Intro
You've worked for a few days on this piece of work. The meeting is scheduled with the stakeholders, and... you're dreading presenting and showcasing the work.
This is a feeling many designers can relate to. I know I've been there; sometimes, I still am.
We're taught how to conduct user research, competitor analysis, and design principles, but in most cases, we don't learn how to present our work.
I've been at this for some time and I've learned a lot from my experiences. I'll share what's helped me, and I hope it helps you too.
Context
Never jump straight to the design solution; always start with some context. Keep in mind that your audience might not be working on this as much as you have, so you must do a recap and provide context.
- State and remind everyone what the goal is.
- List out all the high-level constraints and challenges.
- Remind everyone who the target audience is; usually, just a quick, short persona is fine.
Clearly state your meeting's purpose at the start. Are you seeking design approval, aiming for team agreement, or discussing various options?
Know your audience
Sometimes, I can't help but ponder how to apply UX principles to non-digital product design scenarios. “How can I enhance the experience for others?”
The primary principle of user experience is understanding your audience, what are their needs and concerns.
Who you are presenting to, will influence what you present.
Stakeholders/Owners: They typically want to understand how this design will help achieve the business's goals and whether it aligns with the business values.
Developers: They are usually more interested in screen flows, actions like "what happens when I tap on this", and how to handle edge cases.
Project Managers: They typically focus on the holistic view. They want to know the navigation between screens, the content displayed on each screen, the overall user journey, and would this solve the current problem.
Keeping focus
To stay focused and reduce distractions, I use Keynote, Google Slides, or Figma's presentation mode. This approach intentionally makes it challenging to make minor edits based on feedback. I aim to avoid making live changes in Figma to prevent straying from the main topic and spending too much time on minor details.
Presenting designs in slides allows for the addition of explanatory text. This reminds both the audience and yourself of the reasoning behind your design choices.
Pause and feedback
Pause and ask if there are any questions or feedback after each main section of the presentation, this is especially important during virtual meetings where mix-ups may be more likely to happen.
I like to take notes during this time. If you struggle to type or write while someone is talking, you can try to record the meeting to refer back to later. Some A.I tools that comes in handy here,
At the end of the meeting, go over major feedback or changes - referring to your notes from earlier helps a lot! This ensures that everyone knows what's going on and avoids any unexpected changes, Otter.ai; Fireflies.ai; tldv.io; and spinach.io.
Skeleton of the presentation
Diagram of the story structure
I like to structure my presentation, case studies, and anything that has to do with a story with this structure: Current state → Goal → Possible challenges → Solution → Results(if any)
- Current state - Where are we now?
- Goal - Where do we want to get to?
- Possible challenges - What might go wrong, and how can we avoid it?
- Solution - The design or proposed solution to achieve the goal
- Result - If this is a retrospective presentation, this is a great place to showcase the results.
If there’s something that requires design iterations. I would only present three promising ones. These three would be:
- MVP design - This design aligns directly with the client's request.
- Improved design - This design improves upon the baseline.
- Future state design - This design showcases a bit more creativity by introducing unconventional elements, drawing inspiration from less obvious sources.
The goal here is not necessarily to have the client select one single design. Instead, the aim is to incorporate elements that the client prefers from different designs and combine them into a unique, cohesive design. This approach is excellent for discovery and encourages a more collaborative and iterative design process.
Conclusion
In conclusion, presenting design work takes practice. It's not just about displaying your designs, but also about engaging your audience, providing context, understanding their needs, and gathering valuable feedback. It involves storytelling and guiding your audience through your design journey. Remember, a good presentation is a dialogue, not a monologue. Encourage questions, discussions, and feedback.
Original post here.
FAQ
Why is it important to provide context before presenting my design?
Providing context helps your audience understand the goals, challenges, and target audience of your design. Without context, your audience may get lost or misunderstand your design intentions.
How does knowing my audience influence my presentation?
Different audience members have different needs and concerns. Understanding your audience allows you to tailor your presentation to address these needs and concerns, making your presentation more effective.
Why should I use presentation modes like Keynote, Google Slides, or Figma's presentation mode?
Presentation modes help keep your presentation focused and reduce distractions. They also prevent you from making live changes based on feedback, which can derail the main topic of your presentation.
Why should I pause for feedback during my presentation?
Pausing for feedback allows your audience to ask questions and provide their thoughts, ensuring they understand your presentation and feel involved in the process.
What is the structure of the presentation?
A typical structure for a presentation is: Current state → Problem → Possible challenges → Solution → Results. If design iterations are required, you may also present a baseline, improved, and experimental design.
