How to Run a Demo That Lands
I've seen strong engineers get overlooked because their demo didn't land.
The work was solid. But when it came time to show off what they built, they lost the room. They went too deep, skipped the context, or fumbled through the setup. The value got buried.
Too often, demos are treated like a box to check. No one wants to over-prepare for something that feels like a status update. But these moments shape how others perceive your work—especially if they weren't close to the build. A strong demo turns effort into visibility.
If you want to be seen as someone who delivers, you need to be able to show your work. That means knowing what to include, what to leave out, and how to keep people engaged.
What Makes a Demo Engaging?
A demo is a communication tool. The goal is to make progress visible and actionable. Your job is to show what was built, why it matters, and what needs attention next.
That might be:
- Sharing what's ready for feedback
- Walking through a fix or improvement
- Showing how it improves a user's experience
If you miss the mark, people will either disengage or fill in the blanks themselves, which rarely goes how you want it to.
What to Show (and What to Leave Out)
A good demo helps your audience quickly understand what you built, why it matters, and what they should do next. To make sure your demo lands, here's what you should focus on:
- The problem you were solving
- What you delivered
- How it works at a high level
- What feedback or next step you're looking for
A lot of developers overcompensate here. They think more detail shows more value. But dumping everything you worked on makes it harder to understand the outcome. Clarity beats coverage.
If you're demoing to non-engineers, show how it behaves. If you're demoing to your team, focus on what you built and what still needs input.
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My 4-Part Demo Structure
Before you jump right into the demo, you should know how you will tell the story. You don't need a perfect script. But you do need a structure that helps you stay focused and makes it easy for others to follow.
Here's the one I use:
Context → Action → Result → Ask |
- Context: What problem were we solving?
- Action: What did we do?
- Result: What changed?
- Ask: What do we need from the audience?
This structure works whether you're demoing live or sharing a recording. It keeps things focused and makes it easier for people to engage.
If your team is hybrid or remote, record a short video with a voiceover. It takes a few extra minutes, but it's a good way to ensure people see the whole picture.
Here is an example of how this looks in a real-world situation:
Context: "We recieved dozens of requests for a way to filter our employee list by hire date."
Action: "We added start and end date inputs to the search form, using our standard date picker component."
Result: "Now users can narrow results to a specific date range. It reduces noise and makes the search more usable."
Ask: "Let us know if there are any edge cases we missed. Otherwise, we'll move forward with rollout."
Common Ways Demos Fall Flat
Even with a clear structure, the delivery can still fall apart. Over the years, I've noticed a few patterns that show up consistently—especially when people are rushed or unprepared. These are the ones I see most often:
- Winging it. There is no plan & no structure.
- Assuming people already know the context. They usually don't.
- Getting lost in technical detail. Especially when it's not relevant to the audience.
- Leaving people without a clear next step. There is no feedback prompt, no signoff request, just silence.
These issues are usually avoidable. The hard part is remembering that your audience didn't live through the build. You have to reorient them. Even a 15-second setup gives people what they need to stay with you.
Good demos feel obvious in hindsight. That only happens when the presenter takes the time to remove anything that gets in the way.
Demoing is a big part of your job as a software engineer. Take some time to ensure you present what you built (and yourself) in the best light.
Prep a few talking points. Know your audience. Run through it once before you share. That small effort goes a long way.
If you're working in public, across teams, departments, or time zones, showing your work is one of the most valuable skills you can build. It creates space for trust, autonomy, and better conversations.
Engineers who demo well build trust. Their work gets picked up. Their names come up in conversations that lead to new opportunities.
That starts by showing your work in a way people actually understand.