Competencies that product managers need to master: product demonstration and construction

Sometimes, product managers need to make product presentations to help team members and stakeholders understand and evaluate the product more effectively. So, how to do a product demo? In this article, the author summarizes the product demonstration and building strategy, let's take a look together.

1. Product demonstration and construction

It refers to the use of appropriate tools and techniques to build and produce interactive, demonstrable prototypes or demo versions based on the design and functional specifications of the product. The benefit of this is a more visual representation of the product's functionality and interface, helping team members and stakeholders better understand and evaluate the product.

Second, how to carry out the demonstration construction of the product?

1. Ensure that the purpose of the presentation is clear and can effectively communicate and present the key information of the product.

Here are some guided steps to determine your presentation goals:

• Define the presentation audience: Clearly define the audience for the presentation, such as internal team members, stakeholders, prospects, etc. Understand your audience's roles, needs, and concerns so you can present in a targeted manner.
• Identify the main message: Determine the main message to convey in the presentation. This can be the core functionality of the product, unique selling points, user experience, market competitive advantage, etc. Focus key messages based on audience needs and the purpose of the presentation.
• Set presentation goals: Define the goals of your presentation based on the main message and audience needs. For example, it is to introduce the characteristics and advantages of the product, demonstrate the process of using the product, display the user interface of the product, etc. Ensure that the presentation is specific and clearly targeted and effectively communicates key messages.
• Determine time limits: Consider the time limit for your presentation and determine what can be presented and focus based on the time limit given. Ensure that the key information contained in the presentation goal is fully demonstrated within the given time.
• Consider engagement needs: Consider whether you need to engage with your audience based on your presentation goals and audience needs. Interactions can include question-and-answer sessions, real-time actions of demo scenarios, feedback and discussion from participants, and more. Ensure interactions better meet presentation goals and audience engagement.
• Define success criteria: Define the success criteria for the presentation, whether it can be understanding and response to the audience, or whether it can spark interest and opportunities for collaboration. Evaluate the effectiveness and results of the presentation against success criteria.

Tips: By clarifying the goals of your presentation, you can ensure the focus and effect of your presentation in order to effectively communicate product-related information and meet the needs and expectations of your audience.

2. Choosing the right tool depends on factors such as the needs of the project, the skills and preferences of the team, and budget constraints.

Here are some commonly used tools for reference:

• Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint, Apple Keynote, and Google Slides are common presentation software for creating slide-style presentations.
• Prototyping tools: Axure RP, Sketch, Adobe XD, and Figma are tools specifically designed to create interactive prototypes and presentations. They provide rich functionality to more visually demonstrate interactions and user experiences.
• Screen recording software: Screen recording tools such as Camtasia, OBS Studio, and Zoom can be used to record screen activity and audio of a presentation for easy playback or sharing in post.
• Interactive presentation tools: Tools such as Webflow, InVision, and Proto.io focus on creating dynamic, interactive demos that more realistically simulate product interactions and user experiences.
• Virtual meeting software: Remote meeting tools such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, etc. can be used to present online and interact with remote participants.

Tips: When choosing a tool, consider the following factors: functional requirements, ease of use of the user interface, visualizations, export and sharing options, difficulty and learning curve, team collaboration and interactive features, and more. Depending on the specific requirements of the project, select the most appropriate tools to create and deliver satisfying presentations.

3. Designing interfaces and interactions is a very important step in product development, and they determine the appearance and user experience of the product.

Here are some guided steps to design the interface and interaction:

• Understand user needs and goals: Through user research and analysis, deeply understand the needs, preferences and behavior characteristics of target users. Clarify the goals of the product and design with the user in mind.
• Develop information architecture: Design a reasonable information architecture according to the function and content of the product. Identify relationships between pages and how to navigate to ensure that users can easily find the information and functionality they need.
• Sketches and wireframes: Use pen and paper or design tools to draw sketches and wireframes. Sketches quickly capture design ideas and basic layouts, while wireframes present interface elements and interaction flows in more detail.
• Determine the interface style and brand image: According to the product positioning and brand image, determine the appropriate interface style, including colors, icons, fonts, etc. Ensure that the visual design of the interface aligns with the target and audience of the product.
• Design usability and ease of use: Design interfaces that are easy to understand and operate considering user perceptions and behaviors. Arrange the page layout reasonably, provide clear labels and instructions, and reduce the cognitive burden on users.
• Create interactions and animations: Add interactions and animations to your interface to improve user experience and responsiveness. For example, button effects, page transitions, transition effects, etc., to increase the dynamic and smooth of the interface.
• User testing and feedback: Prototype the designed interface for user testing to observe user behavior and feedback. Collect users' opinions and suggestions, and optimize and improve the interface and interaction based on feedback.
• Iterative optimization and continuous improvement: Continuously iteratively optimize interface and interaction details based on the results of user testing and feedback. Continuously improve the user experience of the product, improve the ease of use and satisfaction of the interface.

