Demoing to Software Developers

Creating and executing an appealing technical demo to an audience of software developers is a ton of work, but there is no better way to get people legitimately interested in your product if you land a great demo with an appropriate audience. The inherent difficulty involved in exceptional technical demos also creates a large barrier that prevent others from simply copying your work, which can happen with technical blog content.

To achieve a standout technical demo you must:

1. show how to easily solve a difficult technical problem
2. speak plainly but accurately
3. do it live, including writing code if required
4. tell a story with a narrative arc
5. rehearse constantly, both the happy path and recovering from errors

Examples: Twilio Phone Calls Demo at NY Tech Meetup (2010) Concurrency from the Ground Up (2015) * The Mother of All Demos (1968)