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Delivering a kickass demo of a software prototype is a vastly underrated skill https://twitter.com/geoffreylitt/status/1224082588781940737
I'm also convinced that there are many learnable skills specific to demoing, which are somewhat independent of designing the actual prototype.
The biggest one is to explain. the. problem. before you start rambling about the solution. But there are more subtle ones too
The biggest one is to explain. the. problem. before you start rambling about the solution. But there are more subtle ones too
Like, I've noticed great demoers tend to have a certain cadence between doing and explaining:
- "Here, I'm about to do a thing"
- click the button, do the thing
- "See, I did the thing. Here's why that's great."
repeat
- "Here, I'm about to do a thing"
- click the button, do the thing
- "See, I did the thing. Here's why that's great."
repeat
A very common mistake is to not do step 1, of telegraphing the intention of the interaction
If you click a button and your audience doesn't know yet _why_ you're clicking it, you have failed. Even if you explain after the fact, it just doesn't click
If you click a button and your audience doesn't know yet _why_ you're clicking it, you have failed. Even if you explain after the fact, it just doesn't click
Here's an example of this demoing skill from a master. Watch Steve Jobs in the first iPhone keynote:
"If I wanna get into the iPod I go down into this corner and... push this icon..."
(tap)
"and boom, I'm in the iPod"
Perfect timing. So deliberate
"If I wanna get into the iPod I go down into this corner and... push this icon..."
(tap)
"and boom, I'm in the iPod"
Perfect timing. So deliberate
There's also an art to narrating what you're seeing on the screen immediately after an action.
Watch how Steve next says: "Now here I am, you see five buttons across the bottom.. I'm in Artists right now..."
Making it crystal clear where we've landed together
Watch how Steve next says: "Now here I am, you see five buttons across the bottom.. I'm in Artists right now..."
Making it crystal clear where we've landed together
This stuff may seem incredibly basic, but I've seen so many demos fail because the audience just literally has no idea what what is going on at the most basic level.
Can't get excited if you're confused
Can't get excited if you're confused
Obviously Steve was a natural, but it's clearly a highly rehearsed script.
10 minutes later, when he introduces Contacts for the first time, it's EXACTLY consistent with his script for the Music app:
10 minutes later, when he introduces Contacts for the first time, it's EXACTLY consistent with his script for the Music app:
"Let's go to our phone. See the icon? I push it, boom, I'm in the phone." (telegraphing intention)
"I have five buttons. I'm in Contacts now." (explaining where we are)
"I have five buttons. I'm in Contacts now." (explaining where we are)
"and so let's say, I wanna call Jony Ive. I can just push here..." (telegraphing intention)
"and I see his contact, with all his info -- his phone numbers, his addresses..." (explain where we are)
"and if I wanna call him, all I do is push his phone num" (telegraph intention)
"and I see his contact, with all his info -- his phone numbers, his addresses..." (explain where we are)
"and if I wanna call him, all I do is push his phone num" (telegraph intention)
Without fail, he:
- says what he's about to do
- times the button tap carefully as he speaks
- describes, briefly but in a surprising amount of detail, exactly what we are seeing on the new screen
It sounds natural, but it's actually so deliberate
- says what he's about to do
- times the button tap carefully as he speaks
- describes, briefly but in a surprising amount of detail, exactly what we are seeing on the new screen
It sounds natural, but it's actually so deliberate
What I think is neat is that anyone can learn these basic moves! No charisma required. A *super clear* demo is already well above average.
Of course, there are many advanced skills to get to greatness -- charisma, generating moments of surprise and excitement, etc...
Of course, there are many advanced skills to get to greatness -- charisma, generating moments of surprise and excitement, etc...
I may write something longer about how to demo well, way more than I can fit in a thread 
Any topics/questions youâd like to see covered?
Any topics/questions youâd like to see covered?
