How Many Skills Are Needed to Present a Single Screen in a Software Demo?

 

Take a guess, first…! Now consider:

 

-       Which screen(s) to choose and why?

-       When to present (e.g., beginning, middle, end)?

-       How to introduce the context?

-       How to describe the screen itself? (Hint: “Tell-Show-Tell” is insufficient!)

-       How to point or direct attention to specific screen elements (and face-to-face vs online)?

-       Which screen elements should be presented (or not presented)?

-       Who are the consumers (e.g., execs vs middle managers vs staffers vs admins)?

-       Static screen or video?

-       How to reduce or eliminate distracting tabs/toolbars/etc.?

-       How to avoid Zippy Mouse Syndrome?

-       And more…

 

That’s a starter list of skills required to show a single screen in a demo!

 

Each skill on its own is just a small piece of the overall picture. Who? What? When? How? Why? Where? Which? All of these questions need to be addressed to complete the picture.

 

It is the full combination of this broad range of skills that represents true learning!