Harvard Magazine, July-August 2005.
National Siesta Day. “Siesta Facts.” Siesta Awareness, 2014.
<http://www.siestaawareness.org/pages/siesta-facts.php>.
Stein, Rob. "Midday Naps Found to Help Fend Off Heart Disease", Washington Post, 13
February 2007, p. A14