Tips: The process of designing interfaces and interactions requires a wide range of skills and knowledge, including UX design, visual design, interaction design, and more. Ensure effective communication and collaboration between team members to produce satisfactory final design results.

4. Build a demo prototype to more visually demonstrate the functionality and interface of the product.

Here are some guided steps to build a demo prototype:

• Determine your presentation goals and audience: Be clear about your presentation goals and audiences, and identify key features and interfaces to highlight.
• Choose the right tool: Choose the right prototyping tool based on the project needs and the team's technical capabilities, such as Axure RP, Sketch, Adobe XD, Figma, etc.
• Design the main interface and interactions: Based on product requirements and design specifications, start designing the main interfaces and interactions of the demo prototype. Focus on core functionality and critical user paths.
• Add basic elements and interactions: Use prototyping tools to add basic elements such as buttons, input boxes, drop-down menus, and more. Set up interactions for the interface, such as clicking, switching pages, transitions, etc.
• Simulate user processes: Think from the user's perspective and simulate the typical process and operation path of users. Use interaction design to guide users through specific tasks or experience product features.
• Make feedback and improvements: Based on the results of internal testing, collect feedback and opinions from team members and make improvements. Adjust the layout, functionality, and interaction details of your prototype based on suggestions and input from team members.
• Organize presentation and discussion meetings: Organize presentation and discussion sessions based on presentation goals. Present demo prototypes to team members and stakeholders, discussing features and interaction details.
• Continuous iteration and improvement: Iterate and improve based on the results of the discussions. Continuously optimize prototypes to ensure product requirements and user experience expectations are met.

5. Presentations and discussions are conducted to share and discuss the design, functionality, and direction of the product with team members and stakeholders.

• Define the content of the presentation: Be clear about the purpose and content of the presentation, determine the focus of the presentation and the message to convey as needed. Make sure your presentation meets the needs and expectations of your audience.
• Prepare presentation materials: Create materials needed for your presentation, such as slides, presentation prototypes, or other related materials. Make sure your presentation is accurate, clear, and presented in a concise and effective manner.
• Choose the right way to present: Choose the right way to present based on your needs and audience preferences. You can use meetings, online meeting software, or remote presentation tools for remote discussion and sharing.
• Identify attendees: Invite relevant team members and stakeholders to presentation and discussion sessions. Make sure key people are invited to bring a broad range of perspectives and expertise to the discussion.
• Demonstrate the design and functionality of the product: According to the content of the demonstration, demonstrate the design and function of the product. Highlight the product's core selling points, user value, and innovation.
• Lead discussions and questions: During presentations, encourage attendees to ask, discuss, and share ideas. Moderators should lead discussions, answer questions, and ensure attendee engagement and interaction.
• Gather feedback and opinions: Gather feedback and opinions from attendees and listen to their views and suggestions. Make sure to document important discussion points and suggestions for improvement and prepare for further analysis and processing.
• Handling discussion results: Handling discussion results based on collected feedback and comments. Organize and summarize the main points and decisions of the discussion for further analysis and decision-making.
• Communication between attendees: Share presentations and discussion results with team members and stakeholders, and communicate with them in a timely manner. Make sure everyone has a clear picture of the outcome and progress of the discussion.

Tips: Through effective presentations and discussions, you can gather perspectives from different perspectives and areas of expertise to further improve the design and functionality of your product. At the same time, presentations and discussions also help increase teamwork and cohesion, and ensure that the product team is moving towards a common goal.

This article was originally published by @产品人勿缺 on Everyone is a Product Manager, and reproduction without permission is prohibited

The title image is from Unsplash and is based on the CC0 protocol

The views of this article only represent the author himself, everyone is a product manager, the platform only provides information storage space services.