How to Conduct Demos and Walkthroughs

A common complaint we see in software development projects is the client doesn't know how things are really progressing until the end of the project, when it may be too late to catch critical misunderstandings or bugs.

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This can be mitigated by asking for regular demos and walkthroughs from your development partner at every major milestone or after major features are finished. This helps you catch any issues early and gives you the peace of mind that you're receiving the product you want.

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When should your development team give a demo?

A live screen share demo and walkthrough should be done at the end of each milestone. If your project/engagement is not fixed cost (i.e. hourly or monthly), then a live demo should be done every 2-3 weeks.

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This is a good chance to build rapport and relationship with your team as well as a chance to address any project feedback or clarifications live on a call. Do not move on to the next phase until you are satisfied with the phase that has been demonstrated to you.

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Having regular demos also requires your development partner to have concrete deliverables throughout the engagement, holding them accountable for a working product. Let's say you were just given a demo of the first half of your project. In the worst case scenario, you can have the peace of mind knowing that if you walked away from the project at that moment, you'll at least have a working product. It might not be completed, but it could be sufficient to demo to investors to raise the capital you need to finish the product.

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What should you ask your development team to do during demos?

During the demos, you should have your development team share their screen with you and walk you through what they have built so far. Or if you are more comfortable with doing it yourself, you can share your screen with them and have them guide you along as you test out the platform yourself.

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If you're halfway through a milestone, there will definitely be unfinished features. If you're keeping track of the development tasks on a project management platform, you should know which features are done and which features aren't. Otherwise, it's a good idea to ask your development team at the start of the demo to point out any known issues or unfinished features so you don't spend too much time fussing over them.

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On the other hand, if the development team says a feature is finished for the demo, don't be afraid to raise any concerns, no matter how minor they might seem. If you notice a slight inconsistency but don't bring it up, your development might take it as a tacit approval of the feature or milestone. When it comes to the end of the project and you bring up all your minor issues at once, it can be much more difficult to address all the changes.

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As you go through the demo call, ask your development team to note down your feedback or any bugs that you find. To keep track of the feedback and bugs, we recommend logging them in your project management tool so they don't get lost in a chat or email. For Aloa projects, we have separate areas on our platform for clients to log feedback and bugs, and each item has its own thread to keep conversations contained and easily accessible for reference.