Don't demo facts. Demo stories!

Feedback is the central source of agile value. The most effective way to obtain feedback from stakeholders is a demo. That is what reviews are about. If a demo is the means to value, shouldn’t preparing the demo be a significant concern? Shouldn’t the preparation of demos not be left for the last minute? Should it not be part of the definition of done?

Good demos engage. But, there is more to a good demo. A good demo tells a story about the system. This means that you can tell the story. And it also means that the system is made to tell that story, too. Not a user story full of facts. A story that makes users want to use the system.

Many things go well when demos come out right. Your system looks different. Stakeholders are in sync. Marketing does not have to lie. And even sales can sell better.

This talk tells stories of successful demos and distills demo-driven lessons from both working in research and in industry. These lessons are meant to be used in every day projects.

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