We all remember show and tell from school, right? Everyone bringing in their favourite toys, books and other trinkets and treasures while our classmates sat in awe at our prized possession of the week. Well did you know it also has its own day for us adults? Well, here it is – International Show and Tell at Work Day, in all its glory. We’re going to tell you all about it, where it originated from and how we here at DBLX get in on it too.
So Where Does It Come From?
International Show and Tell at Work Day originates from Tom and Ruth Roy, the proprietors of wellcat.com. They saw it as an opportunity for adults to indulge in a bit of fun at work and to essentially show off about themselves and their co-workers.
Why Observe It?
For children, show and tell day was a chance to basically show off their toys and to see what their classmates had in their haul. However, teachers had an ulterior motive for this activity that us adults could learn a thing or two about. Show and tell gives kids their first opportunity to have a go at public speaking. Having kids talk publicly about something they love gets them used to speaking in front of large audiences, something that most adults will have to do at some point in their working lives.
Public speaking builds confidence, especially when kids realise that they’re good at it, and can help shape them and even their careers in the future. Furthermore, just sharing work in itself gives the opportunity for praise and constructive criticism, which are desirable skills that we need as adults at work as well as in our personal lives.
And it doesn’t stop there. Show and tell also helps kids with creative and planning skills, as each week they’ll need something new to bring and talk about. This is a vital activity for adulthood as these are all transferable skills that we all use frequently in our lives.
So what about at DBLX?
We here at DBLX love showing off what we’ve done. We’re proud of what we do, so why not shout about it from time to time? Each month we have a show and tell where a different piece of work gets shared with the company, and the project lead will talk about what it is, who it was for and why they and their team are proud of it.
So in the spirit of the day, here’s something we’ve done (albeit in a very condensed manner!)
Sit Up, Stand Up
Sit Up, Stand Up is a module that was born out of necessity, but didn’t want to feel rushed or dull. Display Screen Equipment, or DSE, are regulations that we all will be familiar with thanks to the ongoing pandemic. It essentially is about ensuring that when you work from home, your home work space is safe so that you can work comfortably with the right equipment.
The user would visit a shopping mall and enter stores to buy a computer monitor, office desk, chair, as well as suitable lighting for their room. Once selected, they would have to build their workspace via drag and drop. We felt this was far more interesting and relatable with the growing amount of people who now work from home due to the pandemic and are in need of a suitable work space. As you can see below, our design team did some stunning work on the look of the module.
Got Anything to Show?
International Show and Tell at Work Day might initially seem childish, but it really has a lot to offer in seeing other colleagues work and projects. It can inspire us to use ideas in our own work as well as improve through receiving constructive criticism and praise. And who doesn’t love shouting about their successes? We sure do here at DBLX.
So why don’t you shout about yours this Show and Tell at Work Day. Shout it out loud!