Invent an App That Solves a Real-World Problem
Now it’s time to get the word out about your new app. How are you going to explain your app? And how long should it take to convince others that it’s a good idea? If you think “not long at all,” then you already understand the concept of an “elevator pitch.” In other words, it should take you about the same amount of time to explain and convince someone of a good idea as it does to ride up or down several floors in an elevator.
Directions: First, watch this video to discover what an elevator pitch sounds like. As you watch, note John Xie’s energy and enthusiasm—and the time it takes him to pitch his app, called Minus. Next, think of a stakeholder or group of stakeholders in your school or community who would be interested in developing your app. If your pitch has to do with your school, you may want to pitch it to your principal or school board.
| Keyboard Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Space | Pause/Play video playback |
| Enter | Pause/Play video playback |
| m | Mute/Unmute video volume |
| Up and Down arrows | Increase and decrease volume by 10% |
| Right and Left arrows | Seek forward or backward by 5 seconds |
| 0-9 | Fast seek to x% of the video. |
| f | Enter or exit fullscreen. (Note: To exit fullscreen in flash press the Esc key. |
| c | Press c to toggle captions on or off |
Plan Your Pitch
Using notes you’ve taken throughout the lesson, create an outline in Organize It that will help you develop your elevator pitch. Specifically, your pitch should address:
- The main purpose of the app
- Who your app helps
- How your app works
