I facilitate a team demo at the end of each iteration where we present our work to peers. We share innovations, completed projects, and works in progress.
The connections we are able to make between our presentations are extremely valuable (hey, you should reach out to XYZ, they are also working on this issue!). Demos are also a chance to receive feedback, or ask your peers’ opinions.
Any presentation can make folks nervous, so I have a few tips to ensure a smooth demo:
- Script or outline the content beforehand. I write down my intro and big takeaways for the conclusion, as well as a bullet point list of exactly what I want to share with the team. You don’t have to improvise a demo.
- Practice screen sharing. There is nothing worse than being on a conference call and having issues with displays or permissions in front of a live audience. Hop on a Teams call with yourself and record for a minute or two so you can watch it back and make sure everything works. I recently couldn’t share audio when playing a video and got quite flustered.
- Run through the demo once and time yourself. You don’t want to be way under or over, so leave a buffer for Q&A at the end. Make sure you are in the ballpark )we do 10 minutes per person unless someone explicitly asks for more time).
- When asked a tough question, admit when you don’t know the answer! It’s ok to say “I’m not sure but let me find out and get back to you.” Don’t feel forced to make up an answer on the spot.
Adults still like to do show-and-tell, so take pride in your work and take advantage of opportunities to highlight your contributions to the team during demos with confidence.
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